Journals of the Senate
1 Charles III , A.D. 2023, Canada
1st Session, 44th Parliament
Issue 100 (Unrevised)
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
2 p.m.
The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBureyBussonCampbellCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDupuisForestFureyGagnéGerbaGignacGoldGreeneGreenwoodHarderHousakosJafferKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Ontario)PetitclercPlettPoirierQuinnRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWooYussuff
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBureyBussonCampbellCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDupuisForest*FrancisFureyGagné*GalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreeneGreenwoodHarderHousakosJafferKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Ontario)PetitclercPlettPoirierQuinnRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWooYussuff
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
Ordered: That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or usual practice, for today’s sitting, tributes to the late Honourable Senator Viola Léger be continued into Senators’ Statements, if required, and the total period for Tributes and Senators’ Statements be extended by a maximum of five minutes.
Senators’ Statements
Tributes
Tribute was paid to the memory of the Honourable Viola Léger, former senator, whose death occurred on Saturday, January 28, 2023.
The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of former senator the Honourable Viola Léger.
Senators’ Statements
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
The Honourable Senator Cotter presented the following:
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has the honour to present its
ELEVENTH REPORT
Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (violence against an intimate partner), has, in obedience to the order of reference of Wednesday, December 14, 2022, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment but with certain observations, which are appended to this report.
Respectfully submitted,
BRENT COTTER
Chair
Observations to the Eleventh Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (Bill C-233)
Bill C-233 addresses the importance of education and pro-active responses to address gender-based violence and coercive control. In line with witness testimony regarding the urgency of addressing this issue in our society, this committee urges the government to also invest greater resources in initiatives that enhance financial, social and health supports that help ensure: capacity and resources for emancipatory anti-violence supports, centres, including women’s shelters, financial supports, more responsive and respectful treatment of victims by police and prosecutorial authorities, and effective interventions to interrupt and address misogynist and racist violence, including with aggressors.
To this end, we encourage the Government of Canada to take greater, urgent action to address violence against women, coercive control and to support victims/survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence by responding, with a view to implementing the outstanding:
•recommendations of 99 Steps to End Violence Against Women, developed following a series of consultations with women’s groups, anti-violence workers, victims and legal and academic experts conducted by the Department of Justice from 1992-1996;
•calls for Justice of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry;
•recommendations of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
The committee has reported in the past about how the Criminal Code has been amended in a piecemeal manner for many decades and has become cumbersome, sometimes repetitive, or inconsistent, and in need of comprehensive (see for instance, the committee’s 2017 report Delaying Justice is Denying Justice at pp. 41 to 43.) The committee repeats its past recommendation that an independent body should undertake a comprehensive review of the Criminal Code. The newly revived Law Commission of Canada could undertake such a review, which should include a study of all provisions in the Code that pertain to violence against women, particularly intimate partner violence and family violence.
The Honourable Senator Dalphond moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy, 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.
Question Period
The Senate proceeded to Question Period.
Orders of the Day
Pursuant to the order adopted December 7, 2021, the Honourable Senator Gagné informed the Senate that Question Period with the Honourable Joyce Murray, P.C., M.P., Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, will take place on March 7, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
Government Business
Bills – Second Reading
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Cotter, seconded by the Honourable Senator Woo, for the second reading of Bill C-22, An Act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Bernard moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bovey, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 4 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees – Other
Orders No. 7 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Orders No. 3 and 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other Business
Senate Public Bills – Third Reading
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Senate Public Bills – Second Reading
Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boniface, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hartling, for the second reading of Bill S-232, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy for the decriminalization of illegal substances, to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Brazeau, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos, for the second reading of Bill S-254, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning label on alcoholic beverages).
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 26, 27 and 28 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills – Second Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees – Other
Orders No. 27, 28, 29 and 30 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Consideration of the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, entitled Senate Budget 2023-24, presented in the Senate on February 7, 2023.
The Honourable Senator Moncion moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Yussuff, that the report be adopted.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Motions
Orders No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 19, 30 and 77 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Dasko, calling the attention of the Senate to the role of leaders’ debates in enhancing democracy by engaging and informing voters.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 2 and 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Coyle, calling the attention of the Senate to the importance of finding solutions to transition Canada’s society, economy and resource use in pursuit of a fair, prosperous, sustainable and peaceful net-zero emissions future for our country and the planet.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Coyle, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 5 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Order No. 7 was called and, pursuant to rule 4-15(2), dropped from the Order Paper and Notice Paper.
Orders No. 8 and 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Woo, calling the attention of the Senate to the one hundredth anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the contributions that Chinese Canadians have made to our country, and the need to combat contemporary forms of exclusion and discrimination faced by Canadians of Asian descent.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Omidvar moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator McCallum moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Campbell:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples be authorized to examine and report on the misrepresentation of Indigenous ancestry, inadequate self-identification standards and the profound effects that such identity fraud has on further marginalizing Indigenous people, in particular Indigenous women; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2023.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Dalphond moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wallin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate a report relating to its study on the state of the Canadian economy and inflation, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 6:19 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)
DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 14-1(7)
Interim Order No. 77 Respecting Certain Requirements for Civil Aviation Due to COVID-19, pursuant to the Aeronautics Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-2, sbs. 6.41(5) and (6).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-1552.
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
The Honourable Senator Martin replaced the Honourable Senator Oh (February 13, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) replaced the Honourable Senator Duncan (February 13, 2023).
Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
The Honourable Senator Gignac replaced the Honourable Senator Audette (February 13, 2023).
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator Simons replaced the Honourable Senator Ravalia (February 13, 2023).
Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
The Honourable Senator Bernard replaced the Honourable Senator Cordy (February 14, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Jaffer was added to the membership (February 14, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Hartling replaced the Honourable Senator Jaffer (February 14, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Jaffer replaced the Honourable Senator Hartling (February 13, 2023).
Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples
The Honourable Senator Plett was added to the membership (February 11, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Brazeau was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (February 11, 2023).
Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament
The Honourable Senator Plett was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (February 11, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., was added to the membership (February 11, 2023).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senator Moncion replaced the Honourable Senator Galvez (February 14, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Yussuff replaced the Honourable Senator Duncan (February 13, 2023).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Mégie replaced the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C. (February 14, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Patterson (Ontario) replaced the Honourable Senator Osler (February 13, 2023).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The Honourable Senator Cordy was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (February 13, 2023).
The Honourable Senator Cardozo was added to the membership (February 13, 2023).