The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukAtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBeyakCoolsCordyCowanDawsonDayDowneDoyleDuffyDyckEggletonEnvergaFraserFrumFureyGagnéGreeneHarderHousakosHubleyJafferJohnsonJoyalKennyLangLankinLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCoyMcIntyreMercerMerchantMeredithMitchellMocklerMooreMunsonNancy RuthNgoOgilvieOhOmidvarPattersonPoirierPratteRaineRinguetteRivardSeidmanSmith (Saurel)Stewart OlsenTannasTardifTkachukUngerWallaceWallin

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukAtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBeyak*BoisvenuCoolsCordyCowan*DagenaisDawsonDayDowneDoyleDuffyDyck*EatonEggletonEnvergaFraserFrumFureyGagnéGreeneHarderHousakosHubleyJafferJohnsonJoyalKennyLangLankinLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCoyMcIntyreMercerMerchantMeredithMitchellMocklerMooreMunsonNancy RuthNgoOgilvieOhOmidvarPatterson*PlettPoirierPratteRaineRinguetteRivard*RuncimanSeidmanSmith (Saurel)Stewart OlsenTannasTardifTkachukUngerWallaceWallin*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

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Tardif, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, presented the second report of the committee (Budget—study on the challenges associated with access to French-language schools and French immersion programs in British Columbia—power to hire staff and to travel).

(The report is printed as Appendix A at pages 475-482 (available in print format PDF).)

(The HTML version of the report is available on the committee website.)

The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy, 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.

o o o

The Honourable Senator Munson, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, presented the third report of the committee (Budget—study on the integration of newly-arrived Syrian refugees and the challenges they are facing—power to hire staff and to travel).

(The report is printed as Appendix B at pages 483-490 (available in print format PDF).)

(The HTML version of the report is available on the committee website.)

The Honourable Senator Munson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hubley, 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.

Reading of Petitions for Private Bills

The first report of the Examiner of Petitions for Private Bills was tabled (Sessional Paper No. 1/42-321S) and reads as follows:

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Pursuant to rule 11-3(3), the Examiner of Petitions for Private Bills has the honour to table his

FIRST REPORT

Your Examiner has duly examined the following petition and finds that the requirements of the Rules of the Senate have been complied with in all material respects:

Of La Capitale Financial Security Insurance Company, in the City of Mississauga, in the Province of Ontario; praying for the passage of a private Act authorizing it to apply to be continued as a body corporate under the laws of the Province of Quebec.

Respectfully submitted,

The following petition was read and received:

Of La Capitale Financial Security Insurance Company, in the City of Mississauga, in the Province of Ontario; praying for the passage of a private Act authorizing it to apply to be continued as a body corporate under the laws of the Province of Quebec.

Introduction and First Reading of Private Bills

The Honourable Senator Dawson introduced Bill S-1001, An Act to authorize La Capitale Financial Security Insurance Company to apply to be continued as a body corporate under the laws of the Province of Quebec.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Dawson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dyck, 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.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Motions

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mitchell:

That, in order to allow the Senate to receive a Minister of the Crown during Question Period as authorized by the Senate on December 10, 2015, and notwithstanding rule 4-7, when the Senate sits on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, Question Period shall begin at 3:30 p.m., with any proceedings then before the Senate being interrupted until the end of Question Period, which shall last a maximum of 40 minutes;

That, if a standing vote would conflict with the holding of Question Period at 3:30 p.m. on that day, the vote be postponed until immediately after the conclusion of Question Period;

That, if the bells are ringing for a vote at 3:30 p.m. on that day, they be interrupted for Question Period at that time, and resume thereafter for the balance of any time remaining; and

That, if the Senate concludes its business before 3:30 p.m. on that day, the sitting be suspended until that time for the purpose of holding Question Period.

After debate,

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

o o o

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bellemare:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine and report upon the expenditures set out in the Supplementary Estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017;

That, for the purpose of this study, the committee have the power to sit even though the Senate may then be sitting, with rule 12-18(1) being suspended in relation thereto; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate its report at any time that the Senate is not sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Chamber.

After debate,

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

o o o

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

Inquiries

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 14 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dyck, seconded by the Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., for the second reading of Bill S-215, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sentencing for violent offences against Aboriginal women).

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Lovelace Nicholas 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.

o o o

Orders No. 16 to 21 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator White, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ogilvie, for the second reading of Bill S-225, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (substances used in the production of fentanyl).

After debate,

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

The bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Moore moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hubley, that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

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

o o o

Order No. 23 was 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. 43, 31, 7, 64, 73, 79, 9, 69, 51 and 60 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Frum, calling the attention of the Senate to egregious human rights abuses in Iran, particularly the use of torture and the cruel and inhuman treatment of unlawfully incarcerated political prisoners.

After debate,

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

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

o o o

Orders No. 5, 8, 2, 1 and 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Bellemare moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C.:

That, in order to ensure that legislative reports of Senate committees follow a transparent, comprehensible and non-partisan methodology, the Rules of the Senate be amended by replacing rule 12-23(1) by the following:

“Obligation to report bill

12-23. (1) The committee to which a bill has been referred shall report the bill to the Senate. The report shall set out any amendments that the committee is recommending.  In addition, the report shall have appended to it the committee’s observations on:

(a) whether the bill generally conforms with the Constitution of Canada, including:

(i) the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and

(ii) the division of legislative powers between Parliament and the provincial and territorial legislatures;

(b) whether the bill conforms with treaties and international agreements that Canada has signed or ratified;

(c) whether the bill unduly impinges on any minority or economically disadvantaged groups;

(d) whether the bill has any impact on one or more provinces or territories;

(e) whether the appropriate consultations have been conducted;

(f) whether the bill contains any obvious drafting errors;

(g) all amendments moved but not adopted in the committee, including the text of these amendments; and

(h) any other matter that, in the committee’s opinion, should be brought to the attention of the Senate.”

After debate,

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

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

---

With leave,

The Senate reverted to Government Notices of Motions.

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bellemare:

That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 2 p.m.

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

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mitchell:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 3:16 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, May 17, 2016, at 2 p.m.)

DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 14-1(7)

Report of Destination Canada, together with the Auditor General’s Report, for the year ended December 31, 2015, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11,sbs. 150(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-320.