61 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2012, Canada

Journals of the Senate

1st Session, 41st Parliament

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Issue 64

Wednesday, March 28, 2012
1:30 p.m.

The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker

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The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Baker, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Massicotte, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Patterson, Peterson, Plett, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, White, Zimmer

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Baker, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Massicotte, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, *Oliver, Patterson, Peterson, Plett, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, White, 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 the Speaker tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Human Rights Commission for the year 2011, pursuant to the Canadian Human Rights Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. H-6, sbs. 61(4), and the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, s. 32.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-779.

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The Honourable Senator Carignan tabled the following:

Corporate Plan 2012 of the Global Centre for Pluralism. —Sessional Paper No. 1/41-780.

Presentation of Petitions

The Honourable Senator Comeau presented the following petition:

Of Industrial Alliance Pacific Insurance and Financial Services Inc., of the City of Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia; praying for the passage of an Act to authorize the Industrial Alliance Pacific Insurance and Financial Services Inc. to apply to be continued as a body corporate under the laws of Quebec.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Third reading of Bill C-34, An Act for granting to her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2012.

The Honourable Senator Neufeld moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Unger, 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.

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Third reading of Bill C-35, An Act for granting to her majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2013.

The Honourable Senator Neufeld moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Meredith, 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.

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Orders No. 3 and 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

OTHER BUSINESS

Senate Public Bills

Orders No. 1 to 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Commons Public Bills

Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Reports of Committees

Orders No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Consideration of the seventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology entitled: Time for Transformative Change: A Review of the 2004 Health Accord, tabled in the Senate on March 27, 2012.

The Honourable Senator Ogilvie moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Patterson, that the report be adopted and that, pursuant to rule 131(2), the Senate request a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Health being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Callbeck moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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Orders No. 3 and 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Other

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Losier-Cool, calling the attention of the Senate to the evolution of education in the language of the minority.

After debate,

Further debate on the inquiry was adjourned until the next sitting in the name of the Honourable Senator Comeau.

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Orders No. 19 (motion), 9, 32, 33, 34, 20, 23 and 24 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., calling the attention of the Senate to the issue of poverty in Canada—an issue that is always current and continues to have devastating effects.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Callbeck moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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Orders No. 29, 25, 27 (inquiries), 61 (motion), 3, 11 and 19 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Callbeck, calling the attention of the Senate to the importance of literacy, given that more than ever Canada requires increased knowledge and skills in order to maintain its global competitiveness and to increase its ability to respond to changing labour markets.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Munson, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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Order No. 26 (inquiry) was called and postponed until the next sitting.

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator St. Germain, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator MacDonald:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples be authorized to examine and report on the evolving legal and political recognition of the collective identity and rights of the Métis in Canada, and, in particular on,

(a) the definition, enumeration, and registration of the Métis;

(b) the availability and accessibility of federal programs and services for the Métis; and

(c) the implementation of Métis Aboriginal rights, including those that may be related to lands and harvesting; and

That the Committee submit its final report no later than June 30, 2013, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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The Honourable Senator Wallin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Eaton:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to examine and report on Canada's east and west coast navy and air force bases; in particular the committee shall be authorized to examine the capabilities, roles, responsibilities and state of readiness of:

(a) Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) headquarters, including their respective Joint Task Forces;

(b) the Joint Rescue Coordination Centres, the Joint Operations Centres and the Marine Security Operations Centres (MSOC);

(c) the long range patrol and transport and rescue squadrons;

(d) the Royal Canadian Navy submarine fleet;

(e) the Royal Canadian Navy Halifax Class frigate fleet, including an examination of the Halifax Class Modernization Frigate Life Extension Program (HCM FELEX);

(f) the Royal Canadian Air Force search and rescue and maritime helicopter fleets; and

That the Committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2013, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until March 31, 2014.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

DECLARATIONS OF PRIVATE INTERESTS

Pursuant to subsection 12(1) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, declarations of private interests were made as follows:

— By oral declaration, on March 28, 2012, in the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C. (Bill C-19).

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Eaton:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

(Accordingly, at 4:00 p.m. the Senate was continued until tomorrow, at 1:30 p.m.)

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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

The Honourable Senator St. Germain, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Tkachuk (March 27, 2012).

The Honourable Senator Mockler replaced the Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen (March 27, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

The Honourable Senator Frum replaced the Honourable Senator Brown (March 27, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade

The Honourable Senator Stratton replaced the Honourable Senator Finley (March 27, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

The Honourable Senator Lang replaced the Honourable Senator Angus (March 27, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence

The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator Seidman (March 27, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages

The Honourable Senator Poirier replaced the Honourable Senator Buth (March 27, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator Martin (March 27, 2012).

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