The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonArnotBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCotterDagenaisDalphondDeacon (Nova Scotia)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGignacGoldGreeneGreenwoodHarderHousakosJafferKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcPhedranMoncionOhPatterson (Nunavut)PetitclercPlettPoirierRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSeidmanSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWooYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonArnot*AtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCotterDagenaisDalphondDeacon (Nova Scotia)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisFureyGagnéGalvez*GerbaGignacGoldGreeneGreenwoodHarderHousakosJafferKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcPhedran*Mégie*Miville-DechêneMoncionOh*OslerPatterson (Nunavut)PetitclercPlettPoirierRavaliaRichardsRinguette*Saint-GermainSeidmanSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWooYussuff

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

Government Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

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

That the Address by Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, to members of both Houses of Parliament, delivered Tuesday, March 7, 2023, together with all introductory and related remarks, be printed as an appendix to the Debates of the Senate and form part of the permanent records of this house.

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

Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Ravalia tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, Bureau and Standing Committee Meetings, Athens, Greece, from April 9 to 10, 2022.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-1591.

Report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, Spring Session, Vilnius, Lithuania, from May 25 to 30, 2022.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-1592.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

At 2:50 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted on February 16, 2023, the Senate was suspended during pleasure and resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the subject matter of Bill C-39, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), the Honourable Senator Ringuette in the Chair.

—In the Committee—

Pursuant to rule 12-32(4), the Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Health, accompanied by Stephen Lucas, Deputy Minister, Health Canada, Jacquie Lemaire, Senior Policy Analyst, End-of-Life Care Unit, Strategic Policy Branch, Health Canada, and Joanne Klineberg, Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Justice Canada, were escorted to seats in the Senate Chamber.

Debate.

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

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The sitting of the Senate resumed.

The Chair of the Committee stated that the Committee had examined the subject matter of Bill C-39, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), and had directed her to report the same to the Senate.

ADJOURNMENT

At 4 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the Senate adjourned until 2 p.m., tomorrow.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) was added to the membership (March 8, 2023).

Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

The Honourable Senator Cardozo replaced the Honourable Senator Audette (March 8, 2023).

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Boniface replaced the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain (March 8, 2023).

The Honourable Senator Yussuff replaced the Honourable Senator Moodie (March 8, 2023).

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

The Honourable Senator Klyne replaced the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C. (March 8, 2023).