48 Elizabeth II, A.D. 1999, Canada

Journals of the Senate

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Issue 110

Thursday, February 11, 1999
2:00 p.m.

The Honourable Gildas L. Molgat, Speaker

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The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Adams, Andreychuk, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Beaudoin, Berntson, Bolduc, Bryden, Buchanan, Butts, Callbeck, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, De Bané, DeWare, Doody, Ferretti Barth, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Fraser, Gauthier, Ghitter, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Kinsella, Kroft, Lavoie-Roux, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercier, Milne, Molgat, Moore, Murray, Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, Perrault, Phillips, Pitfield, Poulin, Prud'homme, Rivest, Roberge, Robertson, Robichaud , (Saint-Louis-de-Kent), Roche, Rompkey, Ruck, Simard, Sparrow, Spivak, Stewart, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Watt, Whelan, Wilson

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Adams, Andreychuk, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Beaudoin, Berntson, Bolduc, Bryden, Buchanan, Butts, Callbeck, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, De Bané, DeWare, Doody, Ferretti Barth, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Fraser, Gauthier, Ghitter, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Kinsella, *Kirby, Kroft, Lavoie-Roux, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercier, Milne, Molgat, Moore, Murray, Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, Perrault, Phillips, Pitfield, Poulin, Prud'homme, Rivest, Roberge, Robertson, Robichaud , (Saint-Louis-de-Kent), Roche, Rompkey, Ruck, Simard, Sparrow, Spivak, Stewart, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Watt, Whelan, Wilson

PRAYERS

SENATORS' STATEMENTS

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Government Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate, The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Butts:

That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday next, February 16, 1999, at 2:00 p.m.

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

ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS

Pursuant to Rule 25(2), the Honourable Senator Carstairs tabled the following:

Reply to Question No 137, dated November 18, 1998, appearing on the Order Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton, respecting the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1006S.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Poulin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pearson, for the second reading of Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Railway Safety Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act.

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

The Bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bacon, that the Bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications.

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

With leave, The Senate reverted to Presentation of Reports From Standing or Special Committees. The Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., Joint Chair of the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations, tabled its Third Report (Narcotic Control Regulations, 1978). -Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1007. The Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., Joint Chair of the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations, tabled its Fourth Report (Food and Drug Regulations, 1978). -Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1008.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carstairs, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., for the second reading of Bill S-22, An Act authorizing the United States to preclear travellers and goods in Canada for entry into the United States for the purposes of customs, immigration, public health, food inspection and plant and animal health.

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

The Bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., that the Bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Graham, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Carstairs:

That the Senate concur in the amendments made by the House of Commons to its amendments to Bill C-20, An Act to amend the Competition Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts; and

That a Message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House accordingly.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C.:

That the motion, together with the Message from the House of Commons on the same subject, dated February 5, 1999, be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce for consideration and report.

After debate, The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. With leave of the Senate, The Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton tabled the following:

News Release from the Office of the Minister of Industry, dated December 11, 1998, together with a letter from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate to the Minister of Industry, dated December 16, 1998, concerning Bill C-20, An Act to amend the Competition Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts. (English text)-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1009S.

OTHER BUSINESS

Senate Public Bills

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

Commons Public Bills

Third reading of Bill C-445, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Stormont-Dundas.

The Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C. moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mahovlich, that the Bill be read the third time.

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

The Bill was then read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That a Message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate have passed this Bill, without amendment. Third reading of Bill C-464, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Sackville-Eastern Shore.

The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Atkins, that the Bill be read the third time.

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

The Bill was then read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That a Message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate have passed this Bill, without amendment.

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Maheu, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ferretti Barth, for the second reading of Bill C-208, An Act to amend the Access to Information Act.

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

The Bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Maheu moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ferretti Barth, that the Bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.

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

Reports of Committees

Orders No. 1 to 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Other

Orders No. 45 (motion), 44, 50, 48, 51 and 34 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting. Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Kinsella calling the attention of the Senate to the Responses to the Supplementary Questions emitted by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Canada's Third Report on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

After debate, The Honourable Senator LeBreton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lavoie-Roux, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Orders No. 88 (motion), 23, 47, 49 (inquiries) and 1 (motion) were called and postponed until the next sitting. Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Losier-Cool, calling the attention of the Senate to population, education and health, particularly for young girls and women in many developing countries

After debate, The Honourable Senator Wilson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gill, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Order No. 1 (other) was called and postponed until the next sitting.

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Lavoie-Roux called the attention of the Senate to the state of poverty in Canada with particular emphasis on child poverty, the International Human Rights Covenants signed by Canada, effecting the difficult transition from welfare to work and the effect that social assistance cuts across Canada have had on the poor with the hope that through our discussions, recommendations as to methods for alleviating poverty may emerge.

Debate concluded. The Honourable Senator Cools called the attention of the Senate to the 47th Anniversary of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne on February 6, 1952, and also to the commemoration Service of Her Accession held on February 7, 1999 at the Anglican Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto, hosted by its Dean, the Very Reverend Douglas Stoute.

Debate concluded.

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Murray, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Atkins:

That there be laid before this House all documents and records concerning the possible privatization of DEVCO, including:

(a) studies, analyses, reports and other policy initiatives prepared by or for the government;

(b) documents and records that disclose all consultants who have worked on the subject and the terms of reference of the contract for each, its value and whether or not it was tendered;

(c) briefing materials for Ministers, their officials, advisors, consultants and others;

(d) minutes of departmental, inter-departmental and other meetings; and

(e) exchanges between the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Finance, the Treasury Board, the Privy Council Office and the Office of the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Carstairs for the Honourable Senator Graham, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pépin, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pépin:

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)

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

The name of the Honourable Senator Pépin substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Pearson (February 11).

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

The names of the Honourable Senators Ghitter, DeWare, Berntson, Poy, LeBreton and Chalifoux substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Oliver, Di Nino, Angus, Kirby, Kelleher and Kenny (February 11).

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