47 Elizabeth II, A.D. 1998, Canada

Journals of the Senate

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Issue 39

Tuesday, February 17, 1998
2:00 p.m.

The Honourable Gildas L. Molgat, Speaker

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The Members convened were: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Atkins, Beaudoin, Berntson, Bolduc, Bryden, Buchanan, Butts, Carney, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Cohen, Comeau, Cools, Corbin, De Bané, DeWare, Di Nino, Doody, Doyle, Eyton, Fairbairn, Ferretti Barth, Forest, Ghitter, Gigantès, Grafstein, Graham, Grimard, Gustafson, Hays, Hébert, Jessiman, Johnson, Joyal, Kelly, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kolber, Lavoie-Roux, Lawson, LeBreton, Lewis, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Meighen, Milne, Molgat, Moore, Murray, Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, Perrault, Poulin, Prud'homme, Rivest, Robichaud, (Saint-Louis-de-Kent), Rompkey, Rossiter, Simard, Sparrow, Spivak, Stewart, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Watt, Whelan

PRAYERS

Tribute was paid to the Honourable Finlay MacDonald, who retired from the Senate on January 4, 1998. Tribute was paid to the Honourable Lorne Bonnell, who retired from the Senate on January 4, 1998.

SENATORS' STATEMENTS

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Government Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate, The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gigantès:

That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, February 18, 1998, at 1:30 p.m.

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

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting. Second reading of Bill C-17, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act and the Teleglobe Canada Reorganization and Divestiture Act.

The Honourable Senator Poulin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Losier-Cool, that the Bill be read the second time.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Kelly moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Doyle, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

OTHER BUSINESS

Senate Public Bills

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting. Second reading of Bill S-11, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act in order to add social condition as a prohibited ground of discrimination.

The Honourable Senator Cohen moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Chalifoux, that the Bill be read the second time.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Chalifoux moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Taylor, that further debate on the motion 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.

Reports of Committees

Orders No.1 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Other

Orders No. 9 (inquiry), 47, 48, 49, 45 (motions), 8 (inquiry) and 1 (motion) were called and postponed until the next sitting.

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Comeau called the attention of the Senate to the 98th Inter-Parliamentary Conference, held at Cairo, Egypt, from September 10 to 16, 1997.

Debate concluded.

Ordered, That Order No. 1 (motion) under ORDERS OF THE DAY, OTHER BUSINESS, Other, be again called. Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton, seconded by the Honourable Senator Berntson:

That a Special Committee of the Senate be appointed to examine and report on the manner in which the chain of command of the Canadian Forces both in-theatre and at National Defence Headquarters, responded to the operational, disciplinary, decision-making and administrative problems encountered during the Somalia deployment to the extent that these matters have not been examined by the Commission of Inquiry into the Deployment of Canadian Forces to Somalia;

That the Committee in examining these issues may call witnesses from whom it believes it may obtain evidence relevant to these matters including but not limited to:

1. former Ministers of National Defence;

2. the then Deputy Minister of National Defence;

3. the then Acting Chief of Staff of the Minister of National Defence;

4. the then special advisor to the Minister of National Defence (M. Campbell);

5. the then special advisor to the Minister of National Defence (J. Dixon);

6. the persons occupying the position of Judge Advocate General during the relevant period;

7. the then Deputy Judge Advocate General (litigation); and

8. the then Chief of Defence Staff and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff.

That seven Senators, nominated by the Committee of Selection act as members of the Special Committee, and that three members constitute a quorum;

That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records, to examine witnesses under oath, 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 have the power to engage the services of such counsel and other professional, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary for the purposes of its examination;

That the political parties represented on the Special Committee be granted allocations for expert assistance with the work of the Committee;

That it be empowered to adjourn from place to place within and outside Canada;

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

That the Committee submit its report not later than one year from the date of it being constituted, provided that if the Senate is not sitting, the report will be deemed submitted on the day such report is deposited with the Clerk of the Senate; and

That the Special Committee include in its report, its findings and recommendations regarding the structure, functioning and operational effectiveness of National Defence Headquarters, the relationship between the military and civilian components of NDHQ, and the relationship among the Deputy Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of National Defence,

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Forrestall, seconded by the Honourable Senator Beaudoin, that the motion be amended by adding in paragraph 2 the following:

"9. the present Minister of National Defence."

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

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

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Hays called the attention of the Senate to the Eighth Annual Meeting between the Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group and the Japan-Canada Parliamentarians Friendship League, held in Japan, from November 8 to 16, 1997.

Debate concluded. The Honourable Senator Grafstein called the attention of the Senate to Canada's policy respecting the Iraq crisis.

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

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

REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):

Report of Employment Insurance Monitoring and Assessment Report, for the year 1997, pursuant to the Employment Insurance Act, S.C. 1996, c. 23, sbs. 3(3).-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-439.

Summaries of Corporate Plan for 1997-1998 to 2001-2002 and of the Operating and Capital Budgets for 1997-1998 of the National Capital Commission, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4). -Sessional Paper No. 1/36-440.

Report of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal entitled "Textile Reference Annual Status Report" for the period October 1, 1996 to September 30, 1997, pursuant to the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, S.C. 1988, c. 65, sbs. 21(2).-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-441.

Report of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal entitled "Request for Tariff Relief by Jones Apparel Group Canada Inc. Regarding Certain Acetate or Triacetate Fabrics", dated December 19, 1997, pursuant to the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, S.C. 1988, c. 65, sbs. 21(2).-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-442.

ADJOURNMENT

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

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

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