46 Elizabeth II, A.D. 1997, Canada

Journals of the Senate

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Issue 7

Wednesday, October 8, 1997
2:00 p.m.

The Honourable Gildas L. Molgat, Speaker

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The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Adams, Andreychuk, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Beaudoin, Bolduc, Bonnell, Bosa, Bryden, Buchanan, Butts, Callbeck, Carney, Carstairs, Cochrane, Cogger, Cohen, Comeau, Cools, Corbin, DeWare, Di Nino, Doody, Doyle, Fairbairn, Forest, Forrestall, Ghitter, Gigantès, Grafstein, Graham, Grimard, Gustafson, Haidasz, Hays, Hébert, Hervieux-Payette, Jessiman, Johnson, Kelleher, Kelly, Kinsella, Kolber, Lavoie-Roux, Lawson, LeBreton, Lewis, Losier-Cool, Lucier, Lynch-Staunton, MacDonald, Maheu, Mercier, Milne, Molgat, Moore, Murray, Oliver, Pearson, Perrault, Petten, Poulin, Prud'homme, Rivest, Robertson, Robichaud, (L'Acadie-Acadia), Robichaud, (Saint-Louis-de-Kent), St. Germain, Simard, Spivak, Stanbury, Stewart, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Tkachuk, Watt, Whelan, Wood

PRAYERS.

SENATORS' STATEMENTS

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills

The Honourable Senator Carstairs presented Bill S-4, An Act to amend the Canada Shipping Act (maritime liability).

The Bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C. (L'Acadie-Acadia), that the Bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading on Tuesday next, October 14, 1997.

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

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Orders No. 1 (Bill S-2) and 2 (Bill S-3) were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Forest, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mercier:

That the following Address be presented to His Excellency the Governor General of Canada:

To His Excellency the Right Honourable Roméo A. LeBlanc, a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:

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

After debate,

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

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

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Graham, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Adams:

That the Senate do unite with the House of Commons in the appointment of a Special Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons to study matters related to the proposed resolution respecting a proposed Amendment to Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867 concerning the Quebec school system;

That seven Members of the Senate and sixteen Members of the House of Commons be members of the Committee;

That the Committee be directed to consult broadly and review such information as it deems appropriate with respect to this issue;

That the Committee have the power to sit during sittings and adjournments of the Senate;

That the Committee have the power to report from time to time, to send for persons, papers, and records, and to print such papers and evidence as may be ordered by the Committee;

That the Committee have the power to retain the services of expert, professional technical and clerical staff;

That the quorum of the Committee be twelve members whenever a vote, resolution or other decision is taken, so long as both Houses are represented, and that the Joint Chairpersons be authorized to hold meetings, to receive evidence and authorize the printing thereof, whenever six members are present, so long as both Houses are represented;

That the Committee be empowered to appoint, from among its members, such sub-committees as may be deemed advisable, and to delegate to such sub-committees all or any of its powers except the power to report to the Senate and the House of Commons;

That the Committee be empowered to authorize television and radio broadcasting of any or all of its proceedings;

That the Committee make its final report no later than November 7, 1997;

That, notwithstanding usual practices, if the Senate or the House of Commons are not sitting when the final report of the Committee is completed, the report may be deposited with the Clerk of the House which is not sitting, and or the Clerks of both Houses if neither House is then sitting, and the report shall thereupon be deemed to have presented in that House, or both Houses, as the case may be; and

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

After debate,

In amendment, the Honourable Senator Wood moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cools, that the motion be amended by deleting

(a) paragraph 10 thereof and substituting the following:

"That the Committee make its final report no later than December 31, 1997;"; and

(b) paragraph 12 thereof and substituting the following :

"That a Message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House accordingly and to request that the Commons concur in the amendment made by the Senate extending the reporting date of the Committee to December 31, 1997.".

After debate, The Honourable Senator Cools moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wood, that further debate on the motion in amendment be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

OTHER BUSINESS

Other

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

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Forrestall called the attention of the Senate to the Maritime helicopter issue.

Debate concluded.

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Bonnell moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Callbeck:

That a Special Committee of the Senate be appointed to continue the inquiry on the serious state of post-secondary education in Canada;

That, while respecting provincial constitutional responsibilities, the Committee be authorized to examine and report upon the state of post-secondary education in Canada, including the review of:

(a) the national, regional, provincial and local goals of the Canadian post-secondary education system;

(b) the social, cultural, economic and political importance of post-secondary education to Canada;

(c) the roles of the federal, provincial and territorial governments;

(d) the ability of Canadian universities and colleges to respond to the new, emerging educational marketplace including the changing curriculum and new technologies, distance, continuing and cooperative education, and adult and part-time education; and

(e) the Canada Student Loans Program and the different provincial and territorial student financial assistance programs as well as the growing concern over student indebtedness;

and to identify areas of greater cooperation between all levels of government, the private sector and educational institutions;

That the papers and evidence received and taken on the subject and the work accomplished by the Subcommittee on Post-Secondary Education of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology during the Second Session of the Thirty-fifth Parliament be referred to the Committee;

That the Special Committee comprise seven members and that three members constitute a quorum;

That the Committee have the power to send for persons, papers and records, to examine witnesses, to report from time to time and to print such papers and evidence from day to day as may be ordered by the committee;

That the Committee have power to authorize television and radio broadcasting, as it deems appropriate, of any or all of its proceedings;

That the Committee submit its final report no later than December 11, 1997, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize the findings of the Committee contained in the final report until December 31, 1997; and

That the Committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Chamber.

With leave of the Senate and pursuant to Rule 30, the motion was modified to read as follows:

That a Special Committee of the Senate be appointed to continue the inquiry on the serious state of post-secondary education in Canada;

That, while respecting provincial constitutional responsibilities, the Committee be authorized to examine and report upon the state of post-secondary education in Canada, including the review of:

(a) the national, regional, provincial and local goals of the Canadian post-secondary education system;

(b) the social, cultural, economic and political importance of post-secondary education to Canada;

(c) the roles of the federal, provincial and territorial governments;

(d) the ability of Canadian universities and colleges to respond to the new, emerging educational marketplace including the changing curriculum and new technologies, distance, continuing and cooperative education, and adult and part-time education; and

(e) the Canada Student Loans Program and the different provincial and territorial student financial assistance programs as well as the growing concern over student indebtedness;

and to identify areas of greater cooperation between all levels of government, the private sector and educational institutions;

That the papers and evidence received and taken on the subject and the work accomplished by the Subcommittee on Post-Secondary Education of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology during the Second Session of the Thirty-fifth Parliament be referred to the Committee;

That, notwithstanding Rule 85(1)(b), the Special Committee comprise seven members namely the Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Bonnell, DeWare, Forest, Lavoie-Roux, Losier-Cool and Perrault, and that three members constitute a quorum;

That the Committee have the power to send for persons, papers and records, to examine witnesses, to report from time to time and to print such papers and evidence from day to day as may be ordered by the committee;

That the Committee have power to authorize television and radio broadcasting, as it deems appropriate, of any or all of its proceedings;

That the Committee submit its final report no later than December 11, 1997, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize the findings of the Committee contained in the final report until December 31, 1997; and

That the Committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Chamber.

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

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hébert:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

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