Journals of the Senate
55 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2006, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 39th Parliament
Issue 39
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
2:00 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Bryden, Callbeck, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Fortier, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Goldstein, Grafstein, Harb, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Keon, Kinsella, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, 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, Baker, Banks, Bryden, Callbeck, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Fortier, Fox, Fraser, Furey, *Gill, Goldstein, Grafstein, Harb, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, *Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Sibbeston, Smith, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
PRAYERS
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Tabling of Documents
The Honourable Senator Comeau tabled the following:
Document entitled "Canada Health Infoway Inc.: Annual Report 2005-2006''.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-521.
Corporate Business Plan 2006-2007 for Canada Health Infoway Inc.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-522.
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Di Nino presented the following:
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament has the honour to present its
THIRD REPORT
Pursuant to the order of reference from the Senate of September 28, 2006, your Committee recommends that 86(1)(h) of the Rules of the Senate be amended by replacing the words "Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs'' with the words "Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade''.
Respectfully submitted,
CONSIGLIO DI NINO
Chair
The Honourable Senator Di Nino moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Johnson, 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.
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Bacon tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Group of the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary Association, respecting its participation at the 34th Annual Meeting, held in Paris and Tours, France, from September 11 to 16, 2006.—Sessional Paper No. 1/ 39-523.
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 National Conference of State Legislatures: Annual Meeting and Exhibition 2005, Strong States Strong Nation, held in Seattle, Washington, from August 16 to 20, 2005.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-524.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the National Conference of State Legislatures: Strong States Strong Nation, held in Nashville, Tennessee, from August 14 to 18, 2006.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-525.
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Presentation of Reports From Standing or Special Committees.
The Honourable Senator Grafstein, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, tabled its tenth report (interim) entitled: Passport and Pass Cards, Identity and Citizenship: Implementing the WHTI.—Sessional Paper No. 1/39-526S.
The Honourable Senator Grafstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stollery, 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.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Eyton, seconded by the Honourable Senator Angus, for the second reading of Bill C-3, An Act respecting international bridges and tunnels and making 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 Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tkachuk, that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 12 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Private Bills
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Kenny, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, that the order for the consideration of the fourth report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, as amended, be removed from the Order Paper and that the report be referred back to the Committee with an instruction to implement the amendment in form and substance approved by the Senate on October 17, 2006; and that the amended fourth report be tabled in the Senate no later than November 21, 2006.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 2 to 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Order No. 7 (second report of the Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee) was called and pursuant to rule 27(3) was dropped from the Order Paper.
Other
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Fairbairn, P.C., calling the attention of the Senate to the State of Literacy in Canada, which will give every Senator in this Chamber the opportunity to speak out on an issue in our country that is often forgotten.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Grafstein, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 7 (inquiry) was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Fraser, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cook:
That, notwithstanding the Order of the Senate adopted on Tuesday, May 2, 2006, the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, which was authorized to examine and report on issues dealing with interprovincial barriers to trade, be empowered to extend the date of presenting its final report from October 31, 2006 to June 29, 2007, and
That the Committee retain until July 31, 2007 all powers necessary to publicize its findings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 88 (motion) and 15 (inquiry) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C.:
That the Senate urge the Government of Canada to reconsider its decision to discontinue the Court Challenges Program which has enabled citizens to seek redress and assert their rights guaranteed under the Constitution and particularly the Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
That the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages be authorized to study and report on the benefits and results that have been achieved through the Court Challenges Program;
That the Committee submit its final report no later than December 22, 2006; and
That a message be sent to the House of Commons informing it that the Senate regrets the Government's decision to terminate the Court Challenges Program and urges it to take action to persuade the Government to reconsider that decision.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 3, 5 and 6 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Trenholme Counsell calling the attention of the Senate to concerns regarding the Agreements in Principle signed by the Government of Canada and the Provincial governments between April 29, 2005 and November 25, 2005 entitled "Moving Forward on Early Learning and Child Care'', as well as the funding agreements with Ontario, Manitoba and Québec, and the Agreements in Principle prepared for the Yukon, the North West Territories and Nunavut.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bryden, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 8 (inquiry), 5, 10 (motions) and 11 (inquiry) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Segal moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs be authorized to examine and report on the evacuation of Canadian citizens from Lebanon in July 2006; and
That the Committee submit its final report no later than March 30, 2007, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until April 30, 2007.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Copies of the Rules amending the Federal Court Rules, made by the rules committee of the Federal Court of Appeal and the Federal Court (SOR/JUS-607355), dated June 27, 2006, pursuant to the Federal Court Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-7, sbs. 46(5). —Sessional Paper No. 1/39-519.
Reports of the Law Commission of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, 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. 1/39-520.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 4:18 p.m. the Senate was continued until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Special Senate Committee on Senate Reform
The names of the Honourable Senators Tkachuk and Meighen substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Meighen and Segal (October 19).
The name of the Honourable Senator Segal substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Meighen (October 20).
Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages
The name of the Honourable Senator Trenholme Counsell substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Ringuette (October 20).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The names of the Honourable Senators Zimmer and Mitchell substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Mitchell and Milne (October 24).