The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBlack (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBussonCampbellCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuncanDupuisForestForest-NiesingFrancisFureyGagnéGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMartinMarwahMassicotteMcPhedranMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgoOmidvarPatePlettRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithStewart OlsenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBlack (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBussonCampbellCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuncanDupuisForestForest-NiesingFrancisFureyGagnéGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMartinMarwahMassicotteMcPhedranMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgoOmidvarPatePlettRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-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:

Report of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer entitled The Government’s Expenditure Plan and Main Estimates for 2020-21, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-371.

Report on Investigation of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying entitled Benjamin Bergen, Council of Canadian Innovators, pursuant to the Lobbying Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 44 (4th Supp.), s. 10.4.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-372.

Report of the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner entitled Findings of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner in the Matter of an Investigation into a Disclosure of Wrongdoing (Correctional Service of Canada), pursuant to the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, S.C. 2005, c. 46, sbs. 38(3.3).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-373.

Report on Investigation of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying entitled Dana O’Born, Council of Canadian Innovators, pursuant to the Lobbying Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 44 (4th Supp.), s. 10.4.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-374.

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The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., tabled the following:

2019 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, pursuant to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, S.C. 2001, c. 27, sbs. 94(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-375.

Annual Report of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians for the year 2019 (revised version pursuant to subsection 21(5) of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act), pursuant to the Act, S.C. 2017, c. 15, sbs. 21(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-376.

Report of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians entitled Special Report on the Collection, Use, Retention and Dissemination of Information on Canadians in the context of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces Defence Intelligence Activities (revised version pursuant to subsection 21(5) of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act), pursuant to the Act, S.C. 2017, c. 15, sbs. 21(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-377.

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Bovey tabled the following (Sessional Paper No. 1/43-378S):

Thursday, March 12, 2020

The Special Senate Committee on the Arctic has the honour to table its

REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate to incur expenses for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such matters as were referred to it, tables, pursuant to rule 12-26(3), the following report on expenses incurred for that purpose during the First Session of the Forty-second Parliament:

2.With respect to its special study on the significant and rapid changes to the Arctic, and impacts on original inhabitants, authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, September 27, 2017:

During the session, your committee held 33 meetings (64 hours 41 minutes), heard 137 witnesses and submitted four reports in relation to its work. Your committee examined the subject-matter of one budget bill and received a total of two orders of reference.

Respectfully submitted,

Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Bovey moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Forest-Niesing:

That subsections 5(2) and (3) of the Senators Attendance Policy not apply with respect to any sitting day up to the end of June 2020 or such later date as may be established by the Speaker after consultation with all leaders and facilitators in the Senate; and

That the Speaker inform the Senate of any decision to extend the period during which this order applies at the first sitting after the decision is made.

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

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Delayed Answers

The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., tabled the following:

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on December 12, 2019, by the Honourable Senator Plett, concerning the World Health Organization — BSE Status.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-379S.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on December 12, 2019, by the Honourable Senator Black (Ontario), concerning the support for beef and dairy industries.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-380S.

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Pursuant to rule 4-10(2), the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., tabled the following:

Reply to Question No. 1, dated December 10, 2019, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Boisvenu, respecting drug recognition experts.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-381S.

Reply to Question No. 2, dated December 10, 2019, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Boisvenu, respecting cannabis producers who have been issued a license by Health Canada.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-382S.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Motions

Orders No. 1 and 7 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at 2 p.m.

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, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne, seconded by the Honourable Senator Klyne, for the second reading of Bill S-211, An Act to enact the Modern Slavery Act and to amend the Customs Tariff.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, for the Honourable Senator Duncan, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bellemare, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

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Orders No. 12, 13 and 14 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Griffin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Verner, P.C., for the second reading of Bill S-215, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (farming exemptions).

After debate,

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

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

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Second reading of Bill S-216, An Act to amend the Assisted Human Reproduction Act.

The Honourable Senator Moncion moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dasko, that the bill be read the second time.

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.

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.

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Consideration of the thirteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, entitled Modernizing the Official Languages Act: Views of the Federal Institutions and Recommendations, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 13, 2019, during the first session of the Forty-second Parliament.

The Honourable Senator Cormier moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:

That the thirteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages entitled Modernizing the Official Languages Act: Views of the Federal Institutions and Recommendations, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 13, 2019, during the first session of the Forty-second Parliament, and placed on the Orders of the Day in the current session pursuant to the order of March 11, 2020, be adopted and that, pursuant to rule 12-24(1), the Senate request a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Justice being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report, in consultation with the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Minister of Economic Development and  Official Languages, and the President of the Treasury Board.

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

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Consideration of the thirty-second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, entitled Open Banking: What it Means for You, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 19, 2019, during the first session of the Forty-second Parliament.

The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Coyle:

That the thirty-second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce entitled Open Banking: What it Means for You, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 19, 2019, during the first session of the Forty-second Parliament, and placed on the Orders of the Day in the current session pursuant to the order of March 11, 2020, be adopted and that, pursuant to rule 12-24(1), the Senate request a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Finance being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report.

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

ADJOURNMENT

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

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 3:50 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at 2 p.m.)

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

Report of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, S.C. 2000, c. 17, sbs. 71(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-370.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Wells replaced the Honourable Senator Manning (March 12, 2020).

The Honourable Senator Marshall replaced the Honourable Senator Doyle (March 12, 2020).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Martin replaced the Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen (March 12, 2020).

Committee of Selection

The Honourable Senator Seidman replaced the Honourable Senator Plett (March 11, 2020).