| Type of parliamentary body |
Multifunctional |
| Nature |
Permanent |
| Related to chambers |
Senate
|
| Date of creation |
February 1969 |
| Last renewal date |
|
| Mandate |
The committee's official mandate is to examine legislation and matters relating to legal and constitutional matters generally, including: (1) federal-provincial relations; (2) administration of justice, law reform and all related matters; (3) the judiciary; (4) all essentially juridical matters; and (5) private bills not otherwise specifically assigned to another committee, including those related to marriage and divorce. This would also include matters dealing with youth and military justice. |
| Membership |
Twelve Senators are appointed by the Senate upon the adoption of a report by the Selection Committee. Membership is for the session unless the Senate makes an alteration, or in relation to senators from a particular party, the party's leader changes the membership. |
| Working methods |
The Committee must receive a mandate to consider an issue from the Senate. Meetings are public except in the exceptional circumstances listed in the Rules of the Senate. The Committee organizes hearings to take live testimony. Witnesses may be representatives of governmental bodies, private organisations, individuals, or experts. The Committee reports its recommendations to the Senate. The Senate makes a decision about the Committee's recommendations by its adoption or non-adoption of the report. |
| Relations with other parliamentary bodies |
The Committee reports its work to the Senate, which then deals with the reports as it sees fit. |
| Relations with external bodies |
External bodies may appear as witnesses, but there is no formal relationship. |
| Subjects dealt with |
In this Parliament, the Committee has examined various bills including an Act to harmonize federal law with the civil law of the province of Quebec and to amend certain Acts in order to ensure that each language version takes into account the common law and the civil law; is studying the implications of including, in legislation, non-derogation clauses relating to existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada under s.35 of the Constitution Act 1982; and petitions calling on the Senate to declare the City of Ottawa, Canada's capital, a bilingual city and consider the merits of amending section 16 of the Constitution Act, 1867. The committee has studied recently: An Act to amend the Criminal Code of Canada (corporal punishment of children); The use of non-derogation clauses in legislation affecting aboriginal peoples; Proposed changes to the military justice system.
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| CONTACT INFORMATION |
| Main address |
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Senate
OTTAWA, Ontario K1A 0A4
|
| Phone |
+1 613 990 00 88, +1 800 267 73 62 |
| Fax |
+1 613 947 21 04 |
| E-mail |
LEG-JUR@sen.parl.gc.ca |
| Website |
...
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PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
|
| Name |
Ms. Joan Fraser |
| Notes |
Chair |
| Address (if different from above) |
|
| Phone |
+1 613 943 95 56 |
| Fax |
+1 613 943 95 58 |
| E-mail |
frasej@sen.parl.gc.ca |
| Website |
...
|
| Name |
Mr. Pierre Claude Nolin |
| Notes |
Deputy Chair |
| Address (if different from above) |
|
| Phone |
+1 613 943 14 51 |
| Fax |
+1 613 943 17 92 |
| E-mail |
nolinp@sen.parl.gc.ca |
| Website |
...
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SECRETARY
|
| Name |
Ms. Jessica Richardson |
| Notes |
Clerk |
| Address (if different from above) |
|
| Phone |
+1 613 990 60 87 |
| Fax |
... |
| E-mail |
... |
| web site: |
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| Notes |
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