The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBeyakBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBrazeauCampbellCarignanCoolsCordyCormierCoyleDagenaisDawsonDayDowneDoyleDupuisEatonEggletonForestFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJoyalLankinLovelace NicholasMaltaisMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMitchellMocklerMoncionNeufeldNgoOhOmidvarPatePattersonPoirierPratteRichardsSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTkachukWallinWellsWetstonWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBeyakBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBrazeauCampbellCarignanCoolsCordyCormierCoyleDagenaisDawsonDayDowneDoyleDupuisEatonEggletonForestFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJoyalLankinLovelace Nicholas*MacDonaldMaltais*ManningMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMitchellMocklerMoncion*MunsonNeufeldNgoOhOmidvarPatePattersonPoirierPratte*RaineRichardsSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTkachukWallinWellsWetstonWoo

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

Pursuant to rule 13-3(4), the Honourable Senator Beyak gave notice that she would raise a question of privilege concerning Motion No. 302 under “Other Business”, respecting her website.

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Some Honourable Senators made statements.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills

A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-70, An Act to give effect to the Agreement on Cree Nation Governance between the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and the Government of Canada, to amend the Cree-Naskapi (of Quebec) Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bellemare, 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.

Delayed Answers

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., tabled the following:

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on November 1, 2017 by the Honourable Senator Dagenais, concerning monuments to honour service.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1866S.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on November 9, 2017 by the Honourable Senator Dagenais, concerning The Book of Remembrance.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1867S.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on November 23, 2017 by the Honourable Senator Patterson, concerning the legalization of cannabis — consultation with Inuit communities.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1868S.

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Pursuant to rule 4-10(2), the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., tabled the following:

Reply to Question No. 55, dated September 19, 2017, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Dyck, regarding First Nations infrastructure.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1869S.

Reply to Question No. 57, dated October 4, 2017, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator McPhedran, regarding the funding of women’s organizations.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1870S.

Reply to Question No. 61, dated October 26, 2017, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Pate, regarding the incarceration of Indigenous people and people with mental health issues (Public Safety Canada).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1871S.

Reply to Question No. 61, dated October 26, 2017, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Pate, regarding the incarceration of Indigenous people and people with mental health issues (Department of Justice).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1872S.

Reply to Question No. 62, dated October 31, 2017, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Downe, regarding CRA tax evasion investigations.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1873S.

Reply to Question No. 63, dated October 31, 2017, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Seidman, regarding Vanessa’s law.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1874S.

Reply to Question No. 65, dated November 2, 2017, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Downe, regarding the Veterans Priority Program Secretariat.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1875S.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Bills – Third Reading

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

Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 1 and 166 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Third Reading

Orders No. 1 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees

Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 8 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Commons Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 1, 5 to 8, 10, 15, 29, 33, 50 to 52, 64, 66 and 72 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 31, 73, 89, 92, 139, 146, 158, 189, 215, 245, 286, 292 and 302 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 8, 12 and 13, 19 and 20, 24 to 26, 28, 31 to 33 and 35 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Ordered, That Committee of the Whole begin 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

At 6:20 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted on February 15, 2018, the Senate was suspended during pleasure and resolved into a Committee of the Whole in order to receive Caroline Maynard respecting her nomination as Information Commissioner, the Honourable Senator Eaton in the Chair.

—In the Committee—

Pursuant to the order adopted on February 15, 2018, Caroline Maynard, was escorted to a seat in the Senate Chamber.

Debate.

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The sitting of the Senate resumed.

The Chair of the Committee informed the Senate that the Committee had heard the witness.

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE

Pursuant to rule 13-5(1), the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the question of privilege of the Honourable Senator Beyak concerning Motion No. 302 under “Other Business”, respecting her website.

After debate,

The Speaker reserved his decision.

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Bellemare moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C.:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 9:30 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)

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

Seventh report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, entitled Modernizing the Official Languages Act - The Views of Young Canadians, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on February 16, 2018, pursuant to the orders adopted by the Senate on April 6, 2017 and February 15, 2018.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1863S.

Report on the Annual Summary of Steel Import Data for the year 2017, pursuant to the Export and Import Permits Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. E-19, sbs. 5.1(3).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1864.

Report on the administration and operation of the Canada Health Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, pursuant to the Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-6, s. 23.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1865.

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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

The Honourable Senator Tannas replaced the Honourable Senator MacDonald (February 26, 2018).

Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans

The Honourable Senator Coyle was added to the membership (February 21, 2018).

The Honourable Senator Greene was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (February 21, 2018).