2nd Session, 41st Parliament

Issue 35

Wednesday, February 12, 2014
1:30 p.m.

The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker

The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Boisvenu, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Manning, Marshall, Martin, McInnis, McIntyre, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Watt, Wells, White

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Boisvenu, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, *Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, *Massicotte, McInnis, McIntyre, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Watt, Wells, White

The first list records senators present in the Senate Chamber during the course of the sitting.

An asterisk in the second list indicates a senator who, while not present during the sitting, was in attendance to business, as defined in subsections 8(2) and (3) of the Senators Attendance Policy.

PRAYERS

SENATORS' STATEMENTS

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills

The Honourable Senator Dawson introduced a Bill S-215, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (election expenses).

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Dawson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading two days hence.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Day tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the joint visit of the Sub-Committees on Transatlantic Economic Relations and Energy and Environmental Security, held in Texas, United States of America, from June 24 to 28, 2013.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-331.

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the joint visit of the Defence and Security Committee, held in Washington, D.C. and Dallas, Texas, United States of America, from July 9 to 12, 2013.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-332.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills — Second Reading

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

°    °    °

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Raine, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gerstein, for the second reading of Bill C-16, An Act to give effect to the Governance Agreement with Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Raine moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C., that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

°    °    °

Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

OTHER BUSINESS

Senate Public Bills — Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Commons Public Bills — Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Reports of Committees — Other

Consideration of the second report of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament (Amendments to the Rules of the Senate), presented in the Senate on February 11, 2014.

The Honourable Senator White moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, that the report be adopted.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

°    °    °

Consideration of the third report of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament (Amendments to the Rules of the Senate), presented in the Senate on February 11, 2014.

The Honourable Senator White moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, that the report be adopted.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

°    °    °

Consideration of the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament (Amendments to the Rules of the Senate), presented in the Senate on February 11, 2014.

The Honourable Senator White moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, that the report be adopted.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

°    °    °

Orders No. 4 to 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 8, 47 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

°    °    °

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Seth, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett:

That because vision loss can happen to anyone at any age and as a result thousands of people across Canada are needlessly losing their sight each year, and because many Canadians are not aware that seventy-five per cent of vision loss can be prevented or treated, the Senate recognize the month of May as "National Vision Health Month,'' to educate Canadians about their vision health and help eliminate avoidable sight loss across the country.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Jaffer moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Inquiries

Orders No. 14, 4 and 15 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

°    °    °

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Callbeck, calling the attention of the Senate to the growing need for the federal government to collaborate with provincial and territorial governments and other stakeholders in order to ensure the sustainability of the Canadian health care system, and to lead in the negotiation of a new Health Accord to take effect at the expiration of the 2004 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Cordy moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

°    °    °

Orders No. 8, 11, 7, 2, 6, 10 and 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Runciman moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ogilvie:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs have the power to travel within Canada, for the purpose of its examination and consideration of Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the National Defence Act (mental disorder).

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Cowan called the attention of the Senate to the 30th anniversary of the appointment of Senators Charlie Watt and Anne Cools.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Watt moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Demers:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

(Accordingly, at 4 p.m. the Senate was continued until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.)

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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

The Honourable Senator Bellemare replaced the Honourable Senator Nancy Ruth (February 11, 2014).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Runciman replaced the Honourable Senator Buth (February 11, 2014).

Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages

The Honourable Senator Poirier replaced the Honourable Senator Marshall (February 11, 2014).

Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

The Honourable Senator Nancy Ruth replaced the Honourable Senator Bellemare (February 11, 2014).