Journals of the Senate
58 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2009, Canada
Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 40th Parliament
Issue 25
Thursday, April 2, 2009
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Bacon, Banks, Brazeau, Brown, Bryden, Champagne, Chaput, Comeau, Cook, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Di Nino, Dickson, Downe, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Fortin-Duplessis, Fox, Fraser, Gerstein, Goldstein, Grafstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Jaffer, Joyal, Keon, Kinsella, Lang, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Manning, Massicotte, McCoy, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Pépin, Peterson, Poy, Prud'homme, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Sibbeston, Smith, St. Germain, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Bacon, Banks, Brazeau, Brown, Bryden, *Carstairs, Champagne, Chaput, Comeau, Cook, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Di Nino, Dickson, Downe, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Fortin-Duplessis, Fox, Fraser, Gerstein, Goldstein, Grafstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Jaffer, Joyal, Keon, Kinsella, Lang, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Manning, Massicotte, McCoy, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, *Nolin, *Oliver, Pépin, Peterson, Poy, Prud'homme, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Sibbeston, Smith, St. Germain, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, *Tkachuk, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, Zimmer
The first list records senators present in the Senate Chamber during the course of the sitting.
An asterisk in the second list indicates a senator who, while not present during the sitting, was in attendance to business, as defined in subsections 8(2) and (3) of the Senators Attendance Policy.
PRAYERS
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Angus, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, presented its fifth report (Bill S-216, An Act to amend the Federal Sustainable Development Act and the Auditor General Act (Involvement of Parliament), without amendment).
The Honourable Senator Angus moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rivard, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a third reading at the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, presented its second report (Bill C-17, An Act to recognize Beechwood Cemetery as the national cemetery of Canada, without amendment).
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Adams, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a third reading later this day.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Government Notices of Motions
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dickson:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at 2 p.m.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Presentation of Petitions
The Honourable Senator Harb presented a petition:
Of Residents of the Province of British Columbia concerning Canada's commercial seal hunt.
ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS
Pursuant to rule 25(2), the Honourable Senator Comeau tabled the following:
Reply to Question No. 3, dated January 26, 2009, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Downe, respecting the elimination of funding for the Royal Commonwealth Society.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-288S.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Third reading of Bill C-17, An Act to recognize Beechwood Cemetery as the national cemetery of Canada.
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon, that the bill be read the third time.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the third time and passed.
Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, without amendment.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wallace, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rivard, for the second reading of Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992.
The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser, that the debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Second reading of Bill C-2, An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the States of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland), the Agreement on Agriculture between Canada and the Republic of Iceland, the Agreement on Agriculture between Canada and the Kingdom of Norway and the Agreement on Agriculture between Canada and the Swiss Confederation.
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dickson, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Harb moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lovelace Nicholas, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Second reading of Bill S-4, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (identity theft and related misconduct).
The Honourable Senator Wallace moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator St. Germain, P.C., that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Inquiries
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 Downe, for the adoption of the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence (Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Customs Act, with an amendment), presented in the Senate on March 31, 2009.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Moore moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Day, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Goldstein, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser, for the second reading of Bill S-220, An Act respecting commercial electronic messages.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the second time.
The Honourable Senator Goldstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Jaffer, 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. 4 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Second reading of Bill S-231, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act (human rights violations).
The Honourable Senator Goldstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lovelace Nicholas, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Andreychuk, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 6 to 26 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Order No. 53 (motion) was called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Segal, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cochrane:
That the Senate approve in principle the installation of equipment necessary to the broadcast quality audio-visual recording of its proceedings and other approved events in the Senate Chamber and in no fewer than four rooms ordinarily used for meetings by committees of the Senate;
That for the purposes set out in the following paragraph, public proceedings of the Senate and of its Committees be recorded by this equipment, subject to policies, practices and guidelines approved from time to time by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration ("the Committee'');
That selected and packaged proceedings categorized according to subjects of interest be prepared and made available for use by any television broadcaster or distributor of audio-visual programmes, subject to the terms specified in any current or future agreements between the Senate and that broadcaster or distributor;
That such selected proceedings also be made available on demand to the public on the Parliamentary Internet;
That the Senate engage by contract a producer who shall, subject only to the direction of that Committee, make the determination of the programme content of the selected and categorized proceedings of the Senate and of its committees;
That equipment and personnel necessary for the expert selection, preparation and categorization of broadcast- quality proceedings be secured for these purposes; and
That the committee be instructed to take measures necessary to the implementation of this motion.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Fraser 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.
° ° °
Orders No. 2, 10 (inquiries), 46, 5 (motions), 1 (inquiry), 42, 10 (motions), 6, 8 (inquiries), 23, 6, 7, 8, 9, 25 (motions) and 7 (inquiry) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
INQUIRIES
The Honourable Senator Chaput called the attention of the Senate to the Conservative government's inaction on CBC/Radio-Canada's urgent financial needs and the disastrous consequences of this inaction on services to official- language minority communities.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau 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.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cowan:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, which was authorized by the Senate on February 26, 2009 to examine and report on the provisions and operation of the DNA Identification Act, be empowered to travel inside Canada for the purpose of its study.
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):
Reports of the Canadian Tourism Commission for the year ended December 31, 2008, 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. 2/40-287.
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 4:32 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at 2 p.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The Honourable Senator Eyton replaced the Honourable Senator Raine (April 2, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans
The Honourable Senator Downe replaced the Honourable Senator Hubley (April 1, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator Wallin replaced the Honourable Senator Housakos (April 2, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senator Rivard replaced the Honourable Senator Nolin (April 2, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Stratton replaced the Honourable Senator Champagne, P.C. (April 1, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The Honourable Senator Johnson replaced the Honourable Senator Manning (April 2, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Cochrane replaced the Honourable Senator Stratton (April 2, 2009).