The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

ArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBellemareBernardBoehmBoyerBussonCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisGagnéGerbaGignacGoldGreeneHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMacAdamMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMégieMocklerMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Nunavut)Patterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenPlettPoirierProsperQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWhiteWooYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

ArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBellemareBernardBoehm*BoisvenuBoyer*BureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisGagnéGerbaGignacGoldGreeneHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMacAdam*MacDonaldMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMégie*Miville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Nunavut)Patterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenPlettPoirierProsperQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWhiteWooYussuff

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.

o o o

The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of the former Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, P.C.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Boehm, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, informed the Senate that, pursuant to the orders adopted by the Senate on February 24, 2022, and November 30, 2023, the committee deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on December 6, 2023, its twelfth report entitled More than a Vocation: Canada’s Need for a 21st Century Foreign Service.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2458S.

The Honourable Senator Boehm moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cormier, 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 Mockler presented the following:

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance has the honour to present its

FOURTEENTH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-241, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (deduction of travel expenses for tradespersons), has, in obedience to the order of reference of Thursday, June 8, 2023, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment but with certain observations, which are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

Observations to the Fourteenth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance (Bill C-241)

Your committee agrees, in principle, with the intended goals of Bill C-241 especially in light of the chronic housing shortages across Canada. This bill provides greater financial incentives for tradespeople and apprentices to travel for work than the existing Labour Mobility Deduction for Tradespeople.

However, the Committee would like to highlight that the Parliamentary Budget Officer testified on October 24, 2023, that Bill C-241 “could cause confusion for taxpayers forced to choose between two nearly identical deductions that serve the same purpose” and “could result in administrative complications for the Canada Revenue Agency.” Representatives from the Department of Finance Canada made similar points.

Moreover, members of the Committee expressed concerns about the lack of clear definitions and guidelines set out in the bill which include no minimum period of relocation, no definition of what constitutes “construction activity” or “travel expenses” and no requirement for income earned from the jobs they travel for.

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, 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

Pursuant to the order adopted on December 7, 2021, the Senate proceeded to Question Period.

The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, P.C., M.P., Minister of Canadian Heritage, entered the Senate and took part in Question Period.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Tabling of Petitions

The Honourable Senator Mégie tabled the following petition:

Of residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador expressing their support of Bill S-280, An Act respecting a national framework on sickle cell disease.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2460S.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Bills – Third Reading

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Third reading of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).

The Honourable Senator Yussuff moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, that the bill be read for a third time.

Debate.

DEFERRED VOTES

At 4:15 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the Senate proceeded to the taking of the deferred standing vote on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Cormier, to the motion of the Honourable Senator Moodie, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne, for the third reading of Bill C-35, An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada.

The question being put on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Cormier, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne:

That Bill C-35 be not now read a third time, but that it be amended in clause 8, on page 6, by replacing lines 13 to 20 with the following:

“8 (1) The Government of Canada commits to maintaining long-term funding for early learning and child care programs and services, including early learning and child care programs and services for Indigenous peoples and for official language minority communities.

(2) The funding must be provided primarily through agreements with the provincial governments and Indigenous governing bodies and other Indigenous entities that represent the interests of an Indigenous group and its members.”.

The motion in amendment was adopted on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

ArnotAtaullahjanAucoinBattersBellemareBoehmBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDeacon (Ontario)DeanDupuisForestGerbaGignacGreeneHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKutcherLoffredaMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMégieMocklerMoncionOhOmidvarPatePatterson (Nunavut)PetitclercPlettPoirierQuinnRichardsRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSmithTannasVernerWallinWellsWooYussuff—58

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

AudetteBernardBoyerCordyDaskoDowneDuncanFrancisGoldHarderKlyneLaBoucane-BensonLankinMacAdamMoodiePettenProsperRavaliaSimonsWhite—20

ABSTENTIONS

The Honourable Senators

OslerPatterson (Ontario)Sorensen—3

ADJOURNMENT

At 4:25 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the Senate adjourned until 2 p.m., tomorrow.

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

Twelfth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, entitled More than a Vocation: Canada’s Need for a 21st Century Foreign Service, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on December 6, 2023, pursuant to the orders adopted by the Senate on February 24, 2022 and November 30, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2458S.

Framework on Palliative Care in Canada, pursuant to the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada Act, S.C. 2017, c. 28, sbs. 4(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2459.