Journals of the Senate
53 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2005, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 38th Parliament
Issue 29
Tuesday, February 1, 2005
2:00 p.m.
The Honourable Daniel Hays, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Angus, Austin, Bacon, Baker, Biron, Bryden, Buchanan, Callbeck, Carstairs, Christensen, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Di Nino, Doody, Ferretti Barth, Finnerty, Fitzpatrick, Furey, Gill, Grafstein, Harb, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Joyal, Kelleher, Keon, Kinsella, Lapointe, Lavigne, LeBreton, Léger, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Massicotte, Mercer, Milne, Moore, Murray, Nolin, Pépin, Plamondon, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, St. Germain, Sibbeston, Smith, Stollery, Stratton, Watt
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, *Andreychuk, Angus, *Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Baker, *Banks, Biron, Bryden, Buchanan, Callbeck, *Carney, Carstairs, *Chaput, Christensen, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, *Cordy, *Day, *De Bané, Di Nino, Doody, *Downe, *Eyton, Ferretti Barth, Finnerty, Fitzpatrick, *Forrestall, *Fraser, Furey, Gill, Grafstein, Harb, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Joyal, Kelleher, *Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, *Kirby, Lapointe, Lavigne, LeBreton, Léger, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Massicotte, *Meighen, Mercer, *Merchant, Milne, Moore, *Munson, Murray, Nolin, *Oliver, *Pearson, Pépin, *Phalen, Plamondon, Poulin (Charette), *Poy, Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, St. Germain, Sibbeston, Smith, Stollery, Stratton, *Tkachuk, *Trenholme Counsell, Watt
PRAYERS
The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the tsunami in Asia.
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Tributes
Tribute was paid to the memory of the Honourable Louis J. Robichaud, P.C., former Senator, whose death occurred January 6, 2005.
Senators' Statements
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Nolin presented a Bill S-23, An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act (modernization of employment and labour relations).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Nolin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Angus, 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.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Second reading of Bill C-15, An Act to amend the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
The Honourable Senator Hubley moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Cochrane moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LeBreton, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Second reading of Bill C-36, An Act to change the boundaries of the Acadie—Bathurst and Miramichi electoral districts.
The Honourable Senator Losier-Cool moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pépin, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the second time.
The Honourable Senator Losier-Cool moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bryden, that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 3 to 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Orders No. 58 (motion), and 6 (inquiry) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Hubley calling the attention of the Senate to the merits of establishing a universal publicly-funded system of post-secondary education in Canada as a national social and economic program, and to the adoption of federal legislation setting out the mission, role, and responsibilities of the government with respect to post-secondary education.
Debate concluded.
Orders No. 1, 2 and 4 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
INQUIRIES
The Honourable Senator Stollery called the attention of the Senate to the World Trade Organisation negotiations on the Doha Round.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Stollery moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mahovlich, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Kinsella moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton:
That the Senate urge the government to reduce personal income taxes for low and modest income earners;
That the Senate urge the government to stop overcharging Canadian employees and reduce Employment Insurance rates so that annual program revenues will no longer substantially exceed annual program expenditures;
That the Senate urge the government in each budget henceforth to target an amount for debt reduction of not less than 2/7 of the net revenue expected to be raised by the federal Goods and Services Tax; and
That a message be sent to the House of Commons requesting that House to unite with the Senate for the above purpose.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C., for the Honourable Senator Austin, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Losier-Cool, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Report on Crown Corporations and Other Corporate Interests of Canada for the year 2004, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 151(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/38-344.
Report on the Marine Liability Act (Part 5, Liability for the Carriage of Goods by Water), pursuant to the Act, S.C. 2001, c. 6, s. 44.—Sessional Paper No. 1/38-345.
Copy of Regulations amending the United Nations Sierra Leone Regulations (SOR/JUS-605553), the United Nations Liberia Regulations (SOR/JUS-605871), the United Nations Afghanistan Regulations (SOR/JUS-604132), the United Nations Suppression of Terrorism Regulations (SOR/JUS-606346), the United Nations Sudan Regulations (SOR/JUS606660), the United Nations Iraq Regulations (SOR/JUS-605066) and the United Nations Democratic Republic of the Congo Regulations (SOR/JUS-606185), pursuant to the United Nations Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. U-2, sbs. 4(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/38-346.
Report on the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, pursuant to the Act, S.C. 1988, c. 28, ss. 231 and 238.—Sessional Paper No. 1/38-347.
Report on the Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, pursuant to the Act, S.C. 1987, c. 3, s. 226.—Sessional Paper No. 1/38-348.
Report of the National Arts Centre, together with the Auditor General's report, for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2004, pursuant to the National Arts Centre Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-3, sbs. 17(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/38-349.
Reports of the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2) .—Sessional Paper No. 1/38- 350.
Summary of the Operating and Capital Budgets for 1997-98 of the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4).—Sessional Paper No. 1/38-351.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Losier-Cool:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 4:32 p.m. the Senate was continued until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
The name of the Honourable Senator Mercer substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Cordy (December 15).
The name of the Honourable Senator Ringuette removed from the membership (December 15).
The Special Senate Committee on the Anti-Terrorism Act
The names of the Honourable Senators Fraser and Harb substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Austin and Christensen (December 15).
Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans
The names of the Honourable Senators Cook and Merchant added to the membership (December 15).
The name of the Honourable Senator Cook removed from the membership (January 27).
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs
The name of the Honourable Senator Mahovlich substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Jaffer (December 15).
The name of the Honourable Senator Losier-Cool substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Downe (January 31).
Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
The name of the Honourable Senator Pépin added to the membership (December 15).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The name of the Honourable Senator Biron substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Carstairs (December 15).
The name of the Honourable Senator Massicotte substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Day (February 1).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The name of the Honourable Senator Johnson substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Di Nino (January 5).
The name of the Honourable Senator Carstairs added to the membership (January 10).
Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
The name of the Honourable Senator Nolin substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton (January 28).
The name of the Honourable Senator Downe substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Munson (January 31).