Present
- Chantal Carbonneau (Chair)
- Emily Moreau (Secretary)
- Renée Maria Tremblay
- Corey Villeneuve
- D. Lynne Watt
- François Lacasse
- Marie-France Major
- Michael Chambers
- Sylvie Labbé
- Margaret Truesdale
- Sophie Arseneault
- Moira Dillon
- Isabelle Bouchard
- Christopher Rupar
- Nadia Effendi
- Geoff Langen
1. Agenda
Point 2 of the agenda was amended to read “Approval of the Minutes of the meeting of June 8, 2022”; the agenda was approved as amended.
2. Approval of the Minutes of the meeting of June 8, 2022
The minutes were approved.
3. Covid-19 update: planning for hearings for Fall 2022
The Registrar advised that the Court will be reviewing the Covid-19 measures in place on a monthly basis, and a gradual reopening of the Court building is under consideration. For the Fall 2022 session, virtual hearings are still preferred, but counsel for main parties will be permitted to attend in person. Counsel for interveners are still required to appear remotely, although this may be revisited in the future. In the Courtroom, the judges will continue to sit on two benches, but some Plexiglas will be removed. It is anticipated that a maximum of six members of the public and/or media will be allowed to attend the hearings.
The possibility of reopening the Registry by appointment is being examined, as is the possibility of offering in-person guided tours of the Court on a limited basis. The lockers currently used by litigants and counsel to file their materials at the East Entrance will remain in place. If any changes in the measures are to take effect on October 1, 2022, a notice will be posted on the Court’s website.
François Lacasse observed that counsel for the interveners were permitted to appear in person at the hearings in Québec City on September 14–15. The Registrar explained that the objective of the Court’s visit to Québec City was to provide members of the public with the opportunity to attend the hearings and see the work of the Court up close. For this reason, counsel for the interveners were exceptionally permitted to appear in person, although some counsel elected to appear virtually.
4. Varia
Lynne Watt noted that the Court has recently issued a number of orders setting filing timetables in cases involving multiple parties, but the deadlines are not always stated for all parties (e.g., for attorneys general intervening as of right on a constitutional question). Recognizing that the usual deadlines under the Rules of the Supreme Court of Canada apply where the order is silent, Ms. Watt advised that it would be useful for the orders to nevertheless state the standard deadlines for those parties whose timetable has not changed. The Registrar advised that this will be taken into account when drafting orders involving the setting of filing timetables.
François Lacasse asked whether it is acceptable for the original printed materials that are filed with the Court to be signed electronically, as staff continue to work remotely. The Registrar undertook to confirm the requirements for signatures on printed materials. In the meantime, committee members may consider that electronic signatures are permitted unless otherwise informed.
5. Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom.