Parliamentary Committee Notes: DEDC Member Biographies

Chair

Name: Senator Gwen Boniface (Ontario)
Group: Independent Senators Group (ISG)

Senate Experience:

Roles/Committees:

Senator Boniface became the first woman Inspector in the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the first woman appointed as Commissioner of the OPP, and the first female President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. She served for three years as the Deputy Chief Inspector of Ireland's Garda Síochána Inspectorate, tasked with bringing reform to the national police service, then took on the role of Transnational Organized Crime Expert with the United Nations Police Division, where she developed a plan to address organized crime in conflict and post-conflict countries and was a member of the UN Counter Terrorism Integrated Task Force.

Senator Boniface served as Commissioner on the Law Commission of Canada for five years, during which time she participated in independent research, study and debate on the modernization of a wide range of issues. She also served on the Board of Governors of the Law Commission of Ontario from 2011 to 2014. Senator Boniface has initiated many reforms to promote Aboriginal policing.

She is a long-time member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), where she currently serves as Deputy Executive Director. In addition, she was the founding President of the Canadian Police Chiefs International Service Agency, a non-profit organization created to address sexual exploitation of children.

Senate Deputy Chair

Name: Senator Carignan (Quebec)
Group: Conservative Party of Canada (CPC)

Parliamentary Experience:

Roles/Committees:

The Honourable Claude Carignan, P.C., was appointed to the Senate in 2009, and was Leader of the Opposition from November 2015 to March 2017. Before he was Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, in August 2013, Claude Carignan was appointed to the position of Leader of the Government in the Senate and was also a member of Cabinet until fall 2015. In May 2011, he was appointed Deputy Leader of the Government.

As a legislator, Senator Carignan introduced two bills in fall 2016. Bill S-230 (drug-impaired driving) passed unanimously in the Senate on December 15, 2016, but while under consideration by the House of Commons, it did not receive the support of the Liberal government in fall 2017. Also in fall 2016, Senator Carignan introduced Bill S-231 (protection of journalistic sources), which passed unanimously in the Senate and the House of Commons. The bill received Royal Assent on October 18, 2017.

Chair of the Union des municipalités du Québec's justice and public safety commission, Claude Carignan then became that organization's second vice-president. He was then appointed president of the Conseil sur les services policiers du Québec in 2008, an advisory body created to advise the Quebec Minister of Public Security on all policing matters.

Mr. Carignan was elected mayor of Saint-Eustache in November 2000 and served in that role for nine years. Claude Carignan holds a law degree from the Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec, and a graduate degree in public law from the Université de Montréal.

House Co-Chair

Name: Rhéal Éloi Fortin (Bloc Québécois)
Riding: Rivière-du-Nord (Quebec)

Parliamentary Experience:

Roles/Committees:

Rhéal Éloi Fortin is the member of the Bloc Québécois for Rivière-du-Nord, and is a lawyer by profession. He is the president of Bissonnette Fortin Giroux, a law firm in Saint-Jérôme. He studied law at University of Sherbrooke. He has been politically active ever since high school, when he volunteered to put up lawn signs for the Parti Québécois. He ran for the Parti Québécois nomination for the election for the National Assembly of Quebec for Prévost, but lost to Gilles Robert.

In 2015 he ran for the Bloc Québécois in the riding Rivière-du-Nord and won. MP Fortin was named interim leader of the Bloc Québécois on October 22, 2015 following the resignation of Gilles Duceppe as leader after Gilles Duceppe did not win his seat in the election.

He served as interim leader of the party until the next leader, Martine Ouellet was named on March 18, 2017.  He then served as the BQ's critic for intergovernmental affairs, human rights, justice, and access to information in the House of Commons until February 2018, when he and six other Bloc MPs quit the caucus and formed the Groupe parlementaire québécois in protest of Martine Ouellet's leadership style. Mr. Fortin rejoined the Bloc Québécois on September 17, 2018.

House Co-Chair

Name: Matthew Green (NDP)
Riding: Hamilton Centre (Ontario)

Parliamentary Experience:

Roles/Committees:

MP Matthew Green MP was elected in the 2019 Canadian federal election, and re-elected in 2021.  Prior to his election to the House of Commons, he was the first Black Canadian to serve on the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, where he represented Ward 3 from 2014 to 2018.

Green grew up in Hamilton, and received a degree in political science from Acadia University. He later attended McMaster University in Hamilton. First elected to the Hamilton City Council in 2014, he led the way for the city to become the first in Ontario to license and regulate payday lending. In 2018, he became the executive director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI), a non-profit organization that promotes racial equality.

MP Green joined the NDP in 2017, after being inspired by Jagmeet Singh's stance against racial profiling. He has been a vocal opponent of police brutality, and has endorsed a nationwide ban on the use of tear gas.

Vice-Chair

Name: Rachel Bendayan (Liberal)
Riding: Outremont (QC)

Parliamentary Experience:

Roles/Committees:

Rachel Bendayan was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Outremont in 2019.

Ms. Bendayan has previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade.

Over a period of close to 10 years, Ms. Bendayan built a successful legal practice at Norton Rose Fulbright in the fields of litigation and international arbitration, specializing in international trade law.

Ms. Bendayan also taught at the Faculty of Law of the Université de Montréal. She later served as Chief of Staff to the federal Minister of Small Business and Tourism.

A mother and a deeply engaged member of her community, Ms. Bendayan has a strong connection to the families she represents in the Montréal neighbourhoods of Outremont, Mile End, and Côte‑des‑Neiges.

Vice-Chair

Name: Glen Motz (CPC)
Riding: Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner (Alberta)

Parliamentary Experience:

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Glen Motz is a former police officer with the Medicine Hat Police Service. He has received numerous awards. Most notably, in 2012 he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for dedicated service to his peers, community and to Canada. In May 2013, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada presented him with The Order of Merit of Police Forces which was created to recognize conspicuous merit and exceptional service by members and employees of Canadian police forces whose contributions extend beyond protection of the community.

Glen Motz has volunteered on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Medicine Hat Women's Shelter Society, as well as the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank.

Name: Larry Brock (CPC)
Riding: Brantford-Brant (Ontario)

Parliamentary Experience:

Roles/Committees:

Larry has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Waterloo and a law degree from the University of Calgary. Before being elected, he was the Assistant Crown Attorney for Brant.

A lifelong resident of Brant, Larry has demonstrated strong leadership and commitment to family, community and public service having served as Chair of the board of the Crossing All Bridges Learning Centre which helps adults with developmental difficulties succeed in education, employment, and independent living. He was President of St. Leonard's Community Services which provides justice, employment, youth and family, addiction, and mental health services. And in 2015 he served as Chair of the United Way campaign which raised more than $1.6 million for local charities.

Larry and his wife Angela are the proud parents of 12-year-old twin daughters Jennie and Emma, who are active members of Brantford Aquatic Club.

Name: James Maloney (LPC)
Riding: Etobicoke—Lakeshore (Ontario)

Parliamentary Experience:

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Born in Thunder Bay, in a family dedicated to public and community service, Mr. Maloney embraced early on these values that have defined his lifelong commitment to making other people's lives better. A civil trial lawyer by training, he practised law for 25 years at Hughes Amys LLP, in Toronto, before entering politics. In 2014, Mr. Maloney was appointed as interim Councillor for Etobicoke—Lakeshore by the Toronto City Council. A year later, he ran and was elected to Parliament for the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore. As a parliamentarian, he has been a strong voice for his community in Ottawa. He has been a member of various parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including Chair of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, the Canada-Ireland Interparliamentary Group, and the Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association. He is currently a member of the House of Commons Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying and of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.

An active volunteer, Mr. Maloney is the former President of the Toronto Lawyers' Club and has served on the Board of Directors of the local Franklin Horner Community Centre, the Ontario Public Accountants Council, and the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto. For his significant contributions to Canada, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Mr. Maloney holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Bishop's University, and law degrees from the University of Wales in Cardiff, in the United Kingdom, and the University of Windsor.

Name: Sherry Romanado (LPC)
Riding: Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne (Quebec)

Parliamentary Experience:

Roles/Committees:

Sherry Romanado was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne in 2015.

Ms. Romanado previously served as Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence. She has also served as Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology.

Before entering politics, Ms. Romanado was the Assistant Director of Continuing Education at Champlain College Saint-Lambert and a lecturer at the McGill School of Continuing Studies. An engaged citizen, she has always been highly involved in her community. Ms. Romanado was the Vice-President and Director of Communications for the CGG 1979 Centennial Cadet Corps of Greenfield Park, and is an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 94 and the Greenfield Park Lions Club.

Ms. Romanado holds a Certificate in Public Relations from McGill University and a Master of Business Administration from Concordia University.  Born and raised in Greenfield Park, Ms. Romanado is the mother of two sons who are members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Name: V. Peter Harder, P.C.  (Ontario)
Group: Progressive Senate Group (PSG)

Senate Experience:

Roles/Committees:

Senator Harder was appointed to the Senate on March 24, 2016 and was named Government Representative in the Senate at the time. He remained in this position until January 7, 2021.

Mr. Harder spent 29 years in the federal public service, including 16 years as Deputy Minister, which included heading the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Citizenship and Immigration, Industry, Solicitor General, Public Security, and the Treasury Board Secretariat. As Deputy Minister, he oversaw the legislative process of countless bills and has appeared before standing committees of the House of Commons and the Senate.

From 2003-2007, he served as Personal Representative of the Prime Minister (Sherpa) to three G8 Summits. He is an expert on Canada-China relations and was elected President of the China-Canada Business Council in 2008.

He chaired the United Church of Canada Foundation and the Commonwealth Games Foundation. He has provided his time to several organizations and is currently involved with the National Arts Centre, the Glenn Gould Foundation, the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, the Institute for Research on Public Policy, and the Advisory Committee on the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter. He was also the Royal Bank visiting Chair on Women and Work at Carleton University.

Name: Larry Smith (Quebec)
Group: Canadian Senators Group (CSG)

Parliamentary Experience:

Roles/Committees:

Larry Smith is a widely-recognized and respected figure in Quebec. He graduated from Bishop's University with a bachelor of arts in economics in 1972, and a bachelor of civil law degree from McGill University in 1976. He is well-known in Montreal from his days as a fullback with the Montreal Alouettes from 1972 to 1980, and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the same team from 1997 to 2001 and again since 2004. Working tirelessly to promote professional and amateur football, Mr. Smith also served as Commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL) prior to his first term as Alouettes' President.

Outside of football, Mr. Smith has served on a number of civic charitable boards, including as Co-President of the 2001 Montreal Centraide Campaign and on the board of the Canadian Olympic Committee. He also has extensive experience in the business world, including positions with John Labatt, Ltd., and Ogilvie Mills, Ltd., before becoming CFL Commissioner. In addition he served as president and publisher of The Montreal Gazette in 2002 and 2003.

He has received numerous awards over the course of his careers, including the Commissioner's Award for outstanding service and dedication in promoting and preserving the CFL (2001), the 1994 American Marketing Association-Toronto chapter Marketer of the Year (consumer products) and Sports Personality of the Year at the Quebec Sports Gala (1998). Mr. Smith was inducted into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame on September 30th, 2015 under the category of "Builder for Football".

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