Pursuant to notice of September 30, 2020, moved:

That the first report of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector entitled Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 20, 2019, during the first session of the Forty-second Parliament, be placed on the Orders of the Day under Other Business, Reports of Committees – Other, for consideration two days hence.

He said: Honourable senators, the report of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector, entitled Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector, was initially tabled on June 20, 2019. Unfortunately, we did not debate it as we went into the summer, and then there was an election and it died on the Order Paper.

We reintroduced it to the Order Paper in February 2020, using the same procedure I’m using now. However, then COVID-19 arrived, and eventually prorogation, which meant it died on the Order Paper again.

Honourable senators, the reason for this motion is quite simple: to get the report back on the Order Paper so we can adopt it and then ask the government for its response to this very important report. It is an extremely important report, especially because of the developments in our lives with COVID-19 and the stress it has caused to the charitable sector.

This motion will allow us to get the report back on the Order Paper. It will then allow us to move a motion for its adoption later. There is no debate today, but is the first step in the procedural requirements. I ask for your support to adopt this motion today. Thank you, honourable senators.