The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights tabled its report entitled: Protecting a Generation: Are UNICEF and UNHCR Mandates Meeting the Needs of Syrian Children?. The report examines the mandates and practices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and how these organizations have evolved … Read more
The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications tabled its report Time for Change: The CBC/Radio-Canada in the Twenty-first Century. The committee undertook an extensive study into the viability of the CBC/Radio-Canada in a changing media environment. Over the past several decades, the communications landscape has experienced explosive growth in the number of television channels available, … Read more
Senate Speaker Leo Housakos, chair of the Steering Committee of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, confirms that a report on the Workplace Assessment of Independent Senator Don Meredith’s office was received by the committee on July 14, 2015. Following careful review and discussion of the information contained in the report, the Steering Committee concluded … Read more
Liberal Senator Grant Mitchell (Alberta) commented on the report tabled by the Senate committee for National Security and Defence on July 8, noting that the report ultimately contains the conclusions of the Conservative members, with Senate Liberals Joseph Day, Colin Kenny and himself dissenting. “There is no doubt that Canada faces very real security threat from a range of actors,” said Mitchell. “The reasons … Read more
The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence tabled its interim report on security threats facing Canada and dedicated it in honour of victims of terrorism. The report, titled “Countering the Terrorist Threat in Canada”, examines terrorist recruitment, operations, financing, prosecutions and other aspects of the security threats Canadians face at home and abroad. The … Read more
Raynell Andreychuk, Senator for Saskatchewan, has been elected as co-chair of the Ukraine-NATO Inter-parliamentary Council (UNIC) of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. “I am honoured to have been entrusted with this responsibility by the NATO Parliamentary Association,” said Andreychuk. The UNIC co-chairs adopted a Statement reaffirming parliamentarians’ ongoing support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and … Read more
The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade tabled its report: Securing Canada’s Place in Asia-Pacific: A Focus on Southeast Asia. This report presents the key findings of the committee’s study of the economic developments and political and security conditions in the Asia-Pacific region, and their implications for Canadian policy and interests. The … Read more
Conservative Senator Raynell Andreychuk (Saskatchewan) expressed concern over reports that eight Brazilian senators came under attack on June 19 while travelling by bus to meet imprisoned Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez in Caracas. “I am concerned that the movement and safety of fellow Parliamentarians is being threatened,” said Andreychuk. “Parliamentary diplomacy can be critical in mediating political tensions,” she said. “It … Read more
The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples is calling on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) to remove the two percent cap on annual increases in funding for on-reserve programs and services effective Budget 2016-17. The recommendation aims to ensure that funding takes into account population growth and inflation in First Nations communities. The … Read more
Liberal Senator Grant Mitchell (Alberta) tabled legislation on June 18 to create a civilian review and oversight council for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as well as an ombudsperson, measures which will begin to address allegations of harassment within the Force. The legislation will create a council which will independently review and oversee the operations of … Read more
