JUST Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 55

Thursday, November 27, 2014

The Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights met at 3:35 p.m. this day, in Room 268, The Valour Building, the Chair, Mike Wallace, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Françoise Boivin, Sean Casey, Bob Dechert, Robert Goguen, Ève Péclet, Kyle Seeback, Mike Wallace and David Wilks.

Acting Members present: Ryan Leef for Blaine Calkins, Philip Toone for Pierre Jacob and Jeff Watson for Blaine Calkins.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Lyne Casavant, Analyst ; Dominique Valiquet, Analyst.

Appearing: Hon. Peter Gordon MacKay, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

Witnesses: Department of Justice: William F. Pentney, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada; Donald K. Piragoff, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy Sector; Pierre Legault, Associate Deputy Minister; Elizabeth Hendy, Director General, Programs Branch, Policy Sector; Marie-Josée Thivierge, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Office of Assistant Deputy Minister,Management Sector and CFO. Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs: William A. Brooks, Commissioner. Supreme Court of Canada: Catherine Laforce, Director General, Corporate Services Sector; Roger Bilodeau, Registrar , Office of the Registrar. Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada: Marie-France Pelletier, Chief Administrator; Luc Robitaille, Director General, Corporate Services.

Pursuant to Standing Order 81(5), the Committee commenced consideration of the Supplementary Estimates (B) 2014-15: Vote 2b under ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS SUPPORT SERVICE OF CANADA, Votes 1b and 5b under COMMISSIONER FOR FEDERAL JUDICIAL AFFAIRS, Votes 1b and 5b under JUSTICE, Vote 1b under SUPREME COURT OF CANADA , referred to the Committee on Wednesday, November 5, 2014.

The Chair called Vote 2b under ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS SUPPORT SERVICE OF CANADA.

The minister made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:30 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:33 p.m., the sitting resumed.

William F. Pentney, Marie-France Pelletier, Williams A. Brooks, Donald K. Piragoff, Roger Bilodeau, Elizabeth Hendy and Marie-Josée Thivierge answered questions.

Vote 2b under ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS SUPPORT SERVICE OF CANADA carried.

By unanimous consent, the Chair called Votes 1b and 5b under COMMISSIONER FOR FEDERAL JUDICIAL AFFAIRS.

Votes 1b and 5b under COMMISSIONER FOR FEDERAL JUDICIAL AFFAIRS carried.

By unanimous consent, the Chair called Votes 1b and 5b under JUSTICE.

Votes 1b and 5b under JUSTICE carried.

The Chair called Vote 1b under SUPREME COURT OF CANADA.

Vote 1b under SUPREME COURT OF CANADA carried.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

Sean Casey moved, — That the Committee agree with the recommendations of the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, submitted on May 5, 2004, when he joined with the Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of State for Finance; the Honourable Vic Toews, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General; Mr. Garry Breitkreuz, Member for Yorkton-Melville; and Mr. Chuck Cadman, former Member for Surrey North, to recommend that “[t]here must be substantive input from all the provinces and territories into the compilation of a list of suitable Supreme Court of Canada nominees”, “[t]here must be a public review of a short list of the nominees before a parliamentary committee”, and “[t]here must be Parliamentary ratification of the chosen nominee”.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Sean Casey — 1; NAYS: Françoise Boivin, Bob Dechert, Robert Goguen, Ryan Leef, Ève Péclet, Kyle Seeback, Philip Toone, David Wilks — 8.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report Votes 2b under ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS SUPPORT SERVICE OF CANADA, 1b and 5b under COMMISSIONER FOR FEDERAL JUDICIAL AFFAIRS, 1b and 5b under JUSTICE and 1b under SUPREME COURT OF CANADA to the House.

At 5:22 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Jean-François Pagé
Clerk of the Committee

2015/01/07 3:08 p.m.