Journals of the Senate
56 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2007, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 39th Parliament
Issue 73
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Biron, Bryden, Campbell, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Eggleton, Fortier, Fraser, Furey, Gill, Goldstein, Harb, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Massicotte, McCoy, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, Phalen, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Smith, Spivak, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Biron, Bryden, *Callbeck, Campbell, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, *Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Eggleton, *Fairbairn, Fortier, Fraser, Furey, Gill, Goldstein, *Grafstein, *Gustafson, Harb, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, *Mahovlich, Massicotte, McCoy, *Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Pépin, *Peterson, Phalen, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Ringuette, *Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Smith, Spivak, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
PRAYERS
WRITTEN DECLARATION OF ROYAL ASSENT
At 1:32 p.m. the Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:
RIDEAU HALL
February 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker:
I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 21st day of February, 2007, at 11:05 a.m.
Yours sincerely,
Sheila-Marie Cook
Secretary to the Governor General
The Honourable
The Speaker of the Senate
Ottawa
Schedule
Bills Assented To
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on May 2, 2006 (Bill C-28, Chapter 2, 2007)
An Act respecting Scouts Canada (Bill S-1001)
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Tributes
Tribute was paid to the Honourable Senator Austin, P.C., who will retire from the Senate on March 2, 2007.
Senators' Statements
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
A message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-31, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Public Service Employment Act, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino, 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
Third reading of Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act.
The Honourable Senator Di Nino moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oliver, that the bill be read the third time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dallaire, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 2 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 8 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Consideration of the seventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, entitled: Employment Equity in the Federal Public Service — Not There Yet, tabled in the Senate on February 20, 2007.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser, that further debate on the consideration of the report be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 5 to 11 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Orders No. 8, 12 (inquiries), 104 (motion) and 22 (inquiry) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Trenholme Counsell, seconded by the Honourable Senator Munson:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine the state of early learning and child care in Canada in view of the OECD report Starting Strong II, released on September 21-22, 2006 and rating Canada last among 14 countries on spending on early learning and child care programs, which stated ". . . national and provincial policy for the early education and care of young children in Canada is still in its initial stages . . . and coverage is low compared to other OECD countries;'' and
That the Committee study and report on the OECD challenge that ". . . significant energies and funding will need to be invested in the field to create a universal system in tune with the needs of a full employment economy, with gender equity and with new understandings of how young children develop and learn.''.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 14, 17, 25 (inquiries), 140, 81, 119 (motions), 20, 15, 3, 6, 19, 11 (inquiries), 5 (motion), 18, 23, 9 (inquiries) and 92 (motion) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
INQUIRIES
The Honourable Senator Segal called the attention of the Senate to the impact that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has had these past 24 years on the rights of Canadians and the prerogatives of the Parliament of Canada.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton, that further debate on the inquiry 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):
Reports of the Canadian International Development Agency 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/ 39-679.
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 3:41 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 Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The name of the Honourable Senator Di Nino substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Johnson (February 21).
Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages
The name of the Honourable Senator Carstairs removed from the membership (February 21).
Committee of Selection
The name of the Honourable Senator Hays substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Austin (February 21).