Journals of the Senate
50 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2001, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 37th Parliament
Issue 18
Wednesday, March 21, 2001
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Daniel Hays, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Austin, Bacon, Banks, Beaudoin, Bolduc, Bryden, Callbeck, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Christensen, Cochrane, Cohen, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, De Bané, DeWare, Di Nino, Doody, Eyton, Finestone, Finnerty, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Fraser, Furey, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kirby, Kolber, Kroft, Lawson, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mercier, Milne, Moore, Morin, Murray, Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Rivest, Robichaud, Roche, Rompkey, Rossiter, Setlakwe, Simard, Sparrow, Spivak, St. Germain, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Tkachuk, Tunney, Watt, Wiebe
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
*Adams, Andreychuk, Austin, Bacon, Banks, Beaudoin, Bolduc, Bryden, Callbeck, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Christensen, Cochrane, Cohen, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, De Bané, DeWare, Di Nino, Doody, Eyton, Finestone, Finnerty, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Fraser, Furey, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kirby, Kolber, Kroft, Lawson, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mercier, Milne, Moore, Morin, Murray, Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Rivest, Robichaud, Roche, Rompkey, Rossiter, Setlakwe, Simard, Sparrow, Spivak, St. Germain, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Tkachuk, Tunney, Watt, Wiebe, *Wilson
PRAYERS
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
A Message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-20, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the public service of Canada for the financial year ending March 31, 2001, to which they desire the concurrence of the Senate.The Bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C., that the Bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading two days hence.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
A Message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-21, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the public service of Canada for the financial year ending March 31, 2002, to which they desire the concurrence of the Senate.
The Bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C., that the Bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading two days hence.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Murray, P.C., presented a Bill S-22, An Act to provide for the recognition of the Canadien Horse as the national horse of Canada.The Bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Murray, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Doody, that the Bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading two days hence.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS
Pursuant to Rule 25(2), the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., tabled the following:Reply to Question No. 6, dated February 8, 2001, appearing on the Order Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Oliver, respecting a racial discrimination complaint against Health Canada.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-130S.
Reply to Question No. 7, dated February 8, 2001, appearing on the Order Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Spivak, respecting the National Safety Code for Motor Carriers.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-131S.
Reply to Question No. 13, dated February 20, 2001, appearing on the Order Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton, respecting compensation for Hepatitis C victims.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-132S.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Motions
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Cordy, seconded by the Honourable Senator Setlakwe:That the following Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:
To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, 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,
And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Kinsella, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rossiter, that the following be added to the Address:
We respectfully affirm to Your Excellency that the Speech from the Throne would have captured the imagination of the people of Canada if it contained the following words:
"Canadians are the finest people in the world community today. Our common citizenship speaks to many ways of being Canadian and affords us unique opportunities to be leaders for freedom and dignity for every person with who we share planet earth in the 21st Century.
My government recognizes that we are blessed with an incomparable landscape, natural and human resources, and an historical foundation of freedom, peace and civility. Canada has always been a place where people, seeking opportunity, fairness and security, can build a future.
Despite these enduring strengths, many Canadians feel they no longer share in the Canadian dream. The world is changing rapidly around us, but we face an uncertain and challenging future without a plan. There is a growing sense we have lost our direction.
We need to restore a "common purpose" to this country - to recapture the sense that we are acting together in the interests of the whole community, and to encourage those acts of will that have defined Canada and moved it forward at critical times in our past.
My government's blueprint for this country's future is a plan to strengthen Canada's communities, build a vibrant economy, and govern with integrity.
Strengthening Canada's communities
Canadians feel that the fabric of Canada's communities and institutions has been weakened in recent years.
Canadians' faith in their healthcare system has been shaken. Healthcare cuts have closed thousands of hospital beds, jammed emergency rooms and created unacceptable waiting lists for critical services and treatments.
Cuts to post-secondary education funding have resulted in higher college and university tuition fees, and intolerable debt loads for students. Access to higher education is being lost in Canada, even as the knowledge economy raises the premium on higher qualifications.
At a time when Canadians do not feel safe in their communities, the RCMP has been starved for resources. Meanwhile, the gun registration program is costing Canadians hundreds of millions of dollars, while treating law-abiding gun owners as if they were criminals.
Canadians want to see their common values reflected in Canada's social programs: self-reliance and personal responsibility balanced by compassion, investments in a healthy and well-educated populace, safe communities and fiscal responsibility.
Canadians want their national government to provide leadership in protecting the environment.
My government's Plan for Canada addresses all these issues to build a stronger Canada through stronger communities.
My government will:
- Immediately restore the cash portion of the Canada Health and Social Transfer to at least 1993-94 levels. This would restore completely the health and post-secondary education dollars cut from transfers to provinces.
- Add a sixth principle to medicare - guaranteed stable and predictable long-term healthcare funding - through legislation. Never again will a government be able to scoop billions of dollars out of health care.
- Increase and make refundable the caregiver credit, in consultation with groups representing seniors and Canada's disability community.
- Change the repayment terms for Canada Student Loans to provide that loans are repaid as a percentage of net after tax income starting the first full working year after graduation.
- Introduce a tax credit for post-secondary students repaying Canada Student Loans to a maximum of 10 per cent of the loan principal, per year, for the first 10 years after graduation, provided they remain employed in Canada.
- End the taxation of scholarships awarded to students in colleges and universities.
- Provide the RCMP with stable funding, and with an explicit priority to defeat organized crime, particularly money laundering, human and contraband smuggling, fraud and computer crime.
- Replace the federal Young Offenders Act with new legislation that reflects the principles of protection of the public, deterrence and denunciation balanced with rehabilitation, and the greater use of restorative justice.
- Repeal the current long gun registration system and uphold and enforce provisions that control criminal and unsafe use of firearms.
- Make the health of Canada's children an explicit priority of environmental legislation by introducing a Safe Water Act and a Safe Air Act.
Building a stronger economy
The average Canadian today loses about 47 per cent of his or her income to taxes. High taxes have eroded the standard of living of Canadian families. They have made our businesses less competitive. And they are driving young professionals and entrepreneurs to seek their futures in other countries.
Canadians know that today's balanced budget and growing economy were only achieved through their sacrifice and hard work. They want to share in Canada's prosperity, but they want tax reductions to be fair and benefit all Canadians.
Canadians also know that success in today's world requires that we be competitive with our trading partners, that the new economy demands we reward investment, innovation and creativity.
Canadians want the burden of the national debt - now totalling $560 billion - lifted from the shoulders of their children.
And Canadians want strategic investments targeted towards their priorities.
My government will:
- Cut taxes for all Canadians by raising the basic personal exemption from the current level of $7,231 to $12,000 by 2005. This tax cut will remove 2.3 million low income Canadians - those least able to pay taxes - from the tax rolls. It will also deliver across-the-board tax relief of up to $1,100 (federal/provincial) to the average taxpayer.
- Increase the married and equivalent spouse amount to $12,000 by 2005. When this change is fully implemented, a single earner family would not pay income tax until their income reached $24,000 per year.
- Introduce a child tax amount of $1,176 to assist Canadian families. This will create a tax cut for families with children of $200 per child.
- Eliminate the personal capital gains tax immediately. This will free venture capital, reward personal initiative and help reverse the brain drain by encouraging entrepreneurs to build their future in Canada.
- Cut excise taxes on gasoline, diesel fuel and home heating fuels to help ease the burden of rising energy costs.
- Eliminate the national debt - the mortgage on our children's future - within 25 years, and pay down the principal on the debt by $25 billion over the next five years.
- Implement an annual "Red Tape Budget" detailing the estimated total of each new proposed government regulation, including the enforcement costs to the government and the compliance costs to individual citizens and businesses.
- Actively expand global trading partnerships with other nations, while promoting human rights and the environment, and protecting our culture.
- Establish the Federal Agriculture Stabilization Transfer (FAST), a comprehensive national safety net program, to include a revenue/income stabilization component and a reliable disaster relief fund.
- Work with the international community to protect trans-boundary fisheries from unsustainable harvesting practices on our east and west coasts.
Governing with integrity
A strong democracy is essential to everything we want to do as a country.
What makes democratic government work or fail is the public's willingness to accept or support decisions made on their behalf. Just as we need wealth to prosper, we need trust to govern. That trust has been missing in Ottawa.
Intolerance of legitimate dissent has dramatically weakened the role of Members of Parliament. We cannot continue to inspire our most able citizens to stand for public office if they are shut out of involvement and influence after they are elected.
My government would restore integrity to the governing of Canada by increasing the democratic accountability of government to Parliament.
The government will:
- Strengthen the role of MPs by allowing more free votes in the House of Commons. MPs must be able to represent the views of those who elected them.
- Empower Parliament to scrutinize the spending practices of federal departments without a time limit.
- Introduce comprehensive "whistle-blower" legislation.
- Increase annual defence spending over the next five years to support adequate strength levels, improve the quality of life of Armed Forces personnel and support the procurement of new equipment.
A balanced and prudent plan
My government's plan for Canada is a balanced and prudent blueprint to restore purpose and direction to Canada, to point us towards a successful future in a changing world.
The numbers add up for Canada. In my government's five-year plan:
- We've placed the greatest emphasis - over $55 billion - on reducing taxes to leave more money in the hands of Canadians. It's their money, and we want to leave it up to them to save, spend or invest as they see fit.
- Our mandatory debt repayment plan will eliminate the debt mortgage on our children's future within 25 years. Over the coming five years, our plan will reduce the federal debt by $25 billion. As part of this plan, we will reallocate 1.3 per cent of the current annual program budget to reducing the debt.
- We have identified targeted new investments in programs totalling $7.4 billion.
Members of the House of Commons:
You will be asked to appropriate the funds required to carry out the services and expenditures authorized by Parliament.
Honourable Members of the Senate and the House of Commons:
May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations.".
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Kinsella for the Honourable Senator Beaudoin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon, that further debate on the motion in amendment be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
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Ordered, That all remaining Orders be postponed until the next sitting.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Report of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency entitled "Strengthening Environmental Assessment for Canadians: Report of the Minister of the Environment to the Parliament of Canada on the Review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act'', pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, S.C. 1993, c. 34, s. 41.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-129.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Callbeck:That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 3:35 p.m. the Senate was continued until 2:00 p.m. tomorrow)
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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural ResourcesThe name of the Honourable Senator Watt substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Adams (March 20).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The name of the Honourable Senator Ferretti Barth substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Taylor (March 20).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The name of the Honourable Senator Rompkey substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Fairbairn (March 20).
The name of the Honourable Senator Pépin substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Morin (March 21).