Senate Committee Reports on Bill S-9

Ottawa (June 22, 2012) - The Special Senate Committee on Anti-terrorism has presented its report on Bill S-9, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (Nuclear Terrorism Act).

Bill S-9 was referred to the committee by the Senate on May 17, 2012, for further consideration. The Honourable Robert Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, was the first witness to appear before the committee followed by public servants and experts from the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University and the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California.

“It was constructive that both the conservative and the liberal members of the committee collaborated in a non-partisan fashion on this important national security issue,” stated Senator Hugh Segal, the chair of the committee.

“Given that there are just over 31 countries with nuclear power and that security issues surrounding the possession of these extremely dangerous materials require constant vigilance, it is important to ensure that Canadian legislation is responsive to the challenges that nuclear terrorism poses at the global level,” said Senator Serge Joyal, deputy chair of the committee.

The committee completed its study of the bill, and has reported back to the Senate with an amendment and observations.

For a copy of the committee’s report on the bill, please see:
http://bit.ly/MMiQAw

Background information on this bill can be found on the Parliament of Canada’s LEGISinfo website here: http://bit.ly/KwSFSO

The committee’s schedule of meetings, mandate, membership, recent reports and minutes of proceedings can be found at: http://senate-senat.ca/antr-e.asp

The Senate of Canada is on Twitter: @SenateCA, follow the committee using the hashtag #ANTR.

For more information, please contact:

Brigitte Lemay
Media Relations
Tel: 613-996-7136
Email: lemayb@sen.parl.gc.ca

Jodi Turner
Committee Clerk
Tel.: 613-990-4995
Email: turnej@sen.parl.gc.ca