Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 41st Parliament
Issue 119
Thursday, February 19, 2015
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Pierre Claude Nolin, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Boisvenu, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Demers, Doyle, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McCoy, McInnis, McIntyre, Meredith, Mockler, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Rivard, Runciman, Seidman, Smith (Cobourg), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wells, White
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Boisvenu, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Demers, *Downe, Doyle, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McCoy, McInnis, McIntyre, Meredith, Mockler, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Rivard, Runciman, Seidman, Smith (Cobourg), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wells, White
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.
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Tabling of documents
The Honourable Senator Martin tabled the following:
Supplementary Estimates (C) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1055.
Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
The Honourable Senator Runciman presented the following:
Thursday, February 19, 2015
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has the honour to present its
TWENTY-SECOND REPORT
Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-47, An Act to correct certain anomalies, inconsistencies and errors and to deal with other matters of a non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the Statutes of Canada and to repeal certain provisions that have expired, lapsed or otherwise ceased to have effect, has, in obedience to the order of reference of Tuesday, February 3, 2015, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment.
Your committee has also made certain observations, which are appended to this report.
Respectfully submitted,
BOB RUNCIMAN
Chair
Observations to the Twenty-second Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The committee notes that in its nineteenth report on the Proposals for a Miscellaneous Statute Amendment Act, 2014, it states that the proposal "contains 177 clauses that propose to amend 69 federal statutes''. As a point of clarification, the committee notes that Part 2 (clause 174) includes a proposed change in terminology that would amend an additional 11 federal statutes. The committee confirms that Bill C-47 reflects all of these proposed changes.
The Honourable Senator McIntyre moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator White, 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 Runciman, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, presented its twenty-third report (Bill C-479, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (fairness for victims), without amendment).
The Honourable Senator Boisvenu moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Runciman, 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 Manning, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, presented its eighth report (supplementary budget—study on the regulation of aquaculture, current challenges and future prospects for the industry in Canada).
(The report is printed as an appendix at pages 1596-1601 (available in print format PDF).)
The Honourable Senator Manning moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tannas, 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 Frum presented the following:
Thursday, February 19, 2015
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has the honour to present its
ELEVENTH REPORT
Your committee, to which was referred Bill S-201, An Act to prohibit and prevent genetic discrimination, has, in obedience to the order of reference of June 16, 2014, examined the said bill and now reports the same with the following amendments:
1. Delete clause 3, pages 1 and 2.
2. Delete clauses 4, 5 and 6, page 2.
3. Delete clause 7, pages 2 and 3.
4. Delete clauses 9 and 10, page 6.
5. Delete clause 11, pages 6 and 7.
6. Make any necessary consequential changes to the numbering of provisions and cross-references resulting from the amendments to the bill.
Respectfully submitted,
SALMA ATAULLAHJAN
Deputy Chair
The Honourable Senator Frum moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, 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.
Government Notices of Motions
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine and report upon the expenditures set out in the Supplementary Estimates (C) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015, with the exception of Library of Parliament Vote 1c.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills — Third Reading
Third reading of Bill C-18, An Act to amend certain Acts relating to agriculture and agri-food.
The Honourable Senator Plett moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Frum, that the bill be read the third 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.
° ° °
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Enverga, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ngo, for the second reading of Bill C-40, An Act respecting the Rouge National Urban Park.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the second time.
The Honourable Senator Enverga moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall, that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Reports of Committees — Other
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall:
That the Senate, following the terrorist attack of October 22, 2014, recognize the necessity of fully integrated security throughout the Parliamentary precinct and the grounds of Parliament Hill, as recommended by the Auditor General in his 2012 report and as exists in other peer legislatures; and call on the Speaker, in coordination with his counterpart in the House of Commons, to invite, without delay, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to lead operational security throughout the Parliamentary precinct and the grounds of Parliament Hill, while respecting the privileges, immunities and powers of the respective Houses, and ensuring the continued employment of our existing and respected Parliamentary Security staff.
After debate,
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Cowan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser, that this motion be not now adopted, but that it be amended by inserting immediately before the words "while respecting the privileges, immunities and powers of the respective Houses'' the words "reporting to the two Speakers'', so that this portion of the motion would read: "to invite, without delay, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to lead operational security throughout the Parliamentary precinct and the grounds of Parliament Hill, reporting to the two Speakers, while respecting the privileges, immunities and powers of the respective Houses...''.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator McCoy moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cools, that further debate on the motion in amendment be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen:
That when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 2 p.m.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Inquiries
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 to 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees — Other
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Orders No. 55, 9, 56, 60, 66, 47, 74, 79 and 62 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Ringuette, seconded by the Honourable Senator Jaffer:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to:
Review the temporary foreign workers program and the possible abuse of the system through the hiring of foreign workers to replace qualified and available Canadian workers;
Review the criteria and procedure to application assessment and approval;
Review the criteria and procedure for compiling a labour market opinion;
Review the criteria and procedure for assessing qualifications of foreign workers;
Review interdepartmental procedures and responsibilities regarding foreign workers in Canada;
Provide recommendations to ensure that the program cannot be abused in any way that negatively affects Canadian workers; and
That the Committee submit its final report no later than March 31, 2015, and retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Munson, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion, as modified, of the Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C.:
That, the Senate of Canada calls on the Government of Pakistan to immediately release Ms. Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who is being arbitrarily detained due to her religious beliefs;
That, the Senate of Canada declare its intention to request that Canada grant her and her family asylum, if she so requests; and
That a message be sent to the House of Commons requesting that House to unite with the Senate for the above purpose.
The Honourable Senator Mockler 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.
Inquiries
Orders No. 28, 13, 41, 44, 14, 42, 43, 47, 29, 20, 36, 27, 33, 45, 34, 15, 17, 26, 18, 19 and 21 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 3:54 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 2 p.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
The Honourable Senator Ogilvie replaced the Honourable Senator Rivard (February 18, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Beyak replaced the Honourable Senator Plett (February 18, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The Honourable Senator Unger replaced the Honourable Senator Tkachuk (February 18, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Mockler (February 18, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
The Honourable Senator Boisvenu replaced the Honourable Senator Bellemare (February 18, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans
The Honourable Senator Poirier replaced the Honourable Senator Tannas (February 18, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
The Honourable Senator Frum replaced the Honourable Senator Tannas (February 18, 2015).
Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
The Honourable Senator Furey replaced the Honourable Senator Charette-Poulin (February 19, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Downe replaced the Honourable Senator Dawson (February 19, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Campbell replaced the Honourable Senator Fraser (February 19, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Tannas replaced the Honourable Senator Smith (Saurel) (February 18, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Batters replaced the Honourable Senator Tkachuk (February 18, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Fraser (February 18, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Jaffer replaced the Honourable Senator Cowan (February 18, 2015).
The Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator White (February 18, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senator Lang replaced the Honourable Senator Smith (Saurel) (February 18, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Beyak replaced the Honourable Senator Raine (February 18, 2015).