The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyCampbellCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuffyDuncanDupuisDyckForestForest-NiesingFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMcCoyMégieMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieNgoOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPlettPoirierRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSinclairSmithVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyCampbellCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuffyDuncanDupuisDyckForestForest-NiesingFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMcCoyMégieMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieNgoOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPlettPoirierRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSinclairSmithVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

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:

Report of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer entitled Supplementary Estimates (B) 2019-20, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-350.

Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, 141st Assembly and related meetings, Belgrade, Serbia, October 11-17, 2019.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-351.

o o o

The Honourable Senator Galvez tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, 16th Plenary Assembly and 49th Meeting of the Board of Directors of ParlAmericas, Asunción, Paraguay, from October 30 to November 1, 2019.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-352.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

SPEAKER'S STATEMENT

Honourable senators, I am now prepared to hear further new arguments in relation to the point of order raised by Senator Sinclair on February 6 concerning the possible application of the sub judice convention to Motion No. 18 moved by Senator Boisvenu.

I want to repeat, though, honourable senators, as I said yesterday, I will only entertain matters that are new to the debate.

---

The Senate resumed debate on the point of order, raised on February 6, 2020, concerning the possible application of the sub judice convention to a motion moved by Senator Boisvenu.

After debate,

The Speaker reserved his decision.

Government Business

Motions

Order No. 1 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 usual practice, the Senate invite any Minister of the Crown who is not a member of the Senate to enter the chamber during any future Question Period and take part in proceedings by responding to questions relating to his or her ministerial responsibilities, subject to the Rules and practices of the Senate.

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mockler:

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

1.by replacing the words “the Senate invite any Minister of the Crown who is not a member of the Senate to enter the chamber during any future Question Period and” by the following:

“for the remainder of the current session, the Senate authorize the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate to make a short statement during any Question Period in order to designate Ministers of the Crown who are not members of the Senate to participate in Question Period;

That these ministers then be deemed invited to enter the chamber during Question Period at a future sitting to”;

2.by replacing the words “his or her” by the word “their”; and

3.by adding the following before the period:

“; and

That the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate advise the Senate of the date that any minister designated by the Leader of the Opposition will be in attendance by making a brief statement during Question Period no later than the fourth day the Senate sits before that date”.

After debate,

In amendment, the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné:

That the motion in amendment be not now adopted, but that it be amended:

1. by replacing the words “Opposition in the Senate to make a short statement during any Question Period” by the words “Government in the Senate, after consultation with the leaders and facilitators of all the recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups, to make a short statement at the start of the Orders of the Day during any sitting”; and

2. by replacing the words “by the Leader of the Opposition will be in attendance by making a brief statement during Question Period” by the words “pursuant to this order will be in attendance by making a brief statement at the start of the Orders of the Day”.

Debate.

DEFERRED VOTES

At 4:15 p.m., pursuant to rule 9-10(1) and the order adopted by the Senate on February 25, 2020, the Senate proceeded to the taking of the deferred standing vote on the subsidiary motion of the Honourable Senator Black (Ontario), to 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.

The question being put on the subsidiary motion of the Honourable Senator Black (Ontario), seconded by the Honourable Senator Richards:

That, pursuant to rules 5-7(b) and 12-30(3), the first report of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators be referred back to the committee for further consideration.

The motion was negatived on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBattersBlack (Ontario)BoisvenuCarignanDagenaisDuffyGreeneGriffinHousakosMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMocklerNgoPlettPoirierRichardsSeidmanSmithVernerWallinWells—24

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

AndersonBellemareBernardBoehmBonifaceBoveyCordyCormierCotterCoyleDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Ontario)DeanDuncanDupuisDyckForestForest-NiesingFrancisGagnéGoldHarderHartlingJafferKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMégieMitchellMoncionOmidvarPatePetitclercRavaliaRinguetteSaint-GermainSimonsSinclairWetstonWoo—49

ABSTENTIONS

The Honourable Senators

CampbellDowneWhite—3

ADJOURNMENT

At 4:21 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on February 5, 2020, the Senate adjourned until 1:30 p.m., tomorrow.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Smith replaced the Honourable Senator Doyle (February 26, 2020).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Campbell replaced the Honourable Senator Tannas (February 26, 2020).