Journals of the Senate
56 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2007, Canada
Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 39th Parliament
Issue 2
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
2:00 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Biron, Brown, Bryden, Callbeck, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dawson, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Eggleton, Eyton, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Fortier, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Goldstein, Grafstein, Gustafson, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, Mahovlich, McCoy, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Poy, Prud'homme, Ringuette, Robichaud, Rompkey, St. Germain, Segal, Sibbeston, Smith, Spivak, Stollery, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Biron, Brown, Bryden, Callbeck, Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Cochrane, Comeau, Cook, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dawson, De Bané, Di Nino, Downe, Eggleton, Eyton, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Fortier, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Goldstein, Grafstein, Gustafson, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, Mahovlich, McCoy, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Pépin, Peterson, Phalen, Poy, Prud'homme, Ringuette, Robichaud, Rompkey, St. Germain, Segal, Sibbeston, Smith, Spivak, Stollery, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt, Zimmer
PRAYERS
The Senate observed a minute of silence to the memory of Captain Matthew Johnathan Dawe, Master Corporal Colin Bason, Corporal Cole Bartsch, Private Lane Watkins, Captain Jefferson Francis, Corporal Jordan Anderson, Private Simon Longtin, Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier, Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, Major Raymond Ruckpaul, and Corporal Nathan Hornburg, whose tragic deaths occurred this past summer while serving their country in Afghanistan.
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Tabling of Documents
The Honourable the Speaker tabled the following:
Document entitled: Response of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy to its Obligations Under the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, dated September 2007, pursuant to section 10(2)(a)(ii) of the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, (2007), c. 30.—Sessional Paper No. 2/39-1.
Report of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, pursuant to the Privacy Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 40(1).—Sessional Paper No. 2/39-2.
The Honourable Senator Comeau tabled the following:
Government Response, dated October 16, 2007, to the twelfth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology entitled: Pay Now or Pay Later — Autism Families in Crisis, tabled in the Senate on March 29, 2007. —Sessional Paper No. 2/39-3S.
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Segal presented a Bill S-201, An Act to amend the Financial Administration Act and the Bank of Canada Act (quarterly financial reports).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Segal moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon 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 Segal presented a Bill S-202, An Act to amend certain Acts to provide job protection for members of the reserve force.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Segal moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator St. Germain, 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.
The Honourable Senator Bryden presented a Bill S-203, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (cruelty to animals).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Bryden moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Grafstein 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 Grafstein presented a Bill S-204, An Act respecting a National Philanthropy Day.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Grafstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, 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.
The Honourable Senator Goldstein presented a Bill S-205, An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (student loans).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Goldstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Chaput 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 Grafstein presented a Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (clean drinking water).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Grafstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Callbeck 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 Banks presented a Bill S-207, An Act to repeal legislation that has not come into force within ten years of receiving royal assent.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Banks moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore 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 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 Corbin 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 Hervieux-Payette, P.C., presented a Bill S-209, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of children).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tardif 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 Grafstein presented a Bill S-210, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (suicide bombings).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Grafstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bryden 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 Grafstein presented a Bill S-211, An Act to regulate securities and to provide for a single securities commission for Canada.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Grafstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lovelace Nicholas 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.
First Reading of Commons Public Bills
A message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-280, An Act to Amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (coming into force of sections 110, 111 and 171), to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Goldstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Chaput, 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.
A message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-292, An Act to implement the Kelowna Accord, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rompkey, 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.
A message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-299, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (identification information obtained by fraud or false pretence), 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.
A message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-293, An Act respecting the provision of official development assistance abroad, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Carstairs, 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 De Bané, P.C., tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), respecting its participation at the meeting of the APF Parliamentary Affairs Committee, held in Sofia, Bulgaria, from May 22 to 24, 2007. —Sessional Paper No. 2/39-4.
The Honourable Senator Losier-Cool tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Section of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), respecting its participation at the meeting of the APF Committee on Co-operation and Development, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from March 6 to 8, 2007.—Sessional Paper No. 2/39-5.
Report of the Canadian Section of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), respecting its participation at the seminar of the APF Network of Women Parliamentarians on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, held in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on May 3 and 4, 2007.—Sessional Paper No. 2/39-6.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Motions
Consideration of Her Excellency the Governor General's Speech from the Throne at the Opening of the Second Session of the Thirty-Ninth Parliament.
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Brown:
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 Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Milne, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
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 Di Nino:
That,
Whereas Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma's National League for Democracy, has been recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize as one of the world's leading champions of peace, democracy and non-violence;
Whereas she has been repeatedly deprived of her liberty and contact with her family since July 1989, as retribution for her support for the cause of freedom, democracy, human rights and justice for the people of Burma;
Whereas she led the National League for Democracy to victory in multi-party democratic elections in 1990, the results of which were ignored by the military regime;
Whereas she remains one of the leading forces in the continuing struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma and a symbol of the desire of the people of Burma for political freedom;
Whereas recent events show that her desire for democracy and peace is deeply shared by the people of that country;
Whereas her long struggle to bring freedom and democracy to the people of Burma has made her the embodiment of these ideals and an inspiration to all of us; and
Whereas Canada has previously acknowledged the contributions of other leading champions of human dignity, granting them honorary Canadian citizenship;
Therefore, the Senate of Canada resolves to bestow the title ``honorary Canadian citizen'' on Aung San Suu Kyi and requests that the people of Canada demonstrate their friendship and solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi as an honorary citizen of Canada, and through her, to the people of Burma.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
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 4:02 p.m. the Senate was continued until 2:00 p.m. tomorrow.)