Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Foreign Affairs

Issue 18 - Minutes of Proceedings

OTTAWA, Tuesday, December 10, 1996
(24)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs met this day at 3:35 p.m. in room 256-S of the Centre Block, the Chairman, the Honourable John B. Stewart, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Bacon, Bolduc, Corbin, De Bané, Grafstein, Stewart, Stollery and Whelan. (8)

Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Prud'homme.

Also present: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Mr. Anthony Chapman, Economics Division.

In attendance: Official Senate reporters.

WITNESSES:

On relations between Canada and Asia Pacific

From the Canadian Chamber of Commerce:

Mr. Tim Reid, President; and

Mr. David Hecnar, Senior Policy Analyst.

On Bill C-61

From the Department of Justice:

Ms Ellen Stensholt, Senior General Counsel.

The committee resumed consideration of its order of reference relative to relations between Canada and the Asia Pacific region.

Messrs Reid and Hecnar made a presentation and answered questions.

The committee resumed consideration of Bill C-61, an Act to implement the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement.

It was agreed, -- THAT the adoption of the title, preamble and short title of the bill be deferred.

Following debate,

It was agreed, -- That clauses 2 to 6 of the bill be adopted.

Senator De Bané moved, -- THAT Bill C-61 be amended in clause 7:

a) by replacing line 25 on page 3 as follows:

"7.(1) For greater certainty, nothing in this act or the Agreement applies to territory not within the State of Israel on June 4, 1967;

2) For greater certainty, nothing in this"; and

b) by renumbering subclause (2) as subclause (3).

Following debate,

It was agreed on division, -- THAT clause 7 as amended be rejected.

It was agreed on division, -- THAT clauses 7 to 40 be allowed to stand.

Senator De Bané moved, -- That Bill C-61 be amended by adding a new clause 41.1 after line 13 on page 21 as follows:

"41.1. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 2.2:

2.3. For the purposes of this Act, "Israel" means the territory of the State of Israel as it was on June 4, 1967 and does not include any external territory."

Following debate,

It was agreed on division, -- THAT the amended version be rejected.

It was agreed on division, -- THAT clauses 41 to 62 be allowed to stand.

It was agreed, -- THAT the title, preamble and short title be allowed to stand.

It was agreed on division, -- THAT Bill C-61 in its entirety be adopted without amendment.

It was agreed on division, -- THAT the Chairman report Bill C-61 to the Senate without amendment.

At 5:45 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

ATTEST:

Serge Pelletier

Clerk of the Committee