The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldArnotAudetteBattersBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoudreauBrazeauBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGreenwoodHarderHayHébertHousakosKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoncionMoodieMuggliOslerOudarPatePetitclercPettenPoirierProsperPupatelloQuinnRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSmithSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Alberta)Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldArnot*AtaullahjanAudetteBattersBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoudreauBrazeau*BureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGreenwoodHarderHayHébert*HenkelHousakosKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoncionMoodieMuggliOslerOudarPatePetitclercPettenPoirierProsperPupatelloQuinn*RavaliaRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSmithSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Alberta)Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

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

Tabling of Documents

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Cormier tabled the following:

Report entitled Toward Fair and Equitable Public Health – Ending HIV/AID and STBBIs.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-587S.

Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Gerba tabled the following:

Report of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, Bilateral Mission to the Republic of Senegal and the Republic of Cabo Verde, Dakar, Senegal, and Praia, Cabo Verde, from March 16 to 21, 2025.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-588.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 1 and 2 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 His Majesty the King:

To His Most Excellent Majesty Charles the Third, by the Grace of God King of Canada and His other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY:

We, Your Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Senate of Canada in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both houses of Parliament.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Third Reading

Third reading of Bill S-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assault against persons who provide health services and first responders).

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, for the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters, that the bill be read for the third time.

After debate,

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

The bill was then read for the third time.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, to which it desires its concurrence.

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

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

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, for the second reading of Bill S-206, An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income.

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.

o o o

Orders No. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Second reading of Bill S-220, An Act to designate the month of March as Hellenic Heritage Month.

The Honourable Senator Loffreda moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Coyle, that the bill be read for the second time.

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

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

o o o

Orders No. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Reports of Committees – Other

Order No. 4 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 3, 5 and 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1, 3 and 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

MOTIONS

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

That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada;

That in particular, the committee examine:

(a)the current status of food security in relation to the Food Policy for Canada created by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;

(b)how the agriculture and agri-food sector could improve food security, in particular in Indigenous, Black and Northern communities, and in other rural and urban communities facing challenges with access to food;

(c)the factors that influence food security including agricultural production systems, climate change, corporate concentration in the agri-food sector, among other factors related to agriculture;

(d)the federal measures that are currently in place to address food security issues, especially related to farmers, local food production and food sovereignty; and

(e)the potential areas of improvement of these federal measures to enhance food security;

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; 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.

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

ADJOURNMENT

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

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 2:56 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)

Report on the administration of the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program for the loan year 2023-24, pursuant to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, S.C. 1994, c. 28, sbs. 20(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-584.

Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Progress Report for 2024-25 of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, pursuant to the Federal Sustainable Development Act, S.C. 2008, c. 33, sbs. 11(3).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-585.

Service Fees Report of the Department of Indigenous Services for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, pursuant to the Service Fees Act, S.C. 2017, c. 20, s. 451 “20(1)”.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-586.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

The Honourable Senator Sorensen replaced the Honourable Senator Oudar (October 22, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

The Honourable Senator Galvez replaced the Honourable Senator Clement (October 22, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne was added to the membership (October 21, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

The Honourable Senator Boniface replaced the Honourable Senator McNair (October 22, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

The Honourable Senator Robinson replaced the Honourable Senator Osler (October 22, 2025).