The committee met at 0903 in committee room 2.

Committee business

The Chair (Mr. Lorne Coe): Good morning, members. I’d like to call this meeting of the Standing Committee on Justice Policy to order. As always, please wait to be recognized by myself before speaking. As a reminder, all questions and comments will need to go through the Chair.

On the agenda that you have before you is committee business. Are there any motions, please? MPP Dixon, please, when you’re ready.

Ms. Jess Dixon: I move that, subject to the authorization of the House, the committee meet in closed session for hearings from victims or individuals who have been personally impacted by intimate partner violence on the following dates:

—Tuesday, January 14, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon and from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.; and

—Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon and from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.; and

—Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon and from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.; and

—Wednesday, January 22, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon and from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.; and

That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to immediately post notices regarding the hearings on the parliamentary channel and on the Legislative Assembly’s website; and

That the Clerk include in the advertisement the following information: Participation is open to individuals who have been personally impacted by intimate partner violence or sexual violence, including victims and family members of victims, who wish to share their experiences with the committee; that the form of submission will be a 20-minute statement; that statements may be presented in person at Queen’s Park or virtually; that all statements will be received by the committee sitting in closed session; and that counsellors will be available on the days the committee is hearing statements to provide support either in person or over the phone; and

That the deadline for requests to appear for hearings be 12 p.m. on Monday, January 6, 2025; and

That witnesses shall be scheduled individually, with each presenter allotted 20 minutes to make a statement; and

That witnesses appearing be permitted to participate in person or participate remotely; and

That each subcommittee on committee business member be allowed one staff designate to observe closed session meetings; and

That the Clerk of the Committee, in consultation with the subcommittee, hire two counsellors to attend all closed session hearings and provide assistance to any presenters at their request; and

That the Clerk of the Committee shall provide a list of all interested presenters to each member of the subcommittee on committee business and their designate as soon as possible following the deadline for requests to appear; and

That if all requests to appear cannot be accommodated, each member of the subcommittee or their designate may provide the Clerk of the Committee with a prioritized list of presenters to be scheduled, chosen from the list of all interested presenters for those respective hearings, by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025; and

That the deadline for written submissions be 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2025; and

That all written submissions remain confidential and only be shared with the members of the committee and the designates of the subcommittee on committee business; and

That legislative research be directed to prepare a summary report of phase 2 testimony, including submissions and evidence from ministers, for the committee’s review; and

That the committee meet for report writing on the following dates as needed:

—Tuesday, February 4, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon; and

—Wednesday, February 5, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon; and

—Tuesday, February 11, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon and from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.; and

That legislative research take all direction on the preparation of reports, including the final report, directly from the committee, and shall not prepare a final report absent a specific motion of the committee providing such direction; and

That a copy of the final report on intimate partner violence be presented to the minister of the Treasury Board and the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity prior to the report being tabled in the House.

The Chair (Mr. Lorne Coe): Is there any discussion on the motion by MPP Dixon?

Ms. Jess Dixon: No, Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Lorne Coe): MPP Mamakwa, please, on the motion.

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Just a quick question, or some thoughts about the counsellors: Is there an amount that’s set aside for it? I know we do a lot of counselling in my region where we have experts come into the community. If there’s an amount—I know sometimes rates vary from different mental health clinicians. It could be a range as low as $500 to $1,000 a day. Are there any amounts to it?

A second comment: I see the process of listening to survivors is the same process that we did with Indian residential schools, where we had the commission to hear the stories of what’s happening to survivors. I think it’s important that we hear these stories. I know 20 minutes is not a long time—but is there going to be an opportunity for questions, I guess, is my question.

Those are just my initial thoughts. Meegwetch.

The Chair (Mr. Lorne Coe): MPP Dixon, please.

Ms. Jess Dixon: On the question of the budget for the counsellors, I’m going to propose that we enter into closed session after this motion to discuss that very subject.

No, we are not setting aside time for questions. What we have heard is that it’s important to, as much as possible, avoid a courtroom or trial setting. It is an opportunity for victims and survivors to state their story in a way that they see fit and for us to listen.

The Chair (Mr. Lorne Coe): Further discussion? Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour of the motion? All those opposed? Madam Clerk, record, please, that the motion has been carried.

Do we have another motion, then, to move in camera? MPP Dixon, please.

Ms. Jess Dixon: I request that we move into closed session.

The Chair (Mr. Lorne Coe): All those in favour? Opposed? It’s carried.

We will now move into closed session.

The committee recessed at 0911 and later continued in closed session.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE POLICY

Chair / Président

Mr. Lorne Coe (Whitby PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong ND)

Mr. Will Bouma (Brantford–Brant PC)

Mr. Lorne Coe (Whitby PC)

Ms. Jess Dixon (Kitchener South–Hespeler / Kitchener-Sud–Hespeler PC)

Mr. Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong ND)

Mr. Brian Riddell (Cambridge PC)

Mr. Stéphane Sarrazin (Glengarry–Prescott–Russell PC)

Mr. Brian Saunderson (Simcoe–Grey PC)

Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos (Oakville North–Burlington / Oakville-Nord–Burlington PC)

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre / Toronto-Centre ND)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Matthew Rae (Perth–Wellington PC)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna

Staff / Personnel

Mr. Andrew McNaught, research officer,
Research Services