The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Al ZaibakAndersonArnotAtaullahjanAudetteBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoyerBrazeauBureyCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanForestFrancisGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldHarderHartlingHousakosKingstonKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenPlettPoirierQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithTannasVaroneVernerWallinWellsWhiteWooYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Al ZaibakAndersonArnotAtaullahjan*AucoinAudetteBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoyerBrazeauBureyCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanForestFrancisGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGold*GreenwoodHarderHartlingHousakosKingstonKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenPlettPoirierQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithTannasVaroneVernerWallinWellsWhiteWooYussuff

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

Tributes

Tribute was paid to the memory of the Honourable Joseph A. Day, former senator, whose death occurred on May 27, 2024.

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The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of former senator the Honourable Joseph A. Day.

Senators’ Statements

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Housakos, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, tabled the tenth report of the committee (The subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 27 and 37 of Part 4 of Bill C-69, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-3069S.

(Pursuant to the order adopted May 9, 2024, the report was deemed referred to the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance and placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.)

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The Honourable Senator Omidvar, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, tabled the twenty-second report of the committee (The subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 3, 4, 5, 14, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32 and 38 of Part 4 of Bill C-69, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-3070S.

(Pursuant to the order adopted May 9, 2024, the report was deemed referred to the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance and placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.)

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Motions

The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:

That, notwithstanding the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the sittings of Wednesday, June 5, 12 and 19, 2024, continue beyond 4 p.m., if Government Business is not completed, and adjourn at the earlier of the completion of Government Business or midnight;

That committees considering Government Business be authorized, notwithstanding rule 12-18(1), to sit on the above dates, even though the Senate may then be sitting; and

That when the Senate sits on Monday, June 17, 2024, it adjourn at the earlier of midnight or the end of Government Business.

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

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The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice, from the day following the adoption of this motion until the end of June 2024, Senate committees, other than the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, and the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, only meet for Government Business.

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

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The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:

That, in accordance with rule 10-11(1), the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs be authorized to examine the subject matter of Bill C-70, An Act respecting countering foreign interference, introduced in the House of Commons on May 6, 2024, in advance of the said bill coming before the Senate; and

That, for the purposes of this study, the committee be authorized to meet even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, with the application of rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) being suspended in relation thereto.

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

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The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules:

1.in relation to Bill C-69, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024, if the Senate receives a message from the House of Commons with the bill before or during the sitting of June 17, 2024, the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting;

2.in relation to any bill for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, if the Senate receives any message from the House of Commons with such a bill before or during the sitting of June 18, 2024, the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting; and

3.if any message relating to any of the above bills is received after the relevant date indicated above, the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading later that sitting, provided that if the message is received after the point where the Senate would normally have dealt with the bill at second reading, the bill either be taken into consideration at second reading forthwith, or, if another item is under consideration at the time the message is read, the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at second reading as the next item of business.

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

Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 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.

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Orders No. 132, 167 and 172 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

ADJOURNMENT

With leave of the Senate,

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 3:30 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy

The Honourable Senator Galvez replaced the Honourable Senator Massicotte (June 5, 2024).

Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples

The Honourable Senator Hartling replaced the Honourable Senator Duncan (June 5, 2024).

The Honourable Senator Greenwood replaced the Honourable Senator McNair (June 5, 2024).

The Honourable Senator Sorensen replaced the Honourable Senator Boniface (June 5, 2024).