SJCA Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
(Meeting No. 10)
Monday, March 23, 1998
The Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access met at 3:35 o’clock p.m., this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Joint Chairs, the Honourable Landon Pearson and Roger Gallaway presiding.
Members of the Committee present:
From the Senate: The Honourable Senators Anne Cools, Mabel DeWare, Jacques Hébert, John Lynch-Staunton, Shirley Maheu, Lorna Milne and Landon Pearson.
From the House of Commons: Eleni Bakopanos, Carolyn Bennett, Madelaine Dalphond-Guiral, Roger Gallaway, Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Eric Lowther, Caroline St-Hilaire and Diane St-Jacques.
Acting Members present: Ken Epp for Paul Forseth and Monte Solberg for Gary Lunn.
In attendance: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Kristen Douglas, Research Coordinator. Ron Stewart, Research Advisor.
Witnesses: From Égale: John Fisher; Pam MacEachern, Barrister and Solicitor, Nelligan, Power. From the Pauline Jewitt Institute on Women’s Studies: Professor Katherine Arnup, Director and Association Professor, School of Canadian Studies. From Sack Goldblatt: Cynthia Peterson. As an individual: Philip MacAdam.
Pursuant to its Orders of Reference from the Senate dated October 28, 1997 and from the House of Commons dated November 18, 1997 the Committee resumed its study relating to child custody and access.
The witnesses made opening statements and answered questions.
The Joint Chair Landon Pearson presented the Fourth Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure as follows:
Your Sub-Committee met Tuesday, March 10, 1998 to consider the future business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:
It was agreed, -- That Committee staff be instructed to schedule witnesses for hearings outside of Ottawa and that for hearings in major centres witnesses be grouped under the following headings:
1) Fathers / Non-Custodial Groups
2) Women’s Groups
3) Grandparents Groups
4) Youth
5) Legal Community
6) Medical / Therapeutic Groups
and; that each witness grouping (two or more) be allotted one hour, with five minutes per presentation and that one hour per day be allotted for groups of individual witnesses (four or five per group); with five minutes per presentation; and, that walk-on witnesses be permitted at the discretion of each sub-committee.
It was agreed, -- That the Committee engage the services of Tremblay Guittet as media relations consultants to the Committee and that the contract not exceed $14,975.00
The Honourable Mabel DeWare moved, -- That the Fourth Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure be concurred in
Eleni Bakopanos moved that the Fourth Report be amended by striking out the fourth paragraph.
After debate the question being put on the motion the amendment was adopted.
The report as amended was concurred in.
The Joint Chair Landon Pearson presented the Fifth Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure as follows:
Your Sub-Committee met Tuesday, March 17 and Thursday March 19, 1998 to consider the future business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:
It was agreed, -- That Committee hold public hearings across Canada as follows:
Week 1
Monday, March 30, 1998 – Toronto
Tuesday, March 31, 1998 – Toronto
Wednesday, April 1, 1998 – Toronto
Thursday, April 2, 1998 – Montreal
Friday, April 3, 1998 – Montreal
Week 2
Monday, April 27, 1998 – Vanvouver
Tuesday, April 28, 1998 – Vancouver
Wednesday, April 29, 1998 – Calgary
Thursday, April 30, 1998 – Regina
Friday, May 1, 1998 – Winnipeg
Week 3
Monday, May 25, 1998 – St. John’s
Tuesday, May 26, 1998 – Halifax
Wednesday, May 27, 1998 – Charlottetown
Thursday, May 28, 1998 – Frederiction
and; that fourteen Members (four Senators and ten Members of the House of Commons), determined after usual consultations, along with the necessary staff travel during each week.
It was agreed, -- That a revised budget in the amount of $499,750.00 be approved and be submitted to the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy and the Senate Committee on Internal Economy for approval.
Eleni Bakopanos moved, -- That the Fifth Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure be concurred in.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
At 5:40 o’clock p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Joint Chair.
RICHARD RUMAS and CATHERINE PICCININ
Joint Clerks of the Committee