Today, October 21st, is the last hearing on Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments, at the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs.
For the Senate committee study, ICLMG, alongside eight other prominent civil society organizations, have submitted a joint brief. You can read the brief in full here.
Several of the signatories to this joint brief will be speaking to it this afternoon at the Senate. Here is what we stand for:
Our organizations, with decades of expertise in the areas of immigration and refugee law, criminal law, human rights, international law, civil liberties, and national security, are coming together to ensure that the Public Complaints and Review Commission (PCRC), to be established through Bill C-20, sets up an effective, independent, fair and accessible accountability process, from start to finish, in regard to the activities of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
While we were pleased to see important changes made when Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments, was considered by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, additional changes are needed to ensure the Bill’s effectiveness.
Such changes must:
- Ensure access and remove barriers for complainants and their advocates;
- Allow complaints about patterns of behaviour;
- Require the Commission to investigate complaints of a serious nature;
- Allow the Commission to recommend interim protective measures and ensure redress for well-founded complaints; and
- Remove limitations on judicial review.
Our organizations have proposed specific amendments to Bill C-20 to address our concerns in Annex A. Annex B shows the proposed amendments implemented into the Bill.
SIGNED BY:
Amnesty International Canada (English Section)
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Canadian Council for Refugees
Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association
Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association
Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council
International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
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