THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON BANKING, COMMERCE AND THE ECONOMY
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Thursday, March 21, 2024
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy met this day at 11:29 a.m. [ET] for clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act.
Senator Pamela Wallin (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: Hello to everyone. Welcome to this meeting of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy. My name is Pamela Wallin, and I serve as the chair of this committee.
Before we begin, I want to thank everybody for their work yesterday and last night. I think everyone has received all the documents, and I thank everybody for their input.
As we begin, I’d like to introduce the members of the committee with us today. We have Senator Loffreda, the deputy chair; Senator Bellemare; Senator C. Deacon; Senator Gignac; Senator Massicotte; Senator Galvez; Senator Petten; Senator Ringuette; and Senator Yussuff.
Today we are proceeding to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act. I’d like to welcome back officials from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada who are with us in the room today should there be any technical questions. We have Mehmet Karman, Senior Policy Analyst, Foreign Investment Review and Economic Security Branch, Department of Industry; and our regular Mark Schaan, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Innovation Policy Sector, Department of Industry. It was a bit of an inside joke yesterday because we mentioned Mr. Schaan’s frequent appearances here, and the minister suggested he should maybe go to work at his other office from time to time. We’re just kidding you, and we find your contributions very helpful.
Before we begin, I would like to go through some of the rules here. If at any point any senator is not clear where we are in the process, please ask. In terms of the mechanics of the process, if there’s more than one amendment proposed to be moved in a clause, they should be proposed in order of the lines in the clause. If a senator is opposed to an entire clause, the proper process is not to move a motion to delete but rather to vote against the clause as standing part of the bill.
Some amendments that are moved may have consequential effects on other parts of the bill, so it’s useful if we note that in advance. Because there’s no notice required to move amendments, there can, of course, be no preliminary analysis of what the consequences may be. Some may be contradictory.
If committee members ever have any questions about the process or about the propriety of anything occurring, they can raise a point of order. The committee is the ultimate master of its business within the bounds established by the Senate, and a ruling can be appealed to the full committee by asking whether the ruling should be sustained.
I wish to remind honourable members that if there’s any uncertainty as to the results of a voice vote or a show of hands, just ask for a roll call vote. And finally, senators are aware that any tied vote negates the motion in question.
Are there any other questions that we may need answered on those issues? All right. Thank you.
Senators, is it agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed. Thank you.
Shall the title stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed.
Shall clause 1, which contains the alternate title, stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: All right. We will carry on with our business.
Shall clause 2 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 3 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 4 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 5 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 6 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 7 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 8 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 8.1 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 9 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 10 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 11 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 12 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 13 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 14 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 15 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 16 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 17 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 18 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 19 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 19.1 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 20 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 21 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 22 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 23 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you.
Shall clause 1, which contains the alternate title, carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the title carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the bill carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Does the committee wish to consider appending observations to this report?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: The rules allow us to go in camera, but I think we had our discussion yesterday. I think we can do this in public.
Are members in agreement with the observation as presented?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: All right.
Is it agreed that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to approve the final version of the observations?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you very much.
Is it agreed that I report this bill, with observations, to the Senate?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: All right. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our meeting. Thank you, Mr. Karman and Mr. Schaan. That was your busy day. The meeting is adjourned. We’ll see you in two weeks.
(The committee adjourned.)