Journals of the Senate
70 Elizabeth II , A.D. 2021, Canada
1st Session, 44th Parliament
Issue 13 (Unrevised)
Thursday, December 16, 2021
2 p.m.
The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAtaullahjanAudetteBattersBellemareBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBussonCampbellCarignanChristmasClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMcPhedranMégieMercerMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieNgoOhOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPoirierQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWooYussuff
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAtaullahjanAudetteBattersBellemareBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBussonCampbellCarignanChristmasClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCallumMcPhedranMégieMercerMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieNgoOhOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPoirierQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWooYussuff
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 Gold, P.C., tabled the following:
2020-21 Annual Report of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman, entitled Adapting and Delivering in Unprecedented Times. —Sessional Paper No. 1/44-30.
Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
The Honourable Senator Wallin tabled the following (Sessional Paper No. 1/44-31S):
Thursday, December 16, 2021
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce has the honour to table its
FIRST 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(2), the following report on expenses incurred for that purpose during the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament:
1. With respect to its study on those elements contained in Divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 of Part 4 the subject matter of all of Bill C-30, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 19, 2021 and other measures:
| Other Expenses | $ | 100 |
During the session, your committee held eight meetings (14 hours 14 minutes), heard 40 witnesses and submitted three reports in relation to its work. Your committee examined one bill, the subject matter of one budget bill, one special study, and received a total of five orders of reference.
Respectfully submitted,
PAMELA WALLIN
Chair
The Honourable Senator Massicotte tabled the following (Sessional Paper No. 1/44-32S):
Thursday, December 16, 2021
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources has the honour to table its
FIRST 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(2), the following report on expenses incurred for that purpose during the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament:
| 1. | Witness Expenses | $ | 351 |
During the session, your committee held 11 meetings (17 hours 43 minutes), heard 46 witnesses and submitted three reports in relation to its work. Your committee examined one bill and the subject matter of one bill and received a total of five orders of reference.
Respectfully submitted,
PAUL J. MASSICOTTE
Chair
The Honourable Senator Housakos tabled the following (Sessional Paper No. 1/44-33S):
Thursday, December 16, 2021
The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications has the honour to table its
FIRST 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(2), the following report on expenses incurred for that purpose during the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament:
| 1. | Witness Expenses | $ | 88 |
During the session, your committee held five meetings (6 hours 17 minutes) and heard ten witnesses. Your committee examined one bill and received a total of three orders of reference.
Respectfully submitted,
LEO HOUSAKOS
Chair
The Honourable Senator Mockler, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, tabled the second report of the committee, entitled Supplementary Estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-34S.
Ordered: That the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration later this day.
The Honourable Senator Jaffer, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, tabled the second report (interim) of the committee (Subject matter of Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-35S.
(Pursuant to the order adopted December 2, 2021, the report was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration later this day.)
The Honourable Senator Jaffer, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, presented the committee’s third report (Bill S-207, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Châteauguay—Lacolle, without amendment).
The Honourable Senator Dalphond moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Pate introduced Bill S-233, An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Pate moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Audette, 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.
The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., introduced Bill S-234, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (final disposal of plastic waste).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos, 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.
Notices of Motions
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Wallin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Quinn:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce be authorized to study matters relating to banking, trade and commerce generally, as described in rule 12-7(8); and
That the committee submit its final report no later than June 30, 2023, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Question Period
The Senate proceeded to Question Period.
Orders of the Day
Government Business
Reports of Committees – Other
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Consideration of the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, entitled Supplementary Estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, tabled in the Senate on December 16, 2021.
The Honourable Senator Mockler moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos, that the report be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
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 Mary May Simon, 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 LaBoucane-Benson, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Ordered: That the sitting be suspended until 5 p.m. to await the Committee of the Whole, with the bells to ring for 5 minutes before the committee meets.
At 3:16 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 5 p.m., the sitting resumed.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
At 5 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted on December 14, 2021, the Senate was suspended during pleasure and resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the subject matter of Bill C-2, An Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19, the Honourable Senator Ringuette in the Chair.
—In the Committee—
Pursuant to rule 12-32(4),the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, accompanied by Nick Leswick, Associate Deputy Minister, Finance Canada; Trevor McGowan, Director General, Tax Legislation Division, Finance Canada; Elisha Ram, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch, Employment and Social Development Canada; and George Rae, Director, Policy Analysis and Initiatives, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment Branch, Employment and Social Development Canada; appeared via videoconference.
Debate.
It was agreed that the chair report to the Senate that the witnesses have been heard.
The sitting of the Senate resumed.
The Chair of the Committee stated that the Committee had examined the subject matter of Bill C-2, An Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19, and had directed her to report the same to the Senate.
MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-2, An Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill was read the first time.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Boehm moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
The bill was then read the second time.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Boehm moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, that the bill be read for a third time.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAudetteBlackBoehmBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBussonCampbellClementCordyCormierCoyleDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldHarderHartlingJafferKlyneLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMarwahMcCallumMcPhedranMégieMercerMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOmidvarPateQuinnRavaliaRinguetteSaint-GermainSimonsSorensenTannasWetstonWhiteWooYussuff—57
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
AtaullahjanBattersBoisvenuCarignanHousakosMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMocklerOhPattersonPoirierRichardsSmith—15
ABSTENTIONS
The Honourable Senators
Nil
Accordingly, Bill C-2 was read a 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.
A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill was read the first time.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading at the next sitting.
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 8:15 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 10 a.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
The Honourable Senator Seidman replaced the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan (December 16, 2021).
The Honourable Senator Griffin replaced the Honourable Senator Downe (December 15, 2021).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Dawson (December 16, 2021).
The Honourable Senator Dawson replaced the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C. (December 15, 2021).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The Honourable Senator Omidvar replaced the Honourable Senator Coyle (December 16, 2021).