The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Black (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuCarignanCotterCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)FureyGagnéGalvezGoldHarderHousakosLoffredaMiville-DechêneMunsonNgoPatePetitclercPlettRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSmithVernerWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Black (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuCarignanCotterCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)FureyGagnéGalvezGoldHarderHousakosLoffredaMiville-DechêneMunsonNgoPatePetitclercPlettRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSmithVernerWhiteWoo

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.

(Pursuant to rule 3-6(1) the Senate was recalled to sit this date, rather than June 2, 2020, as previously ordered.)

PRAYERS

The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the tragic attacks in Nova Scotia that took place on April 18 and 19 and the crash of a Canadian Armed Forces helicopter on April 29.

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With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne:

That, notwithstanding rule 3-4, the sitting continue beyond the ordinary time of adjournment today;

That rule 3-3(1) be suspended today; and

That, notwithstanding rules 6-1 and 9-8(1)(b), senators may speak or vote from a seat other than their assigned places during today’s sitting.

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

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Tabling of Documents

The Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that the Clerk of the Senate had tabled the following (Sessional Paper No. 1/43-387S) :

April 30, 2020

Mr. Speaker,

In accordance with rule 15-6(1) of the Rules of the Senate, Members of the Senate must renew their Declaration of Qualification within the first 20 sitting days of the first session of each Parliament.  As Clerk, it is my duty to submit to you, Mr. Speaker, a list of the names of those Senators who have met this obligation and signed their Declaration so that it may be tabled, by you, Mr. Speaker, in the Chamber.

I have the honour to be, Mr. Speaker, your obedient servant.

The Honourable Senators

AndersonAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Alberta)Black (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBussonCampbellCarignanChristmasCordyCormierCotterCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDawsonDayDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuffyDuncanDupuisDyckForestForest-NiesingFrancisFrumFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferJoyalKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMcCoyMcInnisMcPhedranMégieMercerMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgoOhOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPlettPoirierRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTannasTkachukVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

o o o

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

Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill C-14, A second Act respecting certain measures in response to COVID-19, pursuant to the Department of Justice Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. J-2, sbs. 4.2(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-388.

Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill C-15, An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019), pursuant to the Department of Justice Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. J-2, sbs. 4.2(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-389.

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Woo presented the following:

Friday, May 1, 2020

The Committee of Selection has the honour to present its

FIRST REPORT

Your committee wishes to inform the Senate that it nominates the Honourable Senator Ringuette as Speaker pro tempore.

Respectfully submitted,

The Honourable Senator Woo moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, 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 Woo presented the following:

Friday, May 1, 2020

The Committee of Selection has the honour to present its

SECOND REPORT

Pursuant to rule 12-2(2) of the Rules of the Senate and the order of the Senate of March 11, 2020, your committee submits below a list of senators nominated by it to serve on committees.

Your committee recommends that the Leader of the Opposition (or designate) name the specified number of senators to the committees listed below, by notice filed with the Clerk of the Senate and that the Clerk of the Senate have the notice recorded in the Journals of the Senate.

Your committee further recommends that, unless otherwise ordered by the Senate, and notwithstanding rule 12-13, the committees listed below not meet before the earlier of:

(a) September 22, 2020, or another later date indicated in a notice signed by the leaders and facilitators of all recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups and sent to the Clerk of the Senate;

(b) the third successive sitting of the Senate with a daily attendance of at least 60 senators that follows the adoption of this report and precedes September 22, 2020; or

(c) a date before September 22, 2020, indicated in a notice signed by the leaders and facilitators of all recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups and sent to the Clerk of the Senate.

Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Coyle, Francis, Hartling, McCallum, Pate and Sinclair

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senator Tannas

Non-affiliated

The Honourable Senators Dyck and LaBoucane-Benson

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Deacon (Nova Scotia), Hartling, Klyne, Kutcher, Miville-Dechêne, Petitclerc and Ringuette

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Black (Ontario) and Griffin

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Bellemare, Deacon (Nova Scotia), Klyne, Loffreda, Massicotte, Marwah and Wetston

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senator Wallin

Non-affiliated

The Honourable Senator Dawson

Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Cotter, Duncan, Galvez, Massicotte, McCallum, Simons and Woo

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Black (Alberta) and Richards

Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Anderson, Bovey, Busson, Christmas, Cormier and Francis

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Black (Ontario) and Campbell

Non-affiliated

The Honourable Senator Munson

Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Boehm, Bovey, Coyle, Deacon (Ontario), Dean, Ravalia and Saint-Germain

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Black (Alberta) and Greene

Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Bernard, Boyer, Hartling, Miville-Dechêne and Pate

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Non-affiliated

The Honourable Senator Cordy

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Boniface, Cotter, Dalphond, Dupuis, Jaffer, Keating and Sinclair

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Campbell and Downe

Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Duffy and Ravalia

Conservative Party of Canada

Two senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senator Black (Ontario)

Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Anderson, Boniface, Busson, Dalphond, Duffy and Moodie

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Dagenais and Richards

Non-affiliated

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C.

Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Cormier, Keating, Mégie and Moncion

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

One senator to be named by the Leader of the Canadian Senators Group (or designate)

Non-affiliated

The Honourable Senator Gagné

Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Bellemare, Bovey, Cotter, Dalphond, Dupuis, McPhedran, Moncion and Ringuette

Conservative Party of Canada

Four senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Black (Ontario) and McCoy

Non-affiliated

The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson

Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Boyer and Woo

Conservative Party of Canada

Two senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senator Greene

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Brazeau, Christmas, Cormier, Dasko, Keating, Miville-Dechêne and Simons

Conservative Party of Canada

Three senators to be named by the Leader of the Opposition (or designate)

Canadian Senators Group

The Honourable Senators Griffin and Wallin

Pursuant to rule 12-3(3) of the Rules of the Senate, the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C. (or Gagné) and the Honourable Senator Plett (or Martin) are ex officio members of all committees except the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, the joint committees and subcommittees.

Respectfully submitted,

The Honourable Senator Woo moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, 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.

Government Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

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

That, notwithstanding any provisions of the Rules or usual practice:

1.the Senate resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole at the start of Orders of the Day today to consider the subject matter of Bill C-15, An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019), in advance of the said bill coming before the Senate;

2.the Committee of the Whole on the subject matter of Bill C-15, receive the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, accompanied by one official;

3.the Committee of the Whole on the subject matter of Bill C-15 rise no later than 125 minutes after it begins; and

4.the speaking time provided for in rule 12-32(3)(d) be five minutes for the Committee of the Whole today, including the time for both questions and answers.

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

o o o

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne:

That until the end of 2020 or the end of the current session, whichever comes first:

(a)notwithstanding usual practice, any return, report or other paper deposited with the Clerk of the Senate pursuant to rule 14-1(6), may be deposited electronically; and

(b)notwithstanding rules 4-10(2) and 4-10(3), written replies to oral questions and to written questions may be deposited with the Clerk of the Senate electronically following the process of rule 14-1(6), provided that written replies to oral questions be published as an appendix to the Debates of the Senate of the day on which the tabling is recorded in the Journals of the Senate.

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

Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills

A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-15, An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019), to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill was read the first time.

Ordered, That the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading later this day.

Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senators Plett, Woo and Verner, P.C.:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or usual practices, and taking into account the exceptional circumstances of the current pandemic of COVID-19, the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators have the power to meet by videoconference or teleconference, if technically feasible, until the adjournment of the third successive sitting of the Senate with a daily attendance of at least 60 senators that follows the adoption of this order;

That members of the committee, other senators participating in a public meeting of the committee held pursuant to rule 12-28(1), a senator participating in a meeting of the committee pursuant to rule 12-28(2) and witnesses be allowed to participate in meetings of the committee by videoconference or teleconference, with such meetings being considered for all purposes to be meetings of the committee, and senators taking part in such meetings being considered for all purposes to be present at the meeting;

That, for greater certainty, and without limiting the general authority granted by this order, when the committee meets by videoconference or teleconference:

1.members of the committee participating count towards quorum;

2.such meetings be considered to be occurring in the parliamentary precinct, irrespective of where participants may be; and

3.the committee be directed to approach in camera meetings with the utmost caution and all necessary precautions, taking account of the risks to the confidentiality of in camera proceedings inherent in such technologies;

That, if a meeting of the committee by videoconference or teleconference is public, pursuant to rule 12-28(1) or to order of the Senate, the provisions of rule 14-7(2) be applied so as to allow recording or broadcasting through any facilities arranged by the Clerk of the Senate, and, if such a meeting cannot be broadcast live, the committee be considered to have fulfilled any obligations under the Rules relating to public meetings by making any available recording publicly available as soon as possible thereafter; and

That there be a minimum of 72 hours’ notice for a meeting of the committee by videoconference or teleconference, subject to technical feasibility.

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

o o o

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne:

That, until 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, senators who are not present at a sitting of the Senate be presumed to be on public business unless they advise the Clerk of the Senate otherwise; 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.

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE

Pursuant to rule 13-4, the Honourable Senator Plett raised a question of privilege concerning a meeting of the Committee of Selection held earlier today.

Pursuant to rule 13-5(2), the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the question of privilege of the Honourable Senator Plett.

After debate,

The Speaker reserved his decision.

Orders of the Day

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

At 1:06 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted earlier today, the Senate was suspended during pleasure and resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the subject matter of Bill C-15, An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019), the Honourable Senator Ringuette in the Chair.

—In the Committee—

Pursuant to rule 12-32(4), the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, accompanied by Graham Flack, Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development Canada, were escorted to their seats in the Senate Chamber.

Debate.

It was agreed that the chair report to the Senate that the witnesses had been heard.

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The sitting of the Senate resumed.

The Chair of the Committee stated that the Committee had heard the witnesses on the subject matter of Bill C-15 and had directed her to report the same to the Senate.

Government Business

Bills – Second Reading

Second reading of Bill C-15, An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019).

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne, that the bill be read the second time.

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

The bill was then read the second time.

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne, that the bill be read for a third time.

After debate,

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

The bill was then read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, without amendment.

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With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Boehm:

That the sitting be suspended to the call of the chair, with the bells to ring for five minutes before the sitting resumes.

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

(Accordingly, at 6:35 p.m., the sitting was suspended.)

At 7:10 p.m., the sitting resumed.

WRITTEN DECLARATION OF ROYAL ASSENT

At 7:10 p.m., the Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:

RIDEAU HALL

May 1^st, 2020

Mr. Speaker:

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bill listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 1^st day of May, 2020, at 6:50 p.m.

Yours sincerely,

The Honourable

The Speaker of the Senate

Ottawa

Schedule

Bill Assented To

Friday, May 1, 2020

An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019) (Bill C-15, Chapter 7, 2020)

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With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Boehm:

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

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

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Boehm:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 7:14 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at 2 p.m.)

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Richards was added to the membership (April 16, 2020).

The Honourable Senator Tannas was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (April 16, 2020).

Committee of Selection

The Honourable Senator Dalphond replaced the Honourable Senator Ringuette (April 30, 2020).

The Honourable Senator Coyle replaced the Honourable Senator Omidvar (April 30, 2020).

The Honourable Senator Boehm replaced the Honourable Senator Duncan (April 30, 2020).

The Honourable Senator Verner, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Downe (April 30, 2020).

Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

The Honourable Senator Campbell was added to the membership (April 16, 2020).

The Honourable Senator Black (Ontario) was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (April 16, 2020).