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Decentralized Democracy

House Committee

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 5, 2023
The Chair (Ms. Lena Metlege Diab (Halifax West, Lib.))
  • 03:46:11 p.m.
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The meeting is called to order. Welcome to meeting number 87 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the House on June 21, 2023, the committee is continuing its study of Bill C-40, an act to amend the Criminal Code, to make consequential amendments to other acts and to repeal a regulation. Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the Standing Orders. We have one member with us online, and the rest are here in the room in person. I think you're all very well informed of the procedures, so I will not read them all. If I need to go back to them, I will. I would like to inform you that the sound tests have been carried out. Monsieur Lametti has tested fine. I'm not going to say “positive”. Here with us today to help us on our clause-by-clause study of Bill C-40, we have two witnesses from the Department of Justice. With us is Julie Besner, senior counsel, public law and legislative services sector; and Madam Shannon Davis-Ermuth, acting general counsel and director. Welcome. We will commence with the clause-by-clause. Yes, Mr. Moore.
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Hon. Rob Moore (Fundy Royal, CPC)
  • 03:48:03 p.m.
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Thank you. Madam Chair and committee members, I had placed a notice of motion that the committee report to the House some measures to protect Canadians, and I want to just quickly speak to that now. I think all members have this motion, but it is to: (1) Designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code and expel an estimated 700 Iranian agents operating in Canada; (2) Establish a foreign influence registry; (3) Evaluate Canada's threat assessment in light of the U.K. travel advisory; We all saw, with some shock, the travel advisory that came out, and it was the subject of questioning in question period that the United Kingdom had issued a travel advisory about Canada. That's something I feel we need to make a statement on as a committee. The motion also proposes to: (4) Remove red tape and speed up access to the security infrastructure program to protect communities at risk; All of us around this table represent different communities, and the risk we're hearing from our communities is very real right now. We need to make sure that Canada's security is up to speed with the risk that Canadians are facing. Finally, this motion is to: (5) Create an anti-hate crime task force to coordinate the protection of faith communities. If there is one thing I've certainly been hearing as a member of Parliament—I know others have as well—it is that faith communities are very scared right now with what's happening internationally and what's happening here in our own country, where we value the contribution of various faith communities. Many of them are worried about the future, and they have every right to worry if the Government of Canada is not up to the task.
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