Journals of the Senate
55 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2006, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 39th Parliament
Issue 15
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Biron, Bryden, Callbeck, Campbell, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Christensen, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, Eyton, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Fortier, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Gill, Goldstein, Harb, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Lapointe, Lavigne, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Mahovlich, Massicotte, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Plamondon, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, St. Germain, Segal, Sibbeston, Spivak, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Watt, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Biron, Bryden, Callbeck, Campbell, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Christensen, Cochrane, Comeau, 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, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, *Kirby, Lapointe, Lavigne, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Mahovlich, Massicotte, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Plamondon, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, St. Germain, Segal, Sibbeston, Spivak, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, *Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
PRAYERS
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Mercer presented a Bill S-214, An Act respecting a National Blood Donor Week.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Mercer moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cochrane, 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.
The Honourable Senator Austin, P.C., presented a Bill S-215, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act in order to provide tax relief.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Austin, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mercer, 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
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Forrestall:
That at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18, 2006, if the business of the Senate has not been completed, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings to adjourn the Senate;
That should a vote be deferred until 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2006, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings at 2:30 p.m. to suspend the sitting until 5:30 p.m. for the taking of the deferred vote;
That the Address of the Prime Minister of Australia, to be delivered in the Chamber of the House of Commons at 3:00 p.m. that day before Members of the Senate and the House of Commons, together with all introductory and related remarks, be printed as an Appendix to the Debates of the Senate of that day, and form part of the permanent records of this House; and
That when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, May 18, 2006, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, May 30, 2006, at 2:00 p.m.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser:
That the Senate send an Address to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, expressing the heartiest good wishes and congratulations of all Senators on the occasion of her eightieth birthday.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 11 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Munson calling the attention of the Senate to the issue of funding for the treatment of autism.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Di Nino moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 49 and 61 (motions) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Dallaire calling the attention of the Senate to the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan and the importance of Canada's commitment to the people of this war-torn country.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C., that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Tabling of Documents.
The Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C., tabled the following:
Documents entitled: a) Government takes action to eliminate the costly and ineffective long-gun registry; b) The Government's Commitment to Effective Gun Control; c) The Long-Gun Registry: Costs and Crime Statistics; and d) Frequently Asked Questions: Changes to the Firearms Program.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-162S.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
OTHER BUSINESS
Other
Orders No. 53, 3 and 10 (motions) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Segal, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon:
That whenever the Senate is sitting, the proceedings of the upper chamber, like those of the lower one, be televised, or otherwise audio-visually recorded, so that those proceedings can be carried live or replayed on CPAC, or any other television station, at times that are convenient for Canadians.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Munson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Peterson, that, pursuant to Rule 48(1), the question be referred to the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedure and the Rights of Parliament.
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon, that the debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Day moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Banks:
That the papers and evidence received and taken and the work accomplished by the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance during the First Session of the Thirty-Eighth Parliament as part of its study of the Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006 be referred to the Committee for the purposes of its study of the Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007, as authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, April 26, 2006.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Nolin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Champagne, P.C.:
That the Special Senate Committee on the Anti-terrorism Act be empowered, in accordance with Rule 95(3), to meet on Monday, May 29, 2006, even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding one week.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Harb moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon:
That the Senate take note that tobacco smoking continues to cause an estimated 45,000 Canadian deaths and to cost our economy up to $15 billion each year;
That the Senate note that current federal legislation allows for ventilation options and smoking rooms in workplaces under federal jurisdiction even though they do not provide full protection from second-hand smoke and that full protection from second-hand smoke can only be achieved through the creation of workplaces and public places that are completely free of tobacco smoke;
That the Senate urge the Government of Canada to pass legislation to ensure that all enclosed workplaces and public places under its jurisdiction are smoke-free;
That the Senate ask the Government of Canada to call upon each province and territory that has not yet done so to enact comprehensive smoke-free legislation; 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 Tkachuk 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.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Report of the Commissioner of Competition for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, pursuant to the Competition Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 19, (2nd Supp.), s. 127.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-159.
Summaries of the Corporate Plan for 2006-2010 and of the Capital Budget for 2006 of the Canada Development Investment Corporation, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4).—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-160.
Report of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal entitled "An Inquiry into the Availability of Certain Apparel Fabrics Produced in Canada'' dated April 2006, pursuant to the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, S.C. 1988, c. 65, s. 54.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-161.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Forrestall:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 3:36 p.m. the Senate was continued until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
The name of the Honourable Senator Smith substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Hubley (May 16).