The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAndersonArnoldArnotAudetteBattersBoehmBoudreauBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGerbaGignacHarderHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoncionMoodieMoreauMuggliOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSmithSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Alberta)Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAndersonArnoldArnotAudetteBattersBoehmBoudreauBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagné*GalvezGerbaGignacHarderHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoncionMoodieMoreauMuggliOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRossSaint-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

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Klyne, Chair of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, presented the third report of the committee, entitled Senate Audit and Oversight Charter.

(The report is printed as an appendix at pages 489-522 (available in print format PDF).)

(The HTML version of the report is available on the committee website.)

The Honourable Senator Klyne moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator White, 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.

Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills

The Honourable Senator Manning introduced Bill S-242, An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Manning moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall, 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.

Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to meet on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, for the purpose of examining the subject matter of all of Bill C-15, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025, even though the Senate may then be sitting, and that rule 12-18(1) be suspended in relation thereto.

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 – Reports of Committees

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Greenwood, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ravalia, for the adoption of the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples (Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements), with amendments and observations), presented in the Senate on November 25, 2025.

After debate,

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

The Honourable Senator Audette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Klyne, that the bill, as amended, 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.

Bills – Second Reading

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 1, 2 and 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

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

Inquiries

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

Other

Consideration of the message from the House of Commons:

Thursday, November 20, 2025

EXTRACT, —

That, pursuant to subsection 24(1) of the Building Canada Act and section 62 of the Emergencies Act, a special joint committee of the Senate and of the House of Commons be appointed to review the Governor in Council’s and the Minister’s exercise of their powers and performance of their duties and functions under the Building Canada Act, and to report to each House of Parliament the results of its review, at least once every 180 days while Parliament is neither prorogued or dissolved provided that:

(a)the committee be composed of five members of the Senate and 11 members of the House of Commons, including five members of the House of Commons from the government party, five members of the House of Commons from the Official Opposition and one member of the House of Commons from the Bloc Québécois;

(b)the joint chair of the committee on the part of the Senate shall be as determined by the Senate and the joint chair of the committee on the part of the House of Commons shall be a member representing the Official Opposition;

(c)in addition to the joint chairs, the committee shall elect two vice-chairs from the House of Commons, of whom the first vice-chair shall be a member representing the government party and the second vice-chair shall be the member representing the Bloc Québécois;

(d)the House of Commons members be named by their respective whips by depositing with the Clerk of the House the lists of their members to serve on the committee within one calendar week of the adoption of this motion;

(e)the quorum of the committee be nine members whenever a vote, resolution or other decision is taken, so long as both Houses, including one member of the government party in the House of Commons and one from the opposition in the House of Commons, are represented, and that the joint chairs be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and authorize the printing thereof, whenever five members are present, so long as both Houses, including one member of the government party in the House of Commons and one member from the opposition in the House of Commons, are represented;

(f)changes to the membership of the committee, on the part of the House of Commons, be effective immediately after notification by the relevant whip has been filed with the Clerk of the House;

(g)membership substitutions, on the part of the House of Commons, be permitted, if required, in the manner provided for in Standing Order 114(2);

(h)the committee have the power to:

(i)sit during sittings and adjournments of the House,

(ii)report from time to time,

(iii)send for persons, papers and records,

(iv)print such papers and evidence as may be ordered by the committee,

(v)retain the services of expert, professional, technical and clerical staff, including legal counsel,

(vi)appoint, from among its members such subcommittees as may be deemed appropriate and to delegate to such subcommittees, all or any of its powers, except the power to report to the Senate and House of Commons,

(vii)authorize video and audio broadcasting of any or all of its public proceedings and that they be made available to the public via the Parliament of Canada’s websites;

(i)all documents laid before the House pursuant to the Act shall be referred to the committee, and any such documents tabled prior to the adoption of this order shall, instead, be deemed referred to the committee; and

(j)that a message be sent to the Senate requesting that House to unite with this House for the above purpose and to select, if the Senate deems advisable, members to act on the proposed special joint committee.

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

That:

(a)pursuant to subsection 24(1) of the Building Canada Act and section 62 of the Emergencies Act, a special joint committee of the Senate and of the House of Commons be appointed to review the Governor in Council’s and the Minister’s exercise of their powers and performance of their duties and functions under the Building Canada Act, and to report to each House of Parliament the results of its review, at least once every 180 days while Parliament is neither prorogued or dissolved;

(b)pursuant to subsection 62(2) of the Emergencies Act, the committee be composed of the following five members of the Senate: the Government Representative in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, the Facilitator of the Independent Senators Group, the Leader of the Canadian Senators Group, and the Leader of the Progressive Senate Group, or their respective nominees, to be designated from time to time in accordance with rule 12-5, and 11 members of the House of Commons, including five members from the government party, five members from the Official Opposition and one member from the Bloc Québécois;

(c)the joint chair of the committee on the part of the Senate shall be from the Government Representative’s Office and the joint chair of the committee on the part of the House of Commons shall be a member representing the Official Opposition;

(d)in addition to the joint chairs, the committee shall elect one deputy chair from the Senate from the Independent Senators Group and two vice-chairs from the House of Commons, of whom the first vice-chair shall be a member representing the government party and the second vice-chair shall be the member representing the Bloc Québécois;

(e)the quorum of the committee be nine members whenever a vote, resolution or other decision is taken, so long as both houses, including one member of the Senate, one member of the government party in the House of Commons and one from the opposition in the House of Commons, are represented, and that the joint chairs be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and authorize the printing thereof, whenever five members are present, so long as both houses, including one member of the Senate, one member of the government party in the House of Commons and one member from the opposition in the House of Commons, are represented;

(f)for greater certainty, the provisions of the order adopted by the Senate on June 4, 2025, respecting the participation of senators in hybrid meetings of joint committees for the remainder of the current session apply to senators on this committee;

(g)the committee have the power to:

(i)meet during sittings and adjournments of the Senate;

(ii)report from time to time;

(iii)send for persons, papers and records;

(iv)publish such papers and evidence as may be ordered by the committee;

(v)retain the services of expert, professional, technical and clerical staff, including legal counsel;

(vi)appoint, from among its members such subcommittees as may be deemed appropriate and to delegate to such subcommittees, all or any of its powers, except the power to report to the Senate and House of Commons; and

(vii)authorize video and audio broadcasting of any or all of its public proceedings and to make them available to the public via the Parliament of Canada’s websites;

(h)all documents laid before the Senate pursuant to the act shall be referred to the committee, and any such documents tabled prior to the adoption of this order shall, instead, be deemed referred to the committee; and

(i)a report of the committee may be deposited with the Clerk of the Senate at any time the Senate stands adjourned, and that any report so deposited may be deposited electronically, with the report being deemed to have been presented or tabled in the Senate; and

That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that house accordingly.

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Third Reading

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

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 Moncion, for the second reading of Bill S-207, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation.

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 and 8 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Wilson, for the second reading of Bill S-218, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1982 (notwithstanding clause).

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Batters moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, 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. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Ordered: That consideration of Order No. 20 be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.

o o o

Orders No. 21, 22, 23 and 24 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Second reading of Bill S-241, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Indian Act.

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

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.

Reports of Committees – Other

Consideration of the fourth report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, entitled Hydrogen: A Viable Option for a Net-Zero Canada in 2050?, presented in the Senate on October 8, 2025.

The Honourable Senator Kingston moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pate, that the fourth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, entitled Hydrogen: A Viable Option for a Net-Zero Canada in 2050?, presented in the Senate on May 9, 2023, during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament, and placed on the Orders of the Day in the current session pursuant to the order of October 8, 2025, which contains, pursuant to rule 12-23(1)(a), a request for a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report, in consultation with the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Minister of Indigenous Services and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, be adopted.

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

Order No. 6 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Consideration of the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (Budget—examine and report on Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore petroleum industry—power to travel), presented in the Senate on November 27, 2025.

The Honourable Senator Kingston moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator McNair, that the report be adopted.

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

Motions

Orders No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

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

o o o

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Cardozo, calling the attention of the Senate to the future of Canadian news media and its long-term funding model, including that of CBC/Radio Canada.

The Honourable Senator Gerba moved, for the Honourable Senator White, seconded by the Honourable Senator Audette, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

o o o

Orders No. 4 and 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Sorensen, calling the attention of the Senate to the nation-building value of tourism in Canada.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

o o o

Order No. 9 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, for the Honourable Senator Manning, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in relation to its study on ocean carbon sequestration and its use in Canada be extended from December 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026.

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 7:10 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 of the Canadian Dairy Commission for the dairy year ending July 31, 2025, together with the Auditor General’s Report, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 150(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-802.

Report of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, entitled Personal Support Workers Tax Credit, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-803.

Report of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, entitled Build Canada Homes and the Outlook for Housing Programs under Budget 2025, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-804.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

The Honourable Senator Ross replaced the Honourable Senator Ince (December 2, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights

The Honourable Senator Arnold replaced the Honourable Senator Arnot (December 2, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Robinson replaced the Honourable Senator Osler (December 2, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Arnot replaced the Honourable Senator Arnold (December 1, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Arnold was added to the membership (November 28, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Arnot was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (November 28, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Karetak-Lindell replaced the Honourable Senator Arnold (November 28, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Oudar replaced the Honourable Senator Kingston (December 2, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Galvez replaced the Honourable Senator Woo (December 2, 2025).

The Honourable Senator Woo replaced the Honourable Senator Galvez (December 1, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages

The Honourable Senator Osler replaced the Honourable Senator Patterson (December 2, 2025).

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

The Honourable Senator Osler replaced the Honourable Senator Aucoin (December 2, 2025).