The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoudreauBoyerBussonCarignanClementCormierCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacHarderHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLewisLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoodieMoreauMuggliOslerOudarPatePattersonPettenPoirierProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSmithSorensenSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Alberta)WhiteWilsonWooYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoudreauBoyer*BureyBussonCarignanClementCormierCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGalvezGerbaGignac*GreenwoodHarderHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLewisLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoodieMoreauMuggliOslerOudarPatePattersonPettenPoirierProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSmithSorensenSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Alberta)*Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWoo*YouanceYussuff

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 Donald H. Oliver, former senator, whose death occurred on September 17, 2025.

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The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of former senator the Honourable Donald H. Oliver.

Senators’ Statements

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Tabling of Documents

The Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that the Clerk of the Senate had tabled the following (Sessional Paper No. 1/45-305S):

September 24, 2025

Madam Speaker,

In accordance with rule 15-6 of the Rules of the Senate, senators must renew their Declaration of Qualification within the first twenty sitting days of the first session of each Parliament. As Clerk, it is my duty to submit to you, Madam Speaker, a list of the names of those senators who have met this obligation and signed their Declaration so that it may be tabled, by you, Madam Speaker, in the Chamber.

I have the honour to be, Madam Speaker, your obedient servant.

The Honourable Senators—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-305S.

AdlerAl ZaibakAndersonArnoldArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoudreauBoyerBrazeauBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGreenwoodHarderHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLewisLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoncionMoodieMoreauMuggliOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenPoirierProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSmithSorensenSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Newfoundland and Labrador)Wells (Alberta)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Pursuant to the order adopted June 4, 2025, the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson informed the Senate that Question Period with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, will take place on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 3:30 p.m.

Government Business

Motions

The Honourable Senator Moreau, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice, for the remainder of the current session, the Government Representative and up to four senators who agree to be designated as working with him or her for parliamentary purposes, and who are not member of a recognized party or another recognized parliamentary group, be considered, for all purposes, to be a recognized parliamentary group as defined in the Rules.

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

Reports of Committees – Other

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

Motions

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

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

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Simons moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Woo:

That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to investigate the creation of a sovereign, domestic Verified Travellers Program for Canadians.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

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The Honourable Senator Black moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Verner, P.C.:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, in accordance with rule 12-7(12), be authorized to examine and report on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to agriculture and forestry; and

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2026, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

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

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The Honourable Senator Black moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Osler:

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 papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the committee on this subject during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament be referred to the committee;

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 25, 2026, 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 its 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.

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

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The Honourable Senator Black moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wallin:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to examine and report on the government response, dated November 5, 2024, to the thirteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, entitled Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human, and Social Health, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 6, 2024, during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament;

That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the committee on this subject during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament be referred to the committee; and

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2026, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

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

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The Honourable Senator Klyne moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C.:

That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight since the beginning of the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament and by subsequent intersessional authorities be referred to the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight.

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

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The Honourable Senator Smith moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be authorized to examine and report on the local services provided by the CBC/Radio-Canada;

That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament as part of its study of issues related to transport and communications generally be referred to the committee;

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 26, 2026, 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 its 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.

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

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The Honourable Senator Smith moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Poirier:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be authorized to examine and report on copper wire theft and its impacts on the telecommunications industry;

That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament as part of its study of issues related to transport and communications generally be referred to the committee;

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 26, 2026, 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 its 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.

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

o o o

The Honourable Senator Smith moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, in accordance with rule 12-7(8), be authorized to examine and report on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to transport and communications generally; and

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than October 15, 2029.

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

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petten:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 3:43 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.)

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

Reports of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, pursuant to the Access to Information Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1, sbs. 94(2) and to the Privacy Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-304.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy

The Honourable Senator Dalphond was added to the membership (September 24, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans

The Honourable Senator Prosper was added to the membership (September 24, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Osler was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (September 24, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade

The Honourable Senator Boniface replaced the Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario) (September 24, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Busson replaced the Honourable Senator Coyle (September 24, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Coyle replaced the Honourable Senator Dalphond (September 24, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

The Honourable Senator Dalphond was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (September 24, 2025).