The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBeyakBoisvenuCampbellCarignanCoolsCordyCowanDagenaisDawsonDayDemersDowneDyckEatonEggletonEnvergaFraserFrumFureyGreeneHousakosJafferJohnsonJoyalLovelace NicholasMacDonaldMaltaisManningMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMercerMerchantMeredithMitchellMooreMunsonNancy RuthNeufeldNgoOgilvieOhPattersonPlettPoirierRaineRinguetteRivardRuncimanSeidmanSibbestonSmith (Cobourg)Smith (Saurel)Stewart OlsenTannasTardifTkachukUngerWallaceWallinWattWellsWhite

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBeyakBoisvenuCampbellCarignanCoolsCordyCowanDagenaisDawsonDayDemersDowneDyckEatonEggletonEnvergaFraserFrumFureyGreeneHousakosJafferJohnsonJoyalLovelace NicholasMacDonaldMaltaisManningMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMercerMerchantMeredithMitchellMooreMunsonNancy RuthNeufeldNgoOgilvieOhPattersonPlettPoirierRaineRinguetteRivardRuncimanSeidmanSibbestonSmith (Cobourg)Smith (Saurel)Stewart OlsenTannasTardifTkachukUngerWallaceWallinWattWellsWhite

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

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Runciman tabled the following (Sessional Paper No. 1/42-167S):

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has the honour to table its

FIRST REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate to incur expenses for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such matters as were referred to it, tables, pursuant to rule 12-26(2), the following report on expenses incurred for that purpose during the Second Session of the Forty-first Parliament:

1. With respect to its examination and consideration of legislation:

In addition to the expenses for its studies as set out above, your committee also incurred general postal charges of $6.

During the session, your committee held 84 meetings(157.3 hours), heard 428 witnesses and submitted 32 reports in relation to its work.  Your Committee examined 32 bills (S-2, S-201, S-203, S-206, S-214, S-215, S-221, C-2, C-10, C-12, C-13, C-14, C-23, C-26, C-32, C-35, C-36, C-37, C-42, C-47, C-217, C-279, C-290, C-350, C-377, C-394, C-444, C-452, C-479, C-483, C-489 and C-525) and received a total of 38 orders of reference.

Respectfully submitted,

o o o

The Honourable Senator Housakos presented the following:

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its

SECOND REPORT

Your committee recommends that the following funds be released for fiscal year 2015-2016.

Legal and Constitutional Affairs (Legislation)

Respectfully submitted,

The Honourable Senator Housakos moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Neufeld, that the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.

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

Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills

The Honourable Senator Enverga introduced Bill S-218, An Act respecting Latin American Heritage Month.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Enverga moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator White, 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 Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Johnson tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the 2015 Annual Summer Meeting of the National Governors Association, held in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, United States of America, from July 23 to 25, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-168.

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the 68th Annual Meeting of the Council of State Governments—WEST, held in Vail, Colorado, United States of America, from July 28 to 31, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-169.

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the Annual Legislative Summit of the National Conference of State Legislatures, held in Seattle, Washington, United States of America, from August 3 to 6, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-170.

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the 55th Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum of the Council of State Governments’ Eastern Regional Conference, held in Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America, from August 16 to 19, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-171.

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With leave,

The Senate reverted to Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees.

The Honourable Senator Maltais, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, presented the second report of the committee (Budget—international market access priorities for the Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector—power to hire staff and to travel).

(The report is printed as an appendix at pages 180-187 (available in print format PDF).)

(The HTML version of the report is available on the committee website.)

Ordered, That the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration later this day.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Motions

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 15 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Second reading of Bill S-210, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act and the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

The Honourable Senator Jaffer moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Baker, P.C., that the bill be read the second time.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oh, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Consideration of the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry (Budget—international market access priorities for the Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector—power to hire staff and to travel), presented in the Senate on February 18, 2016.

The Honourable Senator Mercer moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, that the report be adopted.

After debate,

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

Motions

Orders No. 43, 7, 31, 25, 6 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

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

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser:

That, pursuant to rule 12-24(1), the Senate request a complete and detailed response from the Government to the sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, entitled: Aiming Higher: Increasing bilingualism of our Canadian Youth, tabled in the Senate on June 16, 2015 and adopted on June 19, 2015, during the Second Session of the Forty-first Parliament, with the Minister of Canadian Heritage being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report.

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

o o o

The Honourable Senator Cowan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser:

That, at the start of the sitting on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, tributes be paid to the Honourable Senator Chaput upon the occasion of her retirement from the Senate, with these tributes being governed by the provisions of rule 4-3.

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

o o o

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Dyck moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mercer:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples be authorized to examine and report on best practices and on-going challenges relating to housing in First Nation and Inuit communities in Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and the Northwest Territories, including, but not limited to:

(a)innovative solutions and technologies for the construction of housing in the North;

(b)financing opportunities and challenges to the construction, operations, and maintenance costs of housing;

(c)federal and cost-shared territorial programs and activities in relation to northern housing;

That the committee submit its final report no later than October 31, 2016 and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

After debate,

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

At 2:38 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:30 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Question Period

Pursuant to the order adopted on February 16, 2016, the Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Pursuant to the order adopted on December 10, 2015, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs, entered the Senate and took part in Question Period.

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With leave,

The Senate reverted to Notices of Motions.

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cowan:

That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at 2 p.m.

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

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C.:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 4:07 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, February 23, 2016, at 2 p.m.)

DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 14-1(7)

Report on the operations of the Exchange Fund Account for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, pursuant to the Currency Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-52,sbs. 21(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-166.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples

The Honourable Senator Beyak replaced the Honourable Senator Maltais (February 18, 2016).

The Honourable Senator Maltais replaced the Honourable Senator Beyak (February 17, 2016).

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

The Honourable Senator Beyak replaced the Honourable Senator Black (February 17, 2016).

The Honourable Senator Black replaced the Honourable Senator Marshall (February 17, 2016).

Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations

The Honourable Senator Merchant replaced the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C. (Cobourg) (February 18, 2016).

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

The Honourable Senator Unger replaced the Honourable Senator Housakos (February 17, 2016).

The Honourable Senator Black replaced the Honourable Senator Andreychuk (February 17, 2016).