The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Alberta)Black (Ontario)BoehmBonifaceBoyerBussonCampbellCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDagenaisDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuffyDuncanDupuisDyckForestFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHartlingHousakosKeatingKlyneKutcherLankinLoffredaMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMcInnisMégieMercerMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgoOmidvarPatePattersonPlettPoirierRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithStewart OlsenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Alberta)Black (Ontario)Boehm*BoisvenuBoniface*BoveyBoyerBussonCampbellCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDagenais*DalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuffyDuncanDupuisDyckForest*Forest-NiesingFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHartlingHousakosKeatingKlyneKutcherLankinLoffredaMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMcInnisMégieMercerMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgo*OhOmidvarPatePattersonPlettPoirierRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithStewart OlsenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

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 the Speaker tabled the following:

Annual report of the Office of the Correctional Investigator for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, pursuant to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, S.C. 1992, c. 20, s. 192.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-328.

Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator MacDonald tabled the following:

Report of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, 72nd Annual Meeting of the Council of State Governments – West, Big Sky, Montana, United States of America, July 16-20, 2019.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-329.

Report of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, 74th Annual Meeting of the Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Conference, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, July 21-24, 2019.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-330.

Report of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, 59th Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum of the Council of State Governments’ Eastern Regional Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America, July 28-31, 2019.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-331.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Other Business

Reports of Committees – Other

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Sinclair, seconded by the Honourable Senator Patterson, for the adoption of the first report (interim) of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, entitled Developments and actions in relation to the committee’s fifth report regarding Senator Beyak, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on January 31, 2020.

Pursuant to rule 12-30(2), further debate on the motion was adjourned until the next sitting.

Government Business

Motions

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:

That the following Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:

To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:

We, Her Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Senate of Canada in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean, 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

Order No. 7 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gagné, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:

That, notwithstanding rules 12-2(2), 12-3(1) and usual practice, the Honourable Senators Ataullahjan, Boehm, Bovey, Cordy, Coyle, Dawson, Dean, Greene, Housakos, Massicotte, Ngo, Plett and Saint-Germain be appointed to serve on the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade until a report of the Committee of Selection recommending the senators to serve as members of the committee is adopted or the members are otherwise named by the Senate;

That the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to examine the subject matter of Bill C-4, An Act to implement the Agreement between Canada, the United States of America and the United Mexican States, introduced in the House of Commons on January 29, 2020, in advance of the said bill coming before the Senate; and

That, for the purpose of this study, the committee have the power to meet, even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, and that rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) be suspended in relation thereto.

After debate,

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

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc, for the second reading of Bill S-208, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (independence of the judiciary).

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Duncan moved, for the Honourable Senator Forest-Niesing, seconded by the Honourable Senator Omidvar, 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. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Private Bills – Second Reading

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 1, 3 and 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, when and if it is formed, be authorized to examine and report on the future of workers in order to evaluate:

(a)how data and information on the gig economy in Canada is being collected and potential gaps in knowledge;

(b)the effectiveness of current labour protections for people who work through digital platforms and temporary foreign workers programs;

(c)the negative impacts of precarious work and the gig economy on benefits, pensions and other government services relating to employment; and

(d)the accessibility of retraining and skills development programs for workers;

That in conducting this evaluation the committee pay particular attention to the negative effects of precarious employment being disproportionately felt by workers of colour, new immigrant and indigenous workers; and

That the committee submit its final report on this study to the Senate no later than April 7, 2022.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator MacDonald, 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. 12, 15 and 18 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Bovey, calling the attention of the Senate to the need to renew and further its interest in Arctic issues.

Debate.

ADJOURNMENT

At 4 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on February 5, 2020, the Senate adjourned until 1:30 p.m., tomorrow.

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

List of Commissions issued for the year 2019, pursuant to the Public Officers Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-31, s. 4.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-325.

Order Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to 2019-nCoV Acute Respiratory Disease in Canada (P.C. 2020-59), pursuant to the Quarantine Act, S.C. 2005, c. 20, sbs. 61(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-326.

Reports of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, pursuant to the Access to Information Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1, sbs. 94(2) and to the Privacy Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-327.