Public Safety and National Security

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security met to study Bill C-22, An Act respecting lawful access. Appearing as witnesses were Sergeant Aaron Gilkes from the RCMP, Ramzi Nashef from CSIS, Kimberly Gibner from the Department of Justice, and Richard Bilodeau from the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

Sergeant Aaron Gilkes, asked whether questions from members about amendments were relevant to the bill, said he could not comment on the pertinence of the questions, noting it was his first experience at the committee.

Ramzi Nashef stated that all questions put to him by members were relevant to the bill and the amendments under discussion.

Kimberly Gibner confirmed that all questions asked of her were important questions that needed to be asked.

Richard Bilodeau said the questions were all interesting and within the realm of what the committee was discussing.

The meeting was dominated by procedural debate. Opposition members argued that a programming motion passed by the House that evening prevented debate on the remaining amendments, effectively muzzling parliamentarians and undermining democratic scrutiny of a bill that engages Charter rights. Government members countered that the opposition had already used eight and a half hours of debate time the previous day to address only three amendments, and that the motion was necessary to move the bill forward. After the allotted half-hour for debate expired, the chair invoked the House order to put all remaining amendments and clauses to a vote without further debate. The committee then proceeded through dozens of amendments and clauses, with most opposition amendments defeated on recorded votes of six nays to five yeas. A small number of government and opposition amendments were adopted, some on division. The bill as amended was ultimately agreed to on a recorded vote of six yeas to five nays.