Journals of the Senate
2 Charles III , A.D. 2024, Canada
1st Session, 44th Parliament
Issue 192 (Unrevised)
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
2 p.m.
The Honourable RAYMONDE GAGNÉ, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Al ZaibakArnotAucoinBattersBellemareBlackBoehmBrazeauBureyCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanForestGagnéGerbaGignacGoldGreeneHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneLaBoucane-BensonLankinMacAdamMacDonaldMarshallMartinMassicotteMcBeanMcNairMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerOudarPatePetitclercPettenPlettPoirierQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensenVaroneVernerWallinWhiteWooYussuff
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Al ZaibakArnotAucoinBattersBellemareBlackBoehm*BonifaceBrazeauBureyCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanForest*FrancisGagnéGerbaGignacGoldGreeneHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneLaBoucane-BensonLankinMacAdamMacDonaldMarshallMartinMassicotteMcBeanMcNairMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerOudarPatePetitclercPettenPlettPoirierQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensen*TannasVaroneVernerWallin*WellsWhiteWooYussuff
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
Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-50, An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill was read the first time.
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 two days hence.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Question Period
The Senate proceeded to Question Period.
Orders of the Day
Government Business
Bills – Third Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Bills – Second Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees – Other
Orders No. 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 were 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,
With leave of the Senate,
Further debate on the motion was adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett.
Order No. 132 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Orders No. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other Business
Bills – Messages from the House of Commons
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Senate Public Bills – Third Reading
Orders No. 1, 2 and 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills – Third Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Senate Public Bills – Second Reading
Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Ringuette, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ravalia, for the second reading of Bill S-239, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal interest rate).
Ordered: That further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Petitclerc.
Orders No. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario), seconded by the Honourable Senator Busson, for the second reading of Bill S-269, An Act respecting a national framework on advertising for sports betting.
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. 25, 26 and 27 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator White, for the second reading of Bill S-274, An Act to establish National Thanadelthur Day.
Ordered: That further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator McPhedran.
Orders No. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Ordered: That consideration of Order No. 35 be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.
Orders No. 36 and 37 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills – Second Reading
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, for the second reading of Bill C-232, An Act respecting Arab Heritage Month.
Ordered: That further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Martin.
Orders No. 2 and 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dasko, seconded by the Honourable Senator Coyle, for the second reading of Bill C-252, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibition of food and beverage marketing directed at children).
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. 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees – Other
Orders No. 31, 33, 40, 56, 62 and 63 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Consideration of the second report of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators (Budget—consideration of matters relating to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators—power to hire staff and to travel), presented in the Senate on April 11, 2024.
The Honourable Senator Seidman moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin, that the report be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 65 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Orders No. 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 19, 30, 68, 77, 82, 96, 107, 113, 139, 147 and 172 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Orders No. 1 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,
With leave of the Senate,
Further debate on the inquiry was adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Clement.
Orders No. 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19 and 20 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Housakos moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dalphond:
That the Senate take note:
(a)of the data from Statistics Canada and Jewish organizations such as the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre and B’nai Brith indicating a shocking rise in antisemitic incidents across Canada over the past years;
(b)of a global surge in antisemitism, to which Canada has not been immune, since the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and Israel’s duty to respond to it;
(c)that since October 2023, Canada’s Jewish community has witnessed shots fired at its schools, arson attempts at its communal buildings, boycott efforts and vandalism targeting private businesses, simply because their owners are Jewish, and the intimidation of its students at universities;
(d)that police departments across the country all report major and unprecedented increases in hate crimes since October 2023, with the Jewish community being by far the most targeted;
(e)that the Government of Canada has appointed Deborah Lyons, Canada’s former Ambassador to Israel, as the new Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism;
(f)that the authority vested in the Special Envoy’s office permits her to be uniquely placed to convene and chair a second national summit to combat antisemitism; and
(g)that a second national summit to combat antisemitism would provide a valuable forum for stakeholders representing all levels of government, civil servants, law enforcement agencies, educators and community leaders to share information and agree on effective strategies to blunt the unprecedented wave of hate aimed at Jews; and
That the Senate urge the Government of Canada to direct the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism to convene a second national summit to combat antisemitism.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Dalphond moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator White, 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 Black moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Aucoin:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to examine and report on the growing issue of wildfires in Canada and the consequential effects that wildfires have on forestry and agriculture industries, as well as rural and Indigenous communities, throughout the country;
That in particular, the committee should examine:
(a)the current status of wildfires in Canada;
(b)the impact of wildfires on forestry, agriculture, water systems, air quality, food security, and biosecurity;
(c)the possible federal measures that are in place, or should be in place, to adequately monitor and organize a response to wildfires;
(d)the potential areas of improvement of these federal measures for addressing wildfires; and
(e)international best practices as they relate to responding to wildfires;
That the committee report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2025, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report; and
That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.
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.
INQUIRIES
The Honourable Senator Omidvar called the attention of the Senate to the courage, bravery and sacrifice of Alexei Navalny and other political prisoners persecuted by Putin’s Russia.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 5:11 p.m., pursuant to rule 9-10(7), the sitting was suspended until 5:15 p.m.
The sitting resumed.
DEFERRED VOTES
At 5:30 p.m., pursuant to rule 9-10(2), the Senate proceeded to the taking of the deferred standing vote on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gerba, seconded by the Honourable Senator Klyne, for the second reading of Bill C-282, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management).
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Al ZaibakAucoinBellemareBlackBrazeauBureyCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneForestGerbaGignacGoldHartlingHousakosKingstonLaBoucane-BensonLankinMacAdamMacDonaldMarshallMartinMcBeanMcNairMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOmidvarOslerOudarPatePetitclercPettenPlettPoirierRavaliaRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSmithSorensenVaroneVernerYussuff—58
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
ArnotBattersBoehmDuncanGreeneHarderKlyneMassicotteOhQuinnSimonsWoo—12
ABSTENTIONS
The Honourable Senators
RichardsWallin—2
Accordingly, Bill C-282 was read a second time.
The Honourable Senator Gerba moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dalphond, that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson 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 5:38 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)
Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance, Volume 2 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, pursuant to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Agreement Act, S.C. 1991, c. 12, s. 7 and to the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. B-7, ss. 13 and 14.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2728.
Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance, Volume 1 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, pursuant to the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act, S.C. 2008, c. 17, s. 5.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2729.
Report of the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission, together with the Auditors’ Report, for the year ended December 31, 2023, pursuant to the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission Act, S.C. 1964-65, c. 19, s. 7.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2730.
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
The Honourable Senator Plett was added to the membership (April 14, 2024).
The Honourable Senator McBean replaced the Honourable Senator Cotter (April 12, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy
The Honourable Senator Petten replaced the Honourable Senator MacAdam (April 12, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator McNair replaced the Honourable Senator Boniface (April 15, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
The Honourable Senator Bernard replaced the Honourable Senator Cordy (April 16, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Cordy replaced the Honourable Senator Bernard (April 15, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Pate was added to the membership (April 12, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Hartling was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (April 12, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples
The Honourable Senator McNair replaced the Honourable Senator Greenwood (April 15, 2024).
Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
The Honourable Senator Forest replaced the Honourable Senator MacAdam (April 12, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senator Pate replaced the Honourable Senator Sorensen (April 12, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Cotter replaced the Honourable Senator McBean (April 12, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., was added to the membership (April 14, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs
The Honourable Senator Kutcher replaced the Honourable Senator McNair (April 16, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Anderson replaced the Honourable Senator White (April 16, 2024).
The Honourable Senator White replaced the Honourable Senator Anderson (April 15, 2024).
The Honourable Senator McNair replaced the Honourable Senator Kutcher (April 12, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages
The Honourable Senator Martin was added to the membership (April 14, 2024).
Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
The Honourable Senator Kutcher replaced the Honourable Senator Yussuff (April 16, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Busson replaced the Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario) (April 16, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Wells replaced the Honourable Senator Oh (April 16, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Oh replaced the Honourable Senator Wells (April 16, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Yussuff replaced the Honourable Senator Kutcher (April 12, 2024).
The Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario) replaced the Honourable Senator Busson (April 12, 2024).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Cormier replaced the Honourable Senator Pate (April 12, 2024).