Journals of the Senate
55 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2006, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 39th Parliament
Issue 4
Thursday, April 6, 2006
2:00 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Banks, Biron, Bryden, Buchanan, Callbeck, Campbell, Carney, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Christensen, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, Eyton, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Fortier, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Gill, Goldstein, Grafstein, Gustafson, Harb, Hays, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kirby, Lavigne, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, Mahovlich, Massicotte, Mercer, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Pitfield, Plamondon, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Sibbeston, Smith, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Banks, Biron, Bryden, Buchanan, Callbeck, Campbell, Carney, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Christensen, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, Eyton, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Fortier, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Gill, Goldstein, Grafstein, Gustafson, Harb, Hays, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kirby, Lavigne, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, Mahovlich, Massicotte, Mercer, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Pitfield, Plamondon, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Sibbeston, Smith, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
PRAYERS
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Tributes
Tribute was paid to the Honourable Senator Buchanan, P.C., who will retire from the Senate on April 22, 2006.
Senators' Statements
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Tabling of Documents
The Honourable the Speaker tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for the year 2005, pursuant to the Canadian Human Rights Act, S.C. 1998, c. 9, sbs. 61(4).—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-18.
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Stratton presented the following:
Thursday, April 6, 2006
The Committee of Selection has the honour to present its
FIRST REPORT
Pursuant to Rule 85(1)(a) and 85(2) of the Rules of the Senate, your Committee wishes to inform the Senate that it nominates the Honourable Senator Losier-Cool Speaker pro tempore.
Respectfully submitted,
TERRY STRATTON
Chair
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Stratton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Comeau, 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 Stratton presented the following:
Thursday, April 6, 2006
The Committee of Selection has the honour to present its
SECOND REPORT
Pursuant to Rule 85(1)(b) of the Rules of the Senate, your Committee submits herewith the list of Senators nominated by it to serve on the following committees:
Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples
The Honourable Senators Campbell, Dyck, Gill, Gustafson, Hubley, Lovelace Nicholas, Peterson, Segal, Sibbeston, St. Germain, P.C., Watt and Zimmer
Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
The Honourable Senators Callbeck, Christensen, Fairbairn, P.C., Gustafson, Mahovlich, Mercer, Mitchell, Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Segal and Tkachuk
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The Honourable Senators Angus, Biron, Eyton, Fitzpatrick, Goldstein, Grafstein, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, P.C., Massicotte, Meighen, Moore and Tkachuk
Standing Senate Committee on Energy,
the Environment and Natural Resources
The Honourable Senators Angus, Banks, Carney, P.C., Cochrane, Fox, P.C., Hervieux-Payette, P.C., Lavigne, Milne, Peterson, Sibbeston, Spivak and Tardif
Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans
The Honourable Senators Adams, Baker, P.C., Campbell, Comeau, Cowan, Forrestall, Gill, Hubley, Johnson, Meighen, Rompkey, P.C. and Watt
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs
The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Corbin, Dawson, De Bané, P.C., Di Nino, Downe, Mahovlich, Merchant, Segal, Smith, P.C., St. Germain, P.C. and Stollery
Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Carstairs, P.C., Dallaire, Kinsella, Lovelace Nicholas, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Pépin and Poy
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Baker, P.C., Bryden, Cools, Furey, Jaffer, Joyal, P.C., Milne, Nolin, Oliver, Rivest and Ringuette
Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament
The Honourable Senators Johnson, Lapointe, Oliver, Poy and Trenholme Counsell
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senators Biron, Cools, Cowan, Day, Eggleton, P.C., Fox, P.C., Mitchell, Murray, P.C., Nancy Ruth, Ringuette, Rompkey, P.C. and Stratton
Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
The Honourable Senators Atkins, Banks, Campbell, Day, Forrestall, Kenny, Meighen, Poulin and Watt
Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages
The Honourable Senators Champagne, P.C., Chaput, Comeau, Jaffer, Losier-Cool, Plamondon, Robichaud, P.C., Tardif and Trenholme Counsell
Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and
the Rights of Parliament
The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Bryden, Carstairs, P.C., Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Di Nino, Joyal, P.C., Losier-Cool, McCoy, Mitchell, Robichaud, P.C., Smith, P.C., Stratton and Tardif
Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations
The Honourable Senators Biron, Bryden, De Bané, P.C., Eyton, Harb, Moore, Nolin and St. Germain, P.C.
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs,
Science and Technology
The Honourable Senators Callbeck, Champagne, P.C., Cochrane, Cook, Cordy, Eggleton, P.C., Fairbairn, P.C., Forrestall, Keon, Kirby, Pépin and Trenholme Counsell
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and
Communications
The Honourable Senators Adams, Bacon, Carney, P.C., Dawson, Eyton, Johnson, Mercer, Merchant, Munson, Phalen, Tkachuk and Zimmer
Pursuant to Rule 87, the Honourable Senator Hays (or Fraser) and the Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C. (or Comeau) are members ex officio of each select committee.
Respectfully submitted,
TERRY STRATTON
Chair
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Stratton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Comeau, 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.
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Grafstein presented a Bill S-208, An Act to require the Minister of the Environment to establish, in co-operation with the provinces, an agency with the power to identify and protect Canada's watersheds that will constitute sources of drinking water in the future.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Grafstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fairbairn, P.C., 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.
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Grafstein tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region 15th Annual Summit, held in Seattle, Washington, from July 14 to 18, 2005.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-19.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the National Governors Association 2005 Annual Meeting: Redesigning the American High School, held in Des Moines, Iowa, from July 15 to 18, 2005.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-20.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference: 45th Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum, held in Montville, Connecticut, from July 25 to 28, 2005.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-21.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the 46th Annual Meeting, held in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, from September 30 to October 3, 2005. —Sessional Paper No. 1/39-22.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Motions
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Champagne, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Segal:
That the following Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:
To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:
We, Her Majesty's most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Senate of Canada in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tkachuk:
That, for the remainder of the current session,
(a) when the Senate sits on a Wednesday or a Thursday, it shall sit at 1:30 p.m. notwithstanding rule 5(1)(a);
(b) when the Senate sits on a Wednesday, it stand adjourned at 4 p.m., unless it has been suspended for the purpose of taking a deferred vote or has earlier adjourned; and
(c) where a vote is deferred until 5:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings, immediately prior to any adjournment but no later than 4 p.m., to suspend the sitting until 5:30 p.m. for the taking of the deferred vote, and that committees be authorized to meet during the period that the sitting is suspended.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
Reports of Committees
Consideration of the first report of the Committee of Selection (Speaker pro tempore) presented in the Senate earlier this day.
The Honourable Senator Stratton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tkachuk, that the report be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Consideration of the second report of the Committee of Selection (membership of Senate committees) presented in the Senate earlier this day.
The Honourable Senator Stratton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tkachuk, that the report be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House of the names of the honourable senators appointed to serve on the standing joint committees.
INQUIRIES
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Callbeck called the attention of the Senate to the contributions to the Senate made by Senator John Buchanan, who will retire on April 22, 2006.
Debate concluded.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Keon moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on issues arising from, and developments since, the tabling of its final report on the state of the health care system in Canada in October 2002. In particular, the Committee shall be authorized to examine issues concerning mental health and mental illness;
That the papers and evidence received and taken by the Committee on the study of mental health and mental illness in Canada in the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Parliaments be referred to the Committee;
That the Committee submit its final report no later than June 30, 2006 and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize the findings of the Committee until September 30, 2006; and
That the Committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit any report with the Clerk of the Senate, if the Senate is not then sitting; and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Chamber.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Keon moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Government Notices of Motions.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton:
That committees of the Senate normally scheduled to meet on Mondays be empowered, in accordance with rule 95(3), to sit on Monday, April 24, 2006, even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding a week.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at 2 p.m.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Reports of the Laurentian Pilotage Authority for the year ended December 31, 2005, 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. 1/39-17.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 5:30 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at 2 p.m.)