Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Issue 8 - Minutes of Proceedings, December 15, 2011
OTTAWA, Thursday, December 15, 2011
(22)
[Français]
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met at 10:39 a.m. this day, in room 257, East Block, the chair, the Honourable John D. Wallace, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Angus, Boisvenu, Chaput, Dawson, Fraser, Frum, Jaffer, Lang, Mercer, Meredith, Runciman and Wallace (12).
In attendance: Robin MacKay and Michel Bédard, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-20, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867, the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act and the Canada Elections Act.
WITNESSES:
As individuals:
Louis Massicotte, Professor, Political Science Department, Université Laval;
Matthew Mendelsohn, Director, Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation, University of Toronto.
The chair made an opening statement.
Mr. Massicotte and Mr. Mendelsohn each made a statement and answered questions.
At 11:55 a.m., the Honourable Senator Mercer replaced the Honourable Senator Baker, P.C., as a member of the committee.
At 12:02 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 12:38 p.m., the committee resumed.
It was agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-20, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867, the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act and the Canada Elections Act.
It was agreed that the title stand postponed.
It was agreed that the preamble stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the short title, stand postponed.
The chair called clause 2.
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved:
That Bill C-20 be amended in clause 2, on page 3, by replacing lines 4 and 5 with the following:
"population of Canada by three hundred and eight, by dividing the population of each province by the quotient so obtained and rounding up any".
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived, by a show of hands.
It was agreed that clause 2 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 3 carry.
It was agreed that clause 4 carry.
It was agreed that clause 5 carry.
It was agreed that clause 6 carry.
It was agreed that clause 7 carry.
It was agreed that clause 8 carry.
It was agreed that clause 9 carry.
It was agreed that clause 10 carry.
It was agreed that clause 11 carry.
It was agreed that clause 12 carry.
It was agreed that clause 13 carry.
It was agreed that clause 14 carry.
It was agreed that clause 15 carry.
It was agreed that clause 16 carry.
It was agreed that clause 17 carry.
It was agreed that clause 18 carry.
It was agreed that clause 19 carry.
It was agreed that clause 20 carry.
It was agreed that clause 21 carry.
It was agreed that clause 22 carry.
It was agreed that clause 23 carry.
It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the short title, carry.
It was agreed that the preamble carry.
It was agreed that the title carry.
It was agreed that the bill carry, on division.
It was agreed that the chair report this bill to the Senate.
At 1:18 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Shaila Anwar
Clerk of the Committee