Journals of the Senate
46 Elizabeth II, A.D. 1997, Canada
Journals of the Senate
Issue 80
Tuesday, March 11, 1997
2:00 p.m.
The Honourable Gildas L. Molgat, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams Anderson Andreychuk Angus Atkins Bacon Beaudoin Berntson Bolduc Bonnell Bosa Bryden Buchanan Carney Carstairs Cochrane Cogger Comeau Cools Corbin De Bané DeWare Di Nino Doody Doyle Fairbairn Forest Forrestall Ghitter Gigantès Grafstein Graham Grimard Gustafson Haidasz Hays Hébert Hervieux-Payette Johnson Keon Kinsella Kirby Kolber Landry Lavoie-Roux Lawson Lewis Lucier Lynch-Staunton MacDonald (Halifax) Maheu Meighen Mercier Milne Molgat Murray Nolin Oliver Pearson Petten Poulin Prud'homme Riel Rivest Rizzuto Roberge Robertson Robichaud Rossiter St. Germain Simard Spivak Stewart Stratton Taylor Tkachuk Twinn Watt
PRAYERS
Tribute was paid to the Honourable Senator Riel, P.C., who will retire from the Senate on April 3, 1997.
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Kirby, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, presented its Thirteenth Report (Bill C-70, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act, the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, the Income Tax Act, the Debt Servicing and Reduction Account Act and related Acts), with an amendment and a resolution.
The Report was then read by one of the Clerks at the Table, as follows:
TUESDAY March 11, 1997
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce has the honour to present its
THIRTEENTH REPORT
Your Committee, to which was referred the Bill C-70, An Act to amend, the Excise Tax Act, the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, the Income Tax Act, the Debt Servicing and Reduction Account Act and related Acts, has examined the said Bill in obedience to its Order of Reference dated Thursday, February 20, 1997, and now reports the same with one amendment and with one resolution.
Amendment:
The Bill C-70, in Clause 242, be amended by replacing lines 40 to 45 on page 334 and lines 1 to 4 on page 335 with the following:
"(2) Subsection (1) comes into force on a day fixed by order of the Governor in Council, which day shall not be before the first day on which provinces together having at least 51% of the total population of all provinces that are participating provinces (within the meaning of subsection 23(1) of the Act) or that impose a general retail sales tax at a percentage rate on all goods (other than those specifically enumerated in the legislation that imposes the tax) or a general value added tax at a percentage rate on all goods and services (other than those specifically enumerated in the legislation that imposes the tax) have enacted laws requiring that suppliers include the tax under Part IX of the Act in indications of the prices of property or services supplied."
Resolution:
The Committee notes that, since the inception of the GST, the federal government has made GST rebate payments to compensate the working poor, people on social assistance, senior citizens, students, and low income people for the added tax burden imposed on them by the GST.
In the case of the HST to take effect in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, no such mechanism exists in either the federal or provincial legislation to relieve the burden on lower income people.
Be it therefore resolved that the committee recommends that the Senate urge the provincial governments in provinces where the HST will take effect to provide relief to low income people through rebates, tax credits, or deductions to offset the provincial portion of the HST.
Respectfully submitted,
MICHAEL KIRBY
Chairman
With leave of the Senate,The Honourable Senator Kirby moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Riel, P.C., that the Report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration later this day.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Ghitter, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, tabled its Eighth Report (Interim) entitled: Report of the Committee's Fact-Finding Visit to Banff, Alberta, January 30-31, 1997.-Sessional Paper No. 2/35-609S.
The Honourable Senator Ghitter moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton, 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.
Government Notices of Motions
With leave of the Senate,The Honourable Senator Graham moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C.:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 1:30 p.m.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Kenny, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stewart, for the third reading of Bill C-29, An Act to regulate interprovincial trade in and the importation for commercial purposes of certain manganese-based substances.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Kinsella moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator DeWare, 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
Consideration of the Thirteenth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce (Bill C-70, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act, the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, the Income Tax Act, the Debt Servicing and Reduction Account Act and related Acts, with an amendment and a resolution), presented earlier this day.
The Honourable Senator Kirby moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Maheu, that the Report be adopted.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Buchanan, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Robertson, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Consideration of the Sixth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (Interim Report on Bill C-29, An Act to regulate interprovincial trade in and the importation for commercial purposes of certain manganese-based substances), presented in the Senate on March 4, 1997.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Buchanan, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Robertson, that further debate on the consideration of the Report be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
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Ordered, That all remaining Orders be postponed until the next sitting.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Annual Report of the Canada Pension Plan for the fiscal year 1995-96, pursuant to the Canada Pension Plan Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.C-8, s. 117.-Sessional Paper No. 2/35-606.
Report on the Administration of the Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1995, pursuant to the Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. V-3, s. 8.-Sessional Paper No. 2/35-607.
Report on the Administration of the Labour Adjustment Benefits Act for the period April 1 to June 30, 1996, pursuant to the Labour Adjustment Benefits Act, R.S.C.1985, c. L-1, sbs. 36(1).-Sessional Paper No. 2/35-608.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Graham moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C.:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Special Committee of the Senate on the Cape Breton Development Corporation
The names of the Honourable Senators Landry, Gigantès and Anderson substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Austin, Corbin and Milne (March 10).
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The names of the Honourable Senators Kolber, Mercier and Milne substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Corbin, Hébert and Pearson (March 10).
Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples
The names of the Honourable Senators Lewis and Gigantès substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Taylor and Marchand (March 10).
The name of the Honourable Senator Adams added to the list of membership (March 10).
Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries
The name of the Honourable Senator Bonnell substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Marchand (March 11).