Anita Vandenbeld

You said this could be even further broadened. Cybercrime was one of the things you mentioned. What would those areas be?

Thank you. That's something we can certainly reflect on. I was a bit confused when you talked about the unintended consequences of the annual publication of all the consular cases we're working on. You said that because of the difference between permanent residents, citizens and foreign nationals.... I think your words were that there would be unintended consequences for our consular services. [more]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I have a few questions, but I'd like some clarification on that last one about human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience. “Human rights defenders” is a broader category. Is that correct? Once a prisoner is released, they may still be under surveillance, they may still be targeted and their family may still be targeted, but they're not technically a [more]

Thank you. My questions are for Mr. Brookfield. You outlined a number of areas in which you have concerns about the bill, but this bill also modernizes our Magnitsky sanctions regime. It updates and expands it in a number of areas, including transnational repression, which probably wasn't as exposed when the first bill came through as it is now. Could you tell us what the good things are in [more]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thank you, all, for being here again. I'd like to start my questions with Ms. Simard. In our previous meeting with officials, we heard about the rationale for administrative monetary penalties. One reason is that if you have to meet the threshold of a criminal charge, fewer people will be charged. You need that flexibility to do administrative penalties. There [more]

What about publication and the unintended consequences? It could put those individuals in more danger if it's publicized.

Thank you. My next question is for Mr. Perrault. I note that, in 2019 and 2022.... I remember being on this committee in 2015, when some of these things were already brought up. My question for you is about the urgency. I can imagine that, although every time there is an election there are issues that you want to put forward, getting these ones done is very important or very urgent.

Thank you. For the record, I think all of us would be concerned, when an 18-year-old student is coming to our campaign, that this be taken into consideration. The other thing I'm wondering about is the expansion of the administrative monetary penalties. It would now allow for a quicker response. I've seen cases in which going through the criminal justice system can take more than one election. [more]

I note that expanding the number of actors who can be affected by this.... Our campaigns are full of volunteers, many of whom are not necessarily versed in every part of the Elections Act. They make honest mistakes. Is this something you would factor in when looking at administrative penalties? Would you look at what their role is in the campaign? Is that part of your criteria?

You said, in your opening remarks, that “disinformation is the biggest threat to our democracy”. Of course, this bill does have new measures against spreading false information, things that are known to be false and that are intended to undermine the election and its results, but there has been concern. Even the committee expressed that. Can you tell us why that particular measure is important, [more]