Journals of the Senate
58 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2009, Canada
Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 40th Parliament
Issue 68
Thursday, November 5, 2009
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Angus, Baker, Banks, Brazeau, Brown, Callbeck, Carignan, Carstairs, Champagne, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, Downe, Duffy, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Gerstein, Grafstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Manning, Martin, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Mockler, Munson, Murray, Neufeld, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Pépin, Plett, Prud'homme, Raine, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Seidman, Sibbeston, Smith, St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Angus, Baker, Banks, Brazeau, Brown, Callbeck, Carignan, Carstairs, Champagne, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, *Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, *Day, Downe, Duffy, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fox, Fraser, Furey, Gerstein, Grafstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, *Kenny, Kinsella, Lang, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Manning, Martin, *Massicotte, *Meighen, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Mockler, *Moore, Munson, Murray, Neufeld, *Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Pépin, Plett, Prud'homme, Raine, *Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Seidman, Sibbeston, Smith, St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, 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
Tabling of Documents
The Honourable Senator Comeau tabled the following:
Supplementary Estimates (B), 2009-2010.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-837.
Departmental Performance Reports for the period ended March 31, 2009, as follows:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Assisted Human Reproduction Canada
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Canada Border Services Agency
Canada Industrial Relations Board
Canada Public Service Agency
Canada Revenue Agency
Canada School of Public Service
Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Canadian Forces Grievance Board
Canadian Grain Commission
Canadian Heritage
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Canadian Human Rights Tribunal
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat
Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Trade Tribunal
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Canadian Space Agency
Canadian Transportation Agency
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Commission for Public Complaints Against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Copyright Board Canada
Correctional Service Canada
Courts Administration Service
Department of Finance Canada
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Department of Justice Canada
Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Environment Canada
Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission Canada
Health Canada
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Canadian Polar Commission
Indian Specific Claims Commission
Industry Canada
Infrastructure Canada
Library and Archives Canada
Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada
NAFTA Secretariat — Canadian Section
National Defence
National Energy Board
National Film Board
National Parole Board
National Research Council Canada
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
Natural Resources Canada
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Northern Pipeline Agency Canada
Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying Canada
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada
Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada
Parks Canada
Patented Medicine Prices Review Board Canada
Privy Council Office and Public Appointments Commission Secretariat
Public Health Agency of Canada
Public Prosecution Service of Canada
Public Safety Canada
Public Sector Integrity Canada
Public Service Commission of Canada
Public Service Labour Relations Board
Public Service Staffing Tribunal
Public Works and Government Services Canada
RCMP External Review Committee
Registry of the Competition Tribunal
Registry of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Security Intelligence Review Committee
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Statistics Canada
Status of Women Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Correctional Investigator of Canada
The National Battlefields Commission
Transport Canada
Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Veterans Affairs Canada
Western Economic Diversification Canada.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-838.
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Day, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, presented its tenth report (Bill C-50, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and to increase benefits, without amendment).
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C., 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.
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association respecting its participation in the bilateral visits to Luanda, Angola and Windhoek, Namibia, from August 16 to 21, 2009.—Sessional Paper No. 2/ 40-839.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Third reading of Bill C-50, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and to increase benefits.
The Honourable Senator Neufeld moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lang, that the bill be read the third time.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
The bill was then read the third time and passed, on division.
Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, without amendment.
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Tabling of Documents.
The Honourable Senator Comeau tabled the following:
Report of the President of the Treasury Board of Canada entitled Canada's Performance — The Government of Canada's Contribution for the year 2008-2009.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-840.
Public Accounts of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, Volume I—Summary Report and Financial Statements, Volume II—Details of Expenses and Revenues, Volume III —Additional Information and Analyses, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 64(1). —Sessional Paper No. 2/40-841.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Comeau calling the attention of the Senate to Canada's Economic Action Plan — A Third Report to Canadians, tabled in the House of Commons on September 28, 2009, by the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable John Baird, P.C., M.P., and in the Senate on September 29, 2009.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Plett moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Frum, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 20 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion by the Honourable Senator Murray, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Atkins, for the second reading of Bill S-202, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (repeal of fixed election dates).
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. 22 and 23 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 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Orders No. 1, 27 (inquiries), 98, 58, 73, 13, 67 (motions), 2, 21 (inquiries), 42, 68 and 10 (motions) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Grafstein, seconded by the Honourable Senator Banks:
That the Senate endorse the following Resolution, adopted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly at its 17th Annual Session, held at Astana, Kazakhstan, from June 29 to July 3, 2008:
RESOLUTION ON WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE OSCE AREA
1. Reiterating the fundamental importance of the environmental aspects of the OSCE concept of security,
2. Recognizing the link between natural resource problems and disputes or conflicts within and between states,
3. Noting the opportunities presented by resource management initiatives that address common environmental problems, including local ownership and sub-regional programmes and co-operation amongst governments, and which promote peace-building processes,
4. Recalling the OSCE's role in encouraging sustainable environmental policies that promote peace and stability, specifically the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, the 1990 Concluding Document of the CSCE Conference on Economic Co- operation in Europe (Bonn Document), the 1999 Charter for European Security adopted at the Istanbul Summit, the 2003 OSCE Strategy Document for the Economic and Environmental Dimension (Maastricht Strategy), other OSCE relevant documents and decisions regarding environmental issues, and the outcome of all previous Economic and Environmental Fora, which have established a basis for the OSCE's work in the area of environment and security,
5. Recognizing that water is of vital importance to human life and that it is an element of the human right to life and dignity,
6. Noting the severity of water management issues and the scarcity of water resources faced by many states in the OSCE region, affected in particular by unregulated social and economic activities, including urban development, industry, and agriculture,
7. Concerned by the impact of poor water management systems on human health, the environment, the sustainability of biodiversity and aquatic and land-based eco-systems, affecting political and socio-economic development,
8. Concerned by the more than 100 million people in the pan-European region who continue to lack access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation,
9. Concerned by those areas and people in the North American region of the OSCE space without access to safe drinking water and sanitation,
10. Concerned by the potential for water management issues to escalate if options to address and reverse the problem are not duly considered and implemented,
11. Recognizing the importance of good environmental governance and responsible water management for the governments of participating States,
12. Applauding the work of the Preparatory Seminar for the Tenth OSCE Economic Forum which took place in 2001 in Belgrade and which focused on water resource management and the promotion of regional environmental co-operation in South-Eastern Europe,
13. Applauding the work of the 15th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum and its preparatory meetings, "Key challenges to ensure environmental security and sustainable development in the OSCE area: Water Management,'' held in Zaragoza, Spain,
14. Applauding the OSCE's Madrid Declaration on Environment and Security adopted at the 2007 Ministerial Council which draws attention to water management as an environmental risk which may have a substantial impact on security in the OSCE region and which might be more effectively addressed within the framework of multilateral co-operation,
15. Expressing support for the efforts made to date by several participating States of the OSCE to deal with the problem, including the workshop on water management organized by the OSCE Centre in Almaty in May 2007 for experts from Central Asia and the Caucasus,
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:
16. Calls on the OSCE participating States to undertake sound water management to support sustainable environmental policies;
17. Recommends that the OSCE participating States pursue and apply the measures necessary to implement the 2007 Madrid Declaration on Environment and Security;
18. Recommends that such water management and oversight activities include national, regional and local co- operative initiatives that share best practices and provide support and assistance amongst each other;
19. Recommends that the OSCE participating States adopt the multiple barrier approach to drinking water protection, with particular attention to water tables, in their national, regional and local regulations to ensure that people living throughout the OSCE space have access to safe drinking water;
20. Recommends that the OSCE participating States consider developing more effective national, sub-national and local results-based, action-oriented and differentiated approaches to sound water management policies;
21. Encourages the OSCE participating States to continue their work with other regional and international institutions and organizations with respect to water management solutions, providing for the establishment of supranational arbitral commissions with decision-making powers delegated by the States.
After debate,
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Prud'homme, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Comeau, that the words "That the Senate endorse'' at the beginning of the motion be replaced by the words "That the Senate take note of''.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Cools moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Carstairs, P.C., that further debate on the motion in amendment be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Grafstein, seconded by the Honourable Senator Carstairs, P.C.:
That the Senate endorse the following Resolution, adopted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly at its 17th Annual Session, held at Astana, Kazakhstan, from June 29 to July 3, 2008:
RESOLUTION ON COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM, ESPECIALLY ITS MANIFESTATIONS IN THE MEDIA AND IN ACADEMIA
1. Recalling the Parliamentary Assembly's leadership in increasing the focus and attention of the participating States since the 2002 Annual Session in Berlin on issues related to manifestations of anti-Semitism,
2. Reaffirming especially the 2002 Porto Ministerial Decision condemning "anti-Semitic incidents in the OSCE area, recognizing the role that the existence of anti-Semitism has played throughout history as a major threat to freedom'',
3. Referring to the commitments made by the participating States in the previous OSCE conferences in Vienna (2003), Berlin (2004), Brussels (2004) and Cordoba (2005) regarding legal, political and educational efforts to fight anti-Semitism,
4. Welcoming all efforts of the parliaments of the OSCE participating States on combating anti-Semitism, especially the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry on anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom,
5. Noting with satisfaction all initiatives of the civil society organizations which are active in the field of combating anti-Semitism,
6. Acknowledging that incidents of anti-Semitism occur throughout the OSCE region and are not unique to any one country, which necessitates unwavering steadfastness by all participating States to erase this black mark on human history,
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:
7. Appreciates the ongoing work undertaken by the OSCE and ODIHR through its Programme on Tolerance and Non-discrimination and supports the continued organisation of expert meetings on anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance aimed at enhancing the implementation of relevant OSCE commitments;
8. Appreciates the initiative by Mr John Mann MP (United Kingdom) to create a world-wide Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism and encourages the parliaments of the OSCE participating States to support this initiative;
9. Urges participating States to present written reports on their activities to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination at the 2009 Annual Session;
10. Reminds participating States to improve methods of monitoring and to report anti-Semitic incidents and other hate crimes to the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in a timely manner;
11. Recognizes the importance of the ODIHR tools in improving the effectiveness of States' response to anti- Semitism, such as teaching materials on anti-Semitism, the OSCE/ODIHR Law Enforcement Officers Programme (LEOP), which helps police forces within participating States better to identify and combat incitement to anti-Semitism and other hate crimes, and civil society capacity-building to combat anti-Semitism and hate crimes, including through the development of networks and coalitions with Muslim, Roma, African descendent and other communities combating intolerance; and recommends that other States make use of these tools;
12. Expresses appreciation of the commitment by 10 countries — Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine — in co-developing with ODIHR and the Anne Frank House teaching materials on the history of Jews and anti-Semitism in Europe, and encourages all other OSCE participating States to adopt these teaching materials in their respective national languages and put them into practice;
13. Encourages participating States to adopt the guide for educators entitled Addressing Anti-Semitism — WHY and HOW, developed by ODIHR in co-operation with Yad Vashem, in their respective national languages and put them into practice;
14. Urges governments to create and employ curricula that go beyond Holocaust education in dealing with Jewish life, history and culture;
15. Condemns continued incidents of anti-Semitic stereotypes appearing in the media, including news reports, news commentaries, as well as published commentaries by readers;
16. Condemns the use of double standards in media coverage of Israel and its role in the Middle East conflict;
17. Calls upon the media to have discussions on the impact of language and imagery on Judaism, anti-Zionism and Israel and its consequences on the interaction between communities in the OSCE participating States;
18. Deplores the continued dissemination of anti-Semitic content via the Internet, including through websites, blogs and email;
19. Urges participating States to increase their efforts to counter the spread of anti-Semitic content, including its dissemination through the Internet, within the framework of their respective national legislation;
20. Urges editors to refrain from publishing anti-Semitic material and to develop a self-regulated code of ethics for dealing with anti-Semitism in media;
21. Calls upon participating States to prevent the distribution of television programmes and other media which promote anti-Semitic views and incite anti-Semitic crimes, including, but not limited to, satellite broadcasting;
22. Reminds participating States of measures to combat the dissemination of racist and anti-Semitic material via the Internet suggested at the 2004 OSCE Meeting on the Relationship between Racist, Xenophobic and Anti-Semitic Propaganda on the Internet and Hate Crimes, that include calls to:
- pursue complementary parallel strategies,
- train investigators and prosecutors on how to address bias-motivated crimes on the Internet,
- support the establishment of programmes to educate children about bias-motivated expression they may encounter on the Internet,
- promote industry codes of conduct,
- gather data on the full extent of the distribution of anti-Semitic hate messages on the Internet;
23. Deplores the continued intellectualization of anti-Semitism in academic spheres, particularly through publications and public events at universities;
24. Suggests the preparation of standards and guidelines on academic responsibility to ensure the protection of Jewish and other minority students from harassment, discrimination and abuse in the academic environment;
25. Urges all participants of the upcoming Durban Review Conference in Geneva to make sure that pressing issues of racism around the world will be properly assessed and that the conference will not be misused as a platform for promoting anti-Semitism;
26. Suggests that the delegations of the OSCE participating States hold a meeting on the eve of the Durban Review Conference to discuss and evaluate the Durban Review process.
After debate,
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Prud'homme, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Comeau, that the words "That the Senate endorse'' at the beginning of the motion be replaced by the words "That the Senate take note of''.
The Honourable Senator Cools moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Nolin, that the debate on the motion in amendment be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 51 (motion) and 10 (inquiry) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Grafstein, seconded by the Honourable Senator Baker, P.C.:
That the Senate endorse the following Resolution, adopted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly at its 17th Annual Session, held at Astana, Kazakhstan, from June 29 to July 3, 2008:
RESOLUTION ON A MEDITERRANEAN FREE TRADE AREA
1. Reiterating the fundamental importance of the economic and environmental aspects of the OSCE concept of security,
2. Recognizing that without economic growth there can be no peace or stability,
3. Recalling the importance that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly accords to the development of international trade, as underlined by the Assembly's fifth economic conference on the theme of Strengthening Stability and Co- operation through International Trade, which was held in Andorra, in May 2007,
4. Maintaining that creating a free trade area will, inter alia, contribute significantly to the efforts to achieve peace,
5. Recalling that the European Union itself was made possible by the establishment of free-trade areas, first the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 and then the European Economic Community in 1957,
6. Recalling the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, in which OSCE participating States expressed their intention "to encourage with the non-participating Mediterranean States the development of mutually beneficial co-operation in the various fields of economic activity'' and to "contribute to a diversified development of the economies of the non-participating Mediterranean countries'',
7. Recalling the Helsinki Final Act, in which OSCE participating States recognized "the importance of bilateral and multilateral intergovernmental and other agreements for the long-term development of trade'' and undertook "to reduce or progressively eliminate all kinds of obstacles to the development of trade'',
8. Celebrating the decision made at the OSCE Summit in Budapest in 1994 to create a Contact Group with Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation,
9. Expressing support for the Barcelona Declaration of 1995 regarding the establishment of a free trade area between the members of the European Union and all Mediterranean states by 2010,
10. Saluting the American Middle East Free Trade Area Initiative (MEFTA) launched in 2003,
11. Concerned by the slow pace of economic development in the Middle East, especially in the agriculture sector and the knowledge-based economy, where two-thirds of the population is under the age of 35,
12. Considering the obstacles to economic growth posed by agricultural trade and tariff barriers, as discussed at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Rhodes in 2004,
13. Considering the lack of direct foreign investment in Middle Eastern Arab countries and the concentration of such investment in a small number of these countries,
14. Noting that despite the efforts made in the Middle East to stimulate free trade, economic growth in Mediterranean countries is markedly stronger in the Israel-Europe-North America axis than among countries in the region, and
15. Encouraged by the increased literacy rate and the increased participation of women in the domestic economies of countries in the Mediterranean basin,
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:
16. Recommends the creation of a Mediterranean Economic Commission whose objective would be to quickly reduce trade barriers and facilitate the transition to a knowledge-based economy in countries in the region;
17. Recommends the creation of a Mediterranean Agricultural Marketing Board whose objective would be to create jobs in the agriculture sector for young people in the region;
18. Invites OSCE participating countries and partner states for co-operation to intensify their efforts under the Barcelona Process and to more fully benefit from the MEFTA Initiative in order to expedite the establishment of a free-trade area among all Mediterranean countries.
After debate,
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Prud'homme, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Comeau, that the words "That the Senate endorse'' at the beginning of the motion be replaced by the words "That the Senate take note of''.
The Honourable Senator Cools moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Nolin, that the debate on the motion in amendment be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 25 (motion), 17, 23 and 13 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
INQUIRIES
The Honourable Senator Cools called the attention of the Senate to:
(a) this year's Remembrance Day on November 11, 2009, when we shall remember, celebrate and honour the veterans of Canada, those who served, and those who fell in active combat in their assigned theatres of war particularly in World War II, in defence of God, King, and Country, Canada, the British Commonwealth and the Allied countries; and
(b) to Canadian airmen in World War II, particularly those who served with Royal Air Force Bomber Command, being both those with 6 Group R.C.A.F., and those with the other Bomber Command Squadrons, including Squadron Leader Ian Bazalgette, and some Canadian Senators, to those Canadian airmen in arms who faced many thousands of German anti-aircraft guns nightly; and
(c) to the Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum in Nanton, Alberta, and its own Canada's Bomber Command Memorial, being a wall of remembrance wherein are inscribed the names of the 10,643 fallen Canadian airmen as a monument to their sacrifice; and
(d) to the August 15, 2009 Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum's remembrance ceremony which also celebrated the twinning of the towns Nanton, Alberta and Senantes, France, and which ceremony was attended by the Mayors of these two towns; and
(e) to Squadron Leader Ian Bazalgette, an Albertan raised in England, who received the Victoria Cross for his courage in landing his crippled, enflamed Lancaster Bomber, with its injured crew, while successfully avoiding the destruction of Senantes, a village of 200 people, whose residents retrieved his body, hid it from the Germans and later buried him in their church yard where he now rests, fully adopted by the people of Senantes; and
(f) to the numerous volunteers and concerned individuals whose tireless efforts preserve and maintain their Lancaster Society Air Museum, their Lancaster Bomber, and their wall of remembrance dedicated to the 10,643 Canadian airmen who fell in Bomber Command, that Command which for many years was the only Allied offensive against Fortress Europe; and
(g) to honour, to celebrate, to uphold and to thank all the remarkable Canadian veterans for their incalculable contributions to humanity during World War II.
Debate concluded.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino:
That the sitting be suspended to await the announcement of Royal Assent, to reassemble at the call of the Chair with a fifteen minute bell.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 4:13 p.m. the sitting was suspended.)
At 5:05 p.m. the sitting resumed.
WRITTEN DECLARATION OF ROYAL ASSENT
At 5:05 p.m., the Honourable the Acting Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:
RIDEAU HALL
November 5th, 2009
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 bill listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 5th day of November, 2009, at 4:19 p.m.
Yours sincerely,
Sheila-Marie Cook
Secretary to the Governor General
The Honourable
The Speaker of the Senate
Ottawa
Schedule
Bill Assented To
Thursday, November 5, 2009
An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and to increase benefits (Bill C-50, Chapter 30, 2009)
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Government Notices of Motions.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C.:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, November 17, 2009, at 2 p.m.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C.:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 5:08 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, November 17, 2009, at 2 p.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples
The Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen replaced the Honourable Senator Duffy (November 4, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The Honourable Senator Moore replaced the Honourable Senator Carstairs, P.C. (November 5, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator Stollery replaced the Honourable Senator Zimmer (November 5, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Wallin replaced the Honourable Senator Housakos (November 5, 2009).
Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
The Honourable Senator Tardif replaced the Honourable Senator Stollery (November 4, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Hubley replaced the Honourable Senator Downe (November 4, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senator Mercer replaced the Honourable Senator Poulin (November 5, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Banks replaced the Honourable Senator Campbell (November 5, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Campbell replaced the Honourable Senator Mercer (November 5, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
The Honourable Senator Wallin replaced the Honourable Senator Raine (November 4, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Munson replaced the Honourable Senator Banks (November 5, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen replaced the Honourable Senator Segal (November 5, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator Rivard (November 5, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Johnson replaced the Honourable Senator Seidman (November 5, 2009).