The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyCampbellCarignanCoolsCordyCormierDagenaisDawsonDayDeanDowneDoyleDuffyDupuisDyckEggletonEnvergaForestFraserFrumFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosHubleyJafferJoyalKennyLangLankinMacDonaldMaltaisManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMeredithMitchellMocklerMoncionMunsonNeufeldNgoOgilvieOhOmidvarPatePattersonPlettPratteRaineRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTardifTkachukUngerVernerWallinWattWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyCampbellCarignanCoolsCordyCormierDagenaisDawsonDayDeanDowneDoyleDuffyDupuisDyckEggletonEnvergaForestFraserFrumFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosHubleyJafferJoyalKennyLangLankinMacDonaldMaltaisManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMeredithMitchellMocklerMoncionMunsonNeufeldNgoOgilvieOhOmidvarPatePattersonPlettPratteRaineRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTardifTkachukUngerVernerWallinWattWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

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 Harder, P.C., tabled the following:

Copy of Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations (P.C. 2016-1068), pursuant to the Special Economic Measures Act, S.C. 1992, c. 17, sbs. 7(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-893.

Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills

The Honourable Senator Griffin introduced Bill S-236, An Act to recognize Charlottetown as the birthplace of Confederation.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Griffin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean, 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.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

A point of order was raised with respect to the use of personal, sharp or taxing remarks.

After debate,

The Speaker reserved his decision.

Government Business

Bills – Third Reading

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

Bills – Second Reading

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

Motions

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

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The Honourable Senator Bellemare moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hubley:

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, 2017.

With leave of the Senate and pursuant to rule 5-10(1), the motion was modified to read as follows:

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, 2017; and

That the committee be authorized to meet for the purposes of its study of the expenditures set out in Supplementary Estimates (C), even though the Senate may then be sitting, with the application of rule 12-18(1) being suspended in relation thereto.

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

Inquiries

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Third Reading

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

Commons Public Bills – Third Reading

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

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1 to 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Commons Public Bills – Second Reading

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

o o o

Second reading of Bill C-238, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy for the safe and environmentally sound disposal of lamps containing mercury.

The Honourable Senator Cordy moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dawson, that the bill be read the second time.

After debate,

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

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wells, seconded by the Honourable Senator Enverga, for the adoption of the second report (interim) of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, entitled Senate Modernization: Moving Forward (Omnibus Bills), presented in the Senate on October 4, 2016.

After debate,

In amendment, the Honourable Senator White moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dagenais:

That the report be not now adopted, but that it be amended:

1.by replacing the words “the Senate direct the Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament to develop a process” by the words “the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament develop and propose to the Senate a process for inclusion”; and

2.by replacing the words “.

That when” by the words “, including provisions to ensure that when”.

After debate,

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

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wells, seconded by the Honourable Senator Enverga, for the adoption of the second report (interim), as amended, of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, entitled Senate Modernization: Moving Forward (Omnibus Bills), presented in the Senate on October 4, 2016.

With leave of the Senate,

Further debate on the motion was adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Bellemare.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCoy, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette, for the adoption of the fifth report (interim) of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, entitled Senate Modernization: Moving Forward (Caucus), presented in the Senate on October 4, 2016.

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Tannas, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett:

That the fifth report of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization be not now adopted, but that it be amended:

(a) by replacing the words “That the Senate direct the Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament and the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration to draft amendments to the Rules of the Senate and the Senate Administrative Rules by 30 November 2016 respecting the following:” in the third paragraph with the following:

“That the Clerk of the Senate and the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel be instructed to prepare and recommend draft amendments to the Rules of the Senate and the Senate Administrative Rules respecting the following, respectively, to the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament and the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, respectively, and that each Standing Committee examine and consider the draft amendments and report to the Senate:”; and

(b) by replacing the fourth paragraph, starting with the words “That the Senate direct the Committee on Internal”, with the following:

“That the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel be instructed to prepare and recommend to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration draft amendments to the Senate Administrative Rules to provide all groups (caucuses) of senators with funding for a secretariat and research projects, regardless of whether the groups (caucuses) are organized with or without political affiliation, and that the Standing Committee examine and consider the draft amendments and report to the Senate.”.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived.

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCoy, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette, for the adoption of the fifth report (interim) of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, entitled Senate Modernization: Moving Forward (Caucus), presented in the Senate on October 4, 2016.

After debate,

In amendment, the Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator McCoy:

That the report be not now adopted, but that it be amended:

1.by replacing the paragraph starting with the words “That the Senate direct the Committee on Rules” by the following:

“That the Senate direct the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament and the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration to draft amendments to the Rules of the Senate and the Senate Administrative Rules, and to report thereon to the Senate by May 9, 2017, respecting the following:”; and

2.by replacing the paragraph starting with the words “That the Senate direct the Committee on Internal” by the following:

“That the Senate direct the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration to prepare amendments to the Senate Administrative Rules, and to report thereon to the Senate by May 9, 2017, to provide all groups (caucuses) of senators with funding for a secretariat and research projects, regardless of whether the caucuses are organized with or without political affiliations.”.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Carignan, 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.

o o o

Orders No. 3 to 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Massicotte, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, for the adoption of the seventh report (interim) of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, entitled Senate Modernization: Moving Forward (Regional interest), presented in the Senate on October 18, 2016.

After debate,

In amendment, the Honourable Senator White moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Patterson:

That the report be not now adopted, but that it be amended:

1.by replacing the words “the Senate direct the Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament to consider and recommend” by the words “the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament develop and propose to the Senate”; and

2.by replacing the paragraph relating to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration by the following:

“That the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration develop and propose to the Senate processes to ensure that sufficient funds are available for committees to travel to all regions of the country when studying bills with potential regional impacts or when considering issues with potential regional impacts where significant or important.”.

After debate,

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

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Massicotte, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, for the adoption of the seventh report (interim), as amended, of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, entitled Senate Modernization: Moving Forward (Regional interest), presented in the Senate on October 18, 2016.

After debate,

Further debate on the motion was adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett.

ADJOURNMENT

At 4 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on February 4, 2016, the Senate adjourned until 1:30 p.m., tomorrow.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5 and to the Order of the Senate of December 7, 2016

Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples

The Honourable Senator Martin replaced the Honourable Senator Tannas (February 15, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

The Honourable Senator Petitclerc replaced the Honourable Senator Omidvar (February 15, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Enverga replaced the Honourable Senator Oh (February 15, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

The Honourable Senator Marshall replaced the Honourable Senator Manning (February 15, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights

The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan replaced the Honourable Senator Oh (February 15, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Martin replaced the Honourable Senator Beyak (February 15, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Beyak replaced the Honourable Senator Martin (February 15, 2017).

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Ngo replaced the Honourable Senator Tannas (February 15, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Dean replaced the Honourable Senator Woo (February 15, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

The Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Petitclerc (February 15, 2017).