National Security and Defence
Motion to Authorize Committee to Meet During Sitting of the Senate--Debate Adjourned
March 19, 2019
Pursuant to notice of March 18, 2019, moved:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence have the power to meet for the purposes of its study of Bill C-59, An Act respecting national security matters, even though the Senate may then be sitting, and that rule 12-18(1) be suspended in relation thereto.
She said: Honourable senators, I move the motion standing in my name.
It is moved by Honourable Senator Boniface, seconded by Honourable Senator Deacon Nova Scotia — shall I dispense?
Questions?
Thank you, Your Honour. Again, the way I read this is as a blanket motion that we have not been typically been supportive of. We like to have dates on motions and we support them very regularly, but this basically is an open-ended motion and I’m wondering whether Senator Boniface would like to amend this motion to give us a date. I think we have been fairly cooperative but we are setting a precedent if we simply approve the motion the way it is.
I would ask Senator Boniface to consider amending the motion to give us a date on it and I’m sure we will be very cooperative in the future on other dates.
As you know, Senator Plett, we’re studying Bill C-71 and Bill C-59 is waiting. We will complete Bill C-71 on April 8. My intention was to be able to meet sometime within that week. We’re meeting actually tomorrow for steering, but since I would ask for the agreement to sit on April 9 and 11 in order to get that bill under way before we break at Easter.
Again, I have somewhat of a problem with that. Defence has meeting times and those meeting times are typically on Monday. We’ve been very flexible with the hours that Senator Boniface has been presenting on Bill C-71, up to and including using Veterans Affairs time slots on Wednesdays. I’m sorry, at this point we on this side cannot support an open-ended motion that does not give us dates.
Yes. I’m sorry, unless Senator Boniface wants to be very specific about a motion for one day, then I will again, unfortunately, adjourn the debate.
We can approach this one of two ways, Senator Plett. Actually, you can have an opportunity to discuss the adjournment if that’s okay with Senator Boniface, or would you like to speak with Senator Plett?
I said two options. The other, of course, would be to stand the matter until it comes up tomorrow, but that’s entirely up to you.
Well, perhaps trying to meet everybody in the middle, I would provide a date of April 9. I indicated April 9 and 11, which I thought was fairly specific because I wanted to get part of it under way given the importance of the bill. If it’s more palatable in terms of April 9 then I’ll go with April 9. I’m just trying to be able to get it started prior to the Easter break.
Well, again, I apologize to the chamber that we’re going to be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud here tonight, but I would suggest that I will ask Senator Boniface to possibly meet with the committee or steering and our member of steering can report back to us in a fairly quick manner, even tomorrow, so that tomorrow when we come back this can be dealt with and I don’t think we lose any time. So, Your Honour, I will adjourn the debate at this point.
I’m quite sympathetic to the initiative that Senator Plett has undertaken this evening, certainly in the case of the agriculture request. With all due respect —
I’m sorry, Senator Mitchell, you’re going to have to be brief. I’ve given you leeway here, because an adjournment motion is not debatable, so if you want to make a quick comment —
I’ll make it very quick. I think there can be more flexibility in this case because this is government legislation. Senator Boniface is not trying to get around and do anything that isn’t government legislation. I think it’s legitimate to honour her request now, get it done and not take more time than we need to take.
I’m sorry, Senator Plett, your motion is on the floor. It really is not debatable. I allowed Senator Mitchell to make a point.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
