Journals of the Senate
58 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2009, Canada
Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 40th Parliament
Issue 74
Thursday, November 26, 2009
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Baker, Banks, Brazeau, Brown, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Carstairs, Champagne, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Day, Demers, Di Nino, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fox, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Grafstein, Harb, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Keon, Kinsella, Lang, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Manning, Martin, Massicotte, McCoy, Meighen, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Pépin, Peterson, Plett, Prud'homme, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Seidman, Smith, St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Baker, Banks, Brazeau, Brown, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Carstairs, Champagne, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Day, Demers, Di Nino, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fox, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Grafstein, Harb, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Keon, Kinsella, Lang, Lapointe, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Manning, Martin, Massicotte, McCoy, Meighen, Mercer, Merchant, Milne, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Pépin, Peterson, Plett, Prud'homme, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Rompkey, Segal, Seidman, Smith, St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stollery, Stratton, Tardif, 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:
Annual Report 2008-2009 of the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-877.
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Mitchell, Deputy Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, presented its thirteenth report (budget—study on the energy sector—power to hire staff and to travel).
(The report is printed as appendix "A'' at pages 1497-1506 (available in print format PDF).)
The Honourable Senator Mitchell moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mercer, 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.
° ° °
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, presented its eleventh report (budget—release of additional funds (study on current social issues pertaining to Canada's largest cities)).
(The report is printed as appendix "B'' at pages 1507-1512 (available in print format PDF).)
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith P.C., 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.
Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
A message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-36, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, 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 Demers, 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 Smith, P.C., tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association respecting its participation in the bilateral visit to Nicosia, Cyprus and Valetta, Malta, from March 14 to 22, 2009.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-878.
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the 40th Conference of the British Islands and Mediterranean Region, held in St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, from June 15 to 19, 2009.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-879.
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the 34th Regional Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic, held in Georgetown, Guyana, from July 12 to 16, 2009. —Sessional Paper No. 2/40-880.
Notices of Motions
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C.:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology have power to sit at 3 p.m., Wednesday, December 2, 2009, even though the Senate may then be sitting and, that rule 95(4) be suspended in relation thereto.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gerstein, seconded by the Honourable Senator Eaton, for the second reading of Bill C-51, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on January 27, 2009 and to implement other measures.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator MacDonald, seconded by the Honourable Senator Greene, for the second reading of Bill S-6, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (accountability with respect to political loans).
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Mercer moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Massicotte, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 4 and 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 19 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., for the second reading of Bill S-237, An Act for the advancement of the aboriginal languages of Canada and to recognize and respect aboriginal language rights.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wallace, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 21 to 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 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Orders No. 13, 67 and 51 (motions) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Cowan, calling the attention of the Senate to the critical importance of scientific research to the future of Canada and to the well-being of Canadians.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Carstairs, P.C., for the Honourable Senator Day, moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hubley, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 25, 8, 98 (motions), 21 (inquiry), 42, 93, 94, 9, 7 (motions), 1, 27 (inquiries), 58, 73 (motions), 2 (inquiry) and 68 (motion) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Banks, seconded by the Honourable Senator Day:
That rule 28(3.1) of the Rules of the Senate be amended as follows:
That after the words "tables a document proposing a user fee,'' the words "or the increase or extension of a user fee,'' be added; and
That after the words "designated in the Senate for the purpose by the Leader of the Government in the Senate or the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate'', the words ", provided that the respective committee has been properly constituted under the authority of the Senate, and'' be added.
After debate,
With leave of the Senate and pursuant to rule 30, the motion was withdrawn.
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 Prud'homme, P.C.:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, December 1, 2009, at 2 p.m.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Report of the Old Port of Montreal Corporation Inc., together with the Auditor General's Report, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, ch. F-11, sbs. 150(1).—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-872.
Amendments to the summaries of the Corporate Plan for 2009-2010 to 2013-2014 and of the Operating and Capital Budgets for 2009-2010 of the Old Port of Montreal Corporation Inc., pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4).—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-873.
Report of the British Columbia Treaty Commission, together with the Auditors' Report, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, pursuant to the British Columbia Treaty Commission Act, S.C. 1995, c. 45, sbs. 21(3).—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-874.
Statutes of the Northwest Territories for June 2009, pursuant to the Northwest Territories Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-27, sbs. 21(1). —Sessional Paper No. 2/40-875.
Actuarial Report (including cost certificate) on the Pension Plan for the Canadian Forces - Reserve Force as at March 31, 2008, and certification of assets of the Pension Plan, pursuant to the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-17, s. 59.6.—Sessional Paper No. 2/40-876.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Prud'homme, P.C.:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 4:03 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, December 1, 2009, at 2 p.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator Mahovlich replaced the Honourable Senator Zimmer (November 26, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Zimmer replaced the Honourable Senator Mahovlich (November 25, 2009).
Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Stratton (November 26, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
The Honourable Senator Banks replaced the Honourable Senator Downe (November 26, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Lang replaced the Honourable Senator Wallin (November 25, 2009).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The Honourable Senator Mercer replaced the Honourable Senator Cordy (November 26, 2009).
The Honourable Senator Cordy replaced the Honourable Senator Mercer (November 25, 2009).