Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Social Affairs, Science and Technology
Issue No. 56 - Evidence - April 4, 2019
OTTAWA, Thursday, April 4, 2019
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, to which was referred Bill C-376, An Act to designate the month of April as Sikh Heritage Month; and Bill S-252, Voluntary Blood Donations Act (An Act to amend the Blood Regulations), met this day at 10:32 a.m. to give clause-by-clause consideration to the bills.
Senator Chantal Petitclerc (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: Good morning. Welcome to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
[Translation]
My name is Chantal Petitclerc, and I am a senator from Quebec. It is both a pleasure and a privilege to be chairing today’s meeting.
[English]
Before we give the floor to our witnesses, I would like to invite my colleagues to introduce themselves.
Senator Poirier: Welcome. Senator Rosemary Poirier, New Brunswick.
Senator Eaton: Nicky Eaton, Ontario.
Senator Forest-Niesing: Josée Forest-Niesing, Northern Ontario.
[Translation]
Senator Mégie: Marie-Françoise Mégie from Quebec.
[English]
Senator Kutcher: Stan Kutcher, Nova Scotia.
Senator Omidvar: Ratna Omidvar, Ontario.
Senator Moodie: Rosemary Moodie, Ontario.
Senator Munson: Senator Munson, Ontario.
[Translation]
The Chair: Today, we begin our study of Bill C-376, An Act to designate the month of April as Sikh Heritage Month. We are pleased to have with us today Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament for Surrey—Newton and the sponsor of the bill.
[English]
We are also pleased to have the Honourable Senator Sabi Marwah. You have opening comments for us, and we will follow with questions.
Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament for Surrey—Newton, sponsor of the bill: Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to appear before your committee. I would like to thank all members of this committee for having me here today to speak on my private member’s bill, Bill C-376, An Act to designate the month of April as Sikh Heritage Month.
I give a special thank you to Senator Sabi Marwah for sponsoring and championing this bill through the many stages of the parliamentary process.
I would also like to thank my friend and sister Senator Salma Ataullahjan for her unwavering support and guidance. I would also love to mention Senator Martin from beautiful British Columbia for her guidance and support, and, in fact, all honourable senators from all sides for their unanimous support at second reading and for sending this bill to this committee.
When I think of what it means to be a Canadian, some of the words that come to my mind are diversity, respect for others and equality.
This bill celebrates our Canadian identity, but it also recognizes the tough journey of those who came to this country before us and had to face many hardships and difficulties along the way. Canada is one of the few countries that has taken this remarkable journey from the pain and struggles experienced by early immigrant pioneers to a country that is proud of its diversity.
Canada’s journey as a country began in 1867, and 30 years after that began the journey for Sikh Canadians. That journey was, at times, littered with conflict and oppression. Discriminatory laws tried to keep Sikhs out of Canada. Sikhs were not treated equally under the law and not given the right to vote.
This past Tuesday we celebrated the seventy-second anniversary of the right to vote for Sikh Canadians. Those pioneers responded to it in a Canadian way — standing up for what they believed in, never quitting and working hard to build a brighter future for themselves and all Canadians. They went to war fighting for our democracy, worked to build rail lines that connected this vast country and built up our industries from forestry, to agriculture, to transportation.
Along the journey, there were many contributions by Sikh Canadians, ones who had fought for equality in our democracy, respect in our workplace and freedom in our society. As Sikh Canadians continued on so, did our country.
Look at us today. We have elected officials at all levels of government — professionals providing services that we as Canadians depend upon, business leaders growing our economy and hard-working men and women making this country the greatest nation in the world. There are over a half million Sikhs in Canada, which is the largest population of Sikhs outside of India. Sikhs are now equal members of society, working in every sector of our economy, and, above all, are very proud Canadians.
I share this with you because these moments in our history need to be told. One of the great things about Canada is that we are aware of who we are, we take responsibility for our actions, and we learn from them. We have to accept that we are in a time when hate, division and fear are on the rise.
Sadly, some people in the country believe that a Canadian should look, talk and act in a certain way, but that goes against everything we are as a country. We need to fight back against those preaching hate by becoming louder and more vocal about our shared history.
We need to recognize the struggles and achievements we have experienced together and, above all, our commitment to being a greater country by being even more diverse. I believe this bill does that by designating April as Sikh Heritage Month. Every year, we will celebrate not just the contributions of Sikh Canadians to this country, but our shared history that has made us stronger and more resilient.
As many people have said, the story of the Sikh community in Canada is, in fact, just the story of Canada. That is the story that will be told with the passing of this bill.
I want to thank senators and the chair for giving me time to speak here about this important matter, and I am very happy to answer any questions that you might have. Again, thank you to Senator Marwah from the bottom of my heart, Senator Ataullahjan and Senator Martin and all senators for supporting this bill. That means a lot to me and to all Canadians.
Hon. Sabi Marwah: Thank you, chair and senators, for this opportunity to testify in favour of Bill C-376, An Act to designate the month of April as Sikh Heritage Month.
I must admit, it’s the first time I have sat at this end of the table. In fact, it was hard not to introduce myself as all the senators went by in the introductions.
As a Sikh Canadian, it is a privilege to be here to speak in support of this bill, one that has already received support in the House of Commons from all political parties. I wish to take the opportunity to acknowledge Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament for Surrey—Newton, who led the effort to initiate this bill, and my thanks to Senator Ataullahjan for her support.
Bill C-376 will formalize the month of April as a time to recognize the Sikh Canadian story and celebrate the important social, economic, political and cultural contributions that Sikh Canadians have made to Canada.
April has already been established as Sikh Heritage Month by parliaments in Ontario in 2013, British Columbia in 2017, Alberta in 2017 and Manitoba in 2019. Sikh Heritage Month in these provinces has received widespread support among citizens, community organizations and local governments.
In a statement earlier this week, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture in British Columbia said:
Our government is proud to dedicate this month in acknowledgement of the many significant ways the Sikh community has strengthened and enriched our province since first arriving more than 100 years ago. . . .
By recognizing and celebrating our rich multicultural heritage, we contribute to a positive environment that encourages inclusiveness, cross-cultural dialogue, and mutual respect for all people.
It is fitting that this bill is being studied in the Senate during the month of April, a month that is meaningful to the Sikh community around the world. The month of April has a cultural significance in the region, loosely described as greater Punjab, the former homeland of the great majority of Sikhs. It is the month of Vaisakhi, a harvest festival celebrated by all people of the region, very much akin to Thanksgiving.
For Sikhs, it has added meaning as it also commemorates the birth of the Khalsa order in 1699, the final stage in the evolution of the Sikh faith — one that emphasizes equality, selfless service and social justice — and a milestone celebrated by Sikhs the world over.
As a bit of background, on the journey of Sikh settlement in Canada, the earliest Sikh settlers arrived in Canada well over a century ago in 1897 when Sikh soldiers arrived as members of the British Army. It is not well known that Sikh soldiers served with the Canadian Army in World War I — all volunteers who served a country that denied them the rights of citizenship.
The natural hardships faced by all settlers in Canada were compounded by other barriers: political, immigration, citizenship and others. A landmark was the rejection in 1914 of the Komagata Maru a chartered ship carrying prospective immigrants of Indian origin that were denied entry in Vancouver and turned away, with many of them not surviving the journey back.
In the face of isolation and financial hardship, the early Sikh settlers proceeded to build institutions that would serve the fledgling community, beginning with the Khalsa Diwan Society in 1907. They worked hard and fought tirelessly for civil rights for decades before the laws began changing in 1947.
There is now an effort to include a reference to such milestone events in the history of early settlers in Canada in the school curriculum.
The value of recognizing people’s heritage is subtle, yet profound. Such recognition is a step towards understanding, which is a necessary condition for integration. It is an essential element of a civil society, and it makes for a more cohesive nation. As a country, we celebrate a number of communities, ethnicities and religions in the form of heritage months. This gives us, as a nation, the opportunity to celebrate the unique cultures and values of these communities and to celebrate Canada’s rich multicultural heritage and diversity.
The Sikh community has a particularly unique position with visible principles of faith. This can sometimes work in a negative manner for the community, as with other minority communities, as they face prejudice and racism. Such responses have much to do with the lack of knowledge of the community and information, and familiarity with the history of the community and its core values will go a long way to alleviating misunderstanding.
When Mr. Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs appeared before the Human Rights Committee last year in support of Bill S-232, An Act respecting Jewish Heritage Month, he said:
The concept of heritage months offer a proactive approach to peeling back the ignorance that really serves as the engine or driver of the kind of intolerance that all of us would wish to see diminish . . . It is in this context that I think they play an important role in helping other Canadians appreciate the shared values of specific communities. . . . They bring down that sense of suspicion and hostility that is born from a sense of ignorance about other faith communities.
He went on to say that by establishing heritage months:
. . . we are signalling to these communities that we value what they bring to Canada, but we want it to be integrated in a context that strengthens core Canadian values and enriches the lives of all Canadians and Canadian society.
I couldn’t agree with him more.
This is why Sikh Heritage Month is so important, as it will create one more platform to shed light and dispel misunderstandings that stem from lack of knowledge. Sikh Heritage Month will also give us the opportunity to celebrate the contributions that Sikh Canadians have made and their involvement in all fields, including science, financial, medical, farming, transportation and political to name a few. It will encourage us to talk about their beliefs and values and share in celebrating their diversity, and will allow us to educate future generations of Canadians of the important and valuable role they play in communities across the country.
Although Senator Ataullahjan is technically referred to as critic of this bill, her eloquent words of endorsement during her second reading speech in the Senate were particularly moving. She closed her comments by quoting Mr. Dhaliwal:
The history of Sikhs in Canada is a story of compassion, hard work, persistence and giving back.
She then added:
. . . I support this bill and ask that you do so as well.
In closing, I am very appreciative that this bill has received unanimous support so far, and I look forward to your support in due course. I would be glad to answer any questions as well.
The Chair: Thank you very much for your opening remarks. We have questions from senators.
Senator Munson: Thank you very much for being here. Sikh history is an incredibly important history in our country. I was just reflecting on the fact that Buckam Singh in the First World War fought with a gentleman by the name of John McCrae in Flanders Fields. Could you elaborate briefly on that history for us? I don’t think many Canadians quite understand the role of the —
Senator Marwah: Buckam Singh came to Canada by mistake, I think, and enrolled in the world war.
Senator Munson: We all did.
Senator Marwah: He fought in Flanders Fields, and he was injured there twice. He was brought back to Canada, and he was under the care of Dr. John McCrae, who was a poet and a doctor. Unfortunately, at the end of his stay in hospital, he caught tuberculosis and died at the age of 25. He is buried in a cemetery in Kitchener. Every year there is a celebration by the Sikh heritage community of Kitchener, along with the department of defence, to celebrate his contribution to Canada. At that time, there were 10 to 15 records that we can find of other Sikh soldiers fighting during World War I, but other records at that time are hard to get ahold of.
Senator Munson: Then there was World War II. I don’t think Canadians get the history of Sikh Canadians who fought side by side with every other Canadian.
Senator Marwah: That is correct.
Senator Munson: In terms of this, I understand what you have gone through, Mr. Dhaliwal. I had a private member’s bill creating April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. Do you know how long that took to get passed in both houses? Three years. How long have you been at this? And the word “awareness” has now moved into “acceptance day,” has moved into “action day” for autism in the sense of schools raise flags and more money is being spent on programs. It’s more than just that. Can you tell us how long you have been at this? In the educational aspect, how do you plan to celebrate Sikh history in Canada?
Mr. Dhaliwal: First of all, Senator Munson, I would like to thank you for bringing the bill on autism. It’s very important to where I come from and I am certain that you heard that people, particularly from South Surrey, have been champions of this bill as well. They were always supportive.
I brought this to the House about two years ago, but through the House, it went very fast. In two months I was able to get this bill through because I had the support on all sides. In fact, if you look at the 20 members who seconded the bill, you know, Conservatives, the NDP, the Green Party leader and, of course, Liberals. I had support from all sides.
I also had support from other members from across Canada. What they have done has gotten me this far. As Senator Marwah mentioned, April is a key month, and we are studying this in April. We wanted to make sure that the bill goes through the House of Commons and the Senate before the end of April so that we are able to pass it and celebrate this April.
There were four members of Parliament who gave me their spots so that I was able to move my bill up the list and, in fact, through the committee as well. Here as well, as Senator Marwah mentioned, I have enjoyed support from Senator Ataullahjan as the critic and all senators on that side as well. This is the beauty that the elected body and the Senate were able to unanimously support this bill and fast track it. Here in the committee as well. Now I see you are studying this bill, and I’m hopeful that you will get clause by clause done here.
Senator Munson: The reason I bring it up is that I think it’s more than just awareness. I think people are asking, “Why do we have to have a day or a month?” It tells us who we are as a nation in terms of our history. It’s almost an act of kindness, in the sense that we get to understand each other.
Senator Marwah: I think Senator Munson is right. If I could use World Autism Awareness Day as an example in terms of where it was three years ago when you started work on the bill, and look at the celebration that took place yesterday. What a difference in terms of understanding when we look at awareness across the country. In Ontario, which is my home province, as you know, there is a big battle going on. I think that awareness of what autism is has gone a long way thanks to days like this, because we have time to focus as a nation and bring it to the attention of the country. Those days, or months for that matter, are important in raising awareness.
Senator Omidvar: Thank you, Mr. Dhaliwal and Senator Marwah for being with us today. I was going to ask you a question, but Senator Munson has piqued my curiosity a little. I wonder if you could share with everyone the story of the peanut butter lady on the coast of Nova Scotia when the boats of Sikhs arrived. You know the story better than I do, but I wonder if you could share it with us.
Senator Marwah: I don’t know it as well, but, as I understand it, she was very receptive and opened her home to the boatload of prospective immigrants who came. She was extremely hospitable and it spread to the entire community. That’s the extent that I know, Senator Omidvar.
Mr. Dhaliwal, do you know more about that story?
Mr. Dhaliwal: The people there were very receptive and very nice. In fact, they gave them refuge there. Today, senator, if I look at those people, some of them are in British Columbia. They are very successful business people, employing hundreds. In fact, they celebrate one day every year to acknowledge the welcome they received from Canadians; they gave them a new life. Now those same people are equal contributors in society, running small businesses, employing people, and that’s the beauty of Canada.
Senator Omidvar: If I may, this wonderful Canadian woman got up in the morning and saw her seashore occupied by people she didn’t know. There was quite a number of them, more than 300, and she made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for them. For the taste buds of people who don’t live in Canada, this is a very strange culinary combination. Notwithstanding, they have held her compassion in their hearts and there is a movement to nominate her to the Order of Canada for the symbolism of the welcome she gave.
Let me get to my substantive question, though. Here in the Senate, in this chamber, we are debating the creation of a national Sikh heritage month. At the same time, in the province of Quebec Sikhs will be prevented from working in public service and having access to public service because of religious headgear. Would you blame Sikh Canadians for some confusion that, on the one hand, at the national level we are celebrating, and at the provincial level we are holding back? Do you hope that this celebration will in some way address the underlying issues in Quebec?
Senator Marwah: I think it does. I have been asked many times why a Sikh heritage month, why not a day? I say because the whole purpose of these heritage months is to increase understanding, increase awareness, is to cross dialogue. The longer periods of time that you can do this, the better off you are.
Having a month to do this, the many activities that take place — first of all across the country, between B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, it happens on different days. There are festivals, seminars, art shows, galas, there are many events that go on. This gives us many more opportunities to invite non-Sikhs to these events and say this is what Sikhism stands for, this is what it is. Then they realize, oh, I see, I understand. What is the purpose of a turban? Why this, why that? You have more opportunities for open dialogue.
Hopefully when they have these events in Quebec too, they will provide opportunities that will increase that understanding of what Sikh Canadians are, who they represent and what their values are. The fact that they stand for equality, social justice, selfless service and giving back will help overcome these misunderstandings that perhaps exist.
Senator Omidvar: The preamble of your bill notes that there are more than 500,000 Sikhs in Canada. Do you know how many of them are residents of Quebec?
Senator Marwah: I do not.
Senator Omidvar: Thank you.
Senator Marwah: I have many friends who are Sikh Canadians in Quebec, so a few thousands, I suspect.
Senator Eaton: Thank you, gentlemen. As Senator Munson expressed, I do get tired of these days and months, but I have to say that, with autism, it has certainly done a power of good. I think with Sikh awareness month, which I strongly support, I only feel badly that most Canadian provinces don’t have history on the high school curriculum anymore. I think real awareness, if we’re going to break down barriers in this country, is to do it at the school level. To teach children. I wonder how many children understand what a turban is for if they ever see somebody wearing one in school. You know, it kind of takes down prejudice.
Can you tell me, are there still a lot of barriers that face the Sikh community today?
Senator Marwah: To be honest, I wouldn’t say there are a lot of barriers, aside from this issue happening in Quebec that has reared its ugly head, for lack of a better phrase. The other barriers, by and large, are broken down. There is racism. You do have the taunting that goes on in schools and in the odd places, but I think we have gotten over the vast majority of that.
To your point on the school curriculum, I agree completely. We are trying our best to have some of these milestone events, as I call them, in Sikh history be made part of the school curriculum to increase awareness and understanding. The minute you start with children, you solve the problem for adults. I think we are trying our best, and hopefully we will be successful.
Senator Eaton: Yes. I feel badly that we can’t put history back in high schools all across Canada. Thank you.
Senator Marwah: I shall take that as encouragement to keep going.
Senator Eaton: Absolutely. Thank you.
Senator Kutcher: Thank you very much. Before I ask my question, I would like to respond to Senator Eaton’s comment. Not only should we teach history, but we should teach “herstory.”
Senator Eaton: I don’t like to be patronized as a woman. I don’t need “herstory.” I’m happy with history.
Senator Kutcher: I wasn’t patronizing you. I was supporting you. I was a PhD history dropout. The history of Canada has been through the lens of males and the rest of the country, not just the ethnic religious groups.
The Chair: I think we should go back to questioning our witnesses.
Senator Kutcher: Are you aware of plans that will not only promote Canadians’ understanding of Sikh history and culture and their contributions to Canada, but that will also engage Canadians in that process?
Senator Marwah: I think, senator, there are many underway. This is not something that will begin today. All Sikh Heritage Month does is provide another platform where you have a universal system across Canada, but there are hundreds of events that take place that engage Canadians. I was chair of the Sikh Foundation of Canada for many years and involved in that. We used to have a gala every year at the Royal Ontario Museum, and the intent was two-fold. One was to engage non-Canadians to come and celebrate with us, while also recognizing contributions of Canadians and non-Canadians who have done something for Sikh Canadians across Canada.
That has been a very successful event. There have been many other events. There is the Seva Food Bank in Brampton that is probably one of the largest food banks that serve Ontario, and not just for Sikhs. They are very engaging with non-Canadians.
There are many art shows several times a year; there is one going on right now in Ontario. There was The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms at the Royal Ontario Museum, which we were largely responsible for pulling together.
There are many events that have taken place and will continue to take place. I hope this will give another platform and impetus to have a broader umbrella for these events so we can celebrate across the country as part of a month. This will lead to greater understanding and pride among Sikh Canadians when we have a month to celebrate and tell our story.
[Translation]
Senator Mégie: I don’t have a question, just a comment. As I was listening to you, I thought about festivities and events being organized to promote Sikh culture. When you engage with members of the cultures around you, everyone benefits. It made me think of the programming around Black History Month. Cultural activities and performances are organized, and authors and artists are showcased to expose members of other communities to our culture. It promotes a sense of harmony and community spirit. The members of one group get to learn what members of another group do. They get the chance to talk to one another without fear or prejudice. That’s what your bill brought to mind for me.
[English]
Senator Marwah: I agree with you completely, Senator Megie. In fact, we have tried to emulate the example of Black History Month, because you were the first to begin this process. We have tried to emulate the Jewish community, who have done remarkable things in terms of increasing understanding, along with the Italian and Portuguese communities and many other communities who had begun this long before us. We are learning from them and have emulated them in many ways.
Senator Munson: Senator Omidvar will be serious, and I’m not going to be so serious, but she brought up the peanut lady. I’ve been around, as Mr. Chrétien would say, “since a long time.” 1987 is not that long ago. Senator Marwah, you live in Toronto, and I’m still trying to find the guy who got off the boat in Nova Scotia on those rocky shores before he met the peanut lady and asked immediately for a taxi to Toronto. Do you know about him? That wasn’t you, was it?
Senator Marwah: One of the action items is I’m going to find him for you.
Senator Munson: It’s still in my head. I don’t know how these things keep coming up.
Senator Omidvar: I would hate to disappoint Senator Munson, so I will be serious. Senator Marwah, I think I heard you say that most of the barriers have been addressed. I’m going to ask you whether you believe the barrier of racism in employment has been addressed, because the evidence tells us it has not. It’s grounded in name-based bias, and I don’t know what bias there would be towards employment of people who wear religious headgear. I don’t have the evidence on that. I was wondering if that was possibly too broad a statement.
Senator Marwah: To say it is over would be an overstatement. No, it’s not. It’s very much still alive and well, but it’s quite different today than it was in 1980, when I joined the workforce. I think there have been changes. I think the changes are there because of awareness and people’s understanding. When they get to know you and understand your culture and what you stand for, those barriers break down.
We have not finished the journey at all. I would say we are at 10 or 20 per cent of the journey and there is 80 per cent yet to go. I think it takes generations to change, not just one.
The Chair: Unless there are any more questions, I will say thank you to both our witnesses. Thank you, Mr. Dhaliwal, and thank you, Senator Marwah, for being here and for the hard work that you have done on this bill. It has been very appreciated.
Honourable senators, if you agree, we will proceed right away with clause-by-clause consideration of this bill. You are welcome to stay, of course.
Is it agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-376, An Act to designate the month of April as Sikh Heritage Month?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the title stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the preamble stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 1, which contains the short title, stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 2 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 1, which contains the short title, carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the preamble 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 observations to the report? No.
Is it agreed that I report this bill to the Senate?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you very much.
[Translation]
Honourable senators, we will now continue with our study of Bill S-252, Voluntary Blood Donations Act (An Act to amend the Blood Regulations). We are at clause-by-clause consideration. Before we go any further, I’d like to thank Senator Wallin, the sponsor of the bill.
[English]
I would like to thank all the witnesses that we’ve from heard so far. I was just looking at my notes, and we held 7 meetings, 13 briefs and 20 witnesses. I want to thank everyone who has been part of studying that bill, and my colleagues, of course.
Before we proceed, I believe that Senator Munson has a motion for us.
Senator Munson: Thank you, chair. I understand this to be the committee’s desire, so I will move, honourable senators:
That the committee report Bill S-252 to the Senate with the recommendation that the Bill not be proceeded with further in the Senate.
The Chair: Any questions or comments?
Are senators ready for the question? Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt this motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
I will read rule 12-23(5):
When a committee report recommends that the Senate not proceed further with a bill, the report must state the reasons for this. If the report is adopted, the Senate shall not proceed further with the bill.
Rule 12-16(1)(d) allows the committee to move in camera in order to discuss a draft agenda or report.
Does the committee wish to discuss the report in camera?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
[Translation]
The Chair: We will therefore move in camera.
(The committee continued in camera.)
(The committee resumed in public.)
The Chair: Honourable senators, we are now resuming our meeting in public.
[English]
I believe that I have a senator with a motion.
Senator Omidvar: Thank you, chair. I move that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to approve the final version of the report, taking into consideration this meeting’s discussions, and with any necessary editorial, grammatical and translation changes required.
The Chair: Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you all for your work on this. I have one quick piece of business for today. Senate Communications is producing a bit of a “day in the life” of the chair of the committee, so we require a clip for next week’s meeting.
Is it agreed that the committee allow coverage by electronic media of the committee’s public proceeding on April 9, 2019, with the least possible disruption of its hearings?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you very much for that.
Thank you, senators. As there is no other business, the meeting is adjourned.
(The committee adjourned.)