50 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2001, Canada

Journals of the Senate

1st Session, 37th Parliament

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Issue 24

Tuesday, April 3, 2001
2:00 p.m.

The Honourable Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Speaker pro tempore

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The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Austin, Bacon, Banks, Beaudoin, Buchanan, Callbeck, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Christensen, Cohen, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, De Bané, DeWare, Doody, Fairbairn, Ferretti Barth, Finnerty, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Furey, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kirby, Kolber, Kroft, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercier, Milne, Moore, Morin, Murray, Oliver, Pearson, Pépin, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Poy, Rivest, Robertson, Robichaud, Roche, Setlakwe, Sibbeston, Simard, Spivak, St. Germain, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Tkachuk, Tunney, Wiebe, Wilson

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Austin, Bacon, Banks, Beaudoin, Buchanan, Callbeck, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Christensen, Cohen, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, De Bané, DeWare, Doody, Fairbairn, Ferretti Barth, *Finestone, Finnerty, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, *Fraser, Furey, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Johnson, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kirby, Kolber, Kroft, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercier, Milne, Moore, Morin, Murray, Oliver, Pearson, Pépin, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Poy, *Prud'homme, Rivest, Robertson, Robichaud, Roche, Setlakwe, Sibbeston, Simard, Spivak, St. Germain, Stollery, Stratton, Taylor, Tkachuk, Tunney, Wiebe, Wilson

PRAYERS

 

SENATORS' STATEMENTS

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

 

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Tabling of Documents

The Honourable the Speaker pro tempore tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for the year 2000, pursuant to the Canadian Human Rights Act, S. C. 1998, c. 9, sbs. 61(4).-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-158.

 

Government Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pépin:

That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4, 2001, at 1:30 p.m.

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

 

Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills

A Message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-8, An Act to establish the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and to amend certain Acts in relation to financial institutions, 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 Mercier, 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.

 

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Third reading of Bill S-4, A First Act to harmonize federal law with the civil law of the Province of Quebec and to amend certain Acts in order to ensure that each language version takes into account the common law and the civil law.

The Honourable Senator De Bané, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Poulin, that the Bill be read the third time.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pépin, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

Orders No. 2 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

 

OTHER BUSINESS

Senate Public Bills

Orders No. 1 to 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

 

Private Bills

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

 

Reports of Committees

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Consideration of the First Report (A) of the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations (budget 2000-2001) presented in the Senate on March 29, 2001.

The Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Taylor, that the Report be adopted.

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

Consideration of the Second Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (budget-study relating to energy, the environment and natural resources) presented in the Senate on March 29, 2001.

The Honourable Senator Taylor moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Adams, that the Report be adopted.

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

Orders No. 4 and 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

 

Other

Orders No. 2, 1, 17 (inquiries), 44 (motion), 15, 8, 6, 7 (inquiries) and 3 (motion) were called and postponed until the next sitting.

 

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Andreychuk called the attention of the Senate to the Seventh Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs: The New NATO and the Evolution of Peacekeeping: Implications for Canada.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Roche moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Corbin, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

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Ordered That Orders No. 4 and 5 under ORDERS OF THE DAY, OTHER BUSINESS, Reports of Committees be again called.

Consideration of the Third Report of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (64 Points Travel System) presented in the Senate on March 29, 2001.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Kroft moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, that the Report be adopted.

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

Consideration of the Fourth Report of the Committee of Selection (membership of certain Committees) presented in the Senate on March 29, 2001.

The Honourable Senator Mercier moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pépin, that the Report be adopted.

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

 

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Callbeck called the attention of the Senate to the status of legal aid in Canada and the difficulties experienced by many low-income Canadians in acquiring adequate legal assistance, for both criminal and civil matters.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Hubley moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Banks, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

The Honourable Senator Cohen called the attention of the Senate to the quality of life of the military family and how that quality of life is affected by government actions and by Canadian Forces policy.

Debate.

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Ordered, That the Standing Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and Forestry and Banking, Trade and Commerce have power to sit while the Senate is sitting today, and that Rule 95(4) be suspended in relation thereto.

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The Senate resumed debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Cohen calling the attention of the Senate to the quality of life of the military family and how that quality of life is affected by government actions and by Canadian Forces policy.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Pépin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cook, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Cohen tabled the following:

Report entitled: Unsung Heroes: A Quality-of-Life Perspective on Canada's Military Families, by the Honourable Erminie J. Cohen, dated April 2001.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-159S.

 

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Oliver moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator DeWare:

That the Senate endorse and support the following policy from Liberal Red Book 1, which recommends the appointment of "an independent Ethics Counsellor to advise both public officials and lobbyists in the day-to-day application of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials. The Ethics Counsellor will be appointed after consultation with the leaders of all parties in the House of Commons and report directly to Parliament.";

And that this Resolution be sent to the Speaker of the House of Commons so that he may acquaint the House of Commons with this decision of the Senate.

After debate,

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

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

The Honourable Senator Milne moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Taylor:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs be authorized to examine the Chief Electoral Officer's Report for 2000 on the 37th general election; and

That the Committee submit its report no later than June 30, 2001.

After debate,

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

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Ordered That Order No. 44 (motion) under ORDERS OF THE DAY, OTHER BUSINESS, Other be again called.

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Maheu, seconded by the Honourable Senator Setlakwe:

That this House:

(a) Calls upon the Government of Canada to recognize the genocide of the Armenians and to condemn any attempt to deny or distort a historical truth as being anything less than genocide, a crime against humanity.

(b) Designates April 24th of every year hereafter throughout Canada as a day of remembrance of the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the first genocide of the twentieth century.

After debate,

Further debate on the motion was adjourned until the next sitting in the name of the Honourable Senator Di Nino.

 

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

Report of the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada, pursuant to the Public Service Employment Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-33, sbs. 47(2).-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-153.

Report on operations under the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act for the year 2000, pursuant to the Act, S.C. 1993, c. 34, s. 11.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-154.

Report on operations under the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Agreement Act for the year 2000, pursuant to the Act, S.C. 1993, c. 34, s. 66.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-155.

Report on the administration of the Public Service Superannuation Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000, pursuant to the Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-36, s. 46.-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-156.

Reports of the Department of Transport for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2) .-Sessional Paper No. 1/37-157.

 

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mercier:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 6:35 p.m. the Senate was continued until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow)

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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)

Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations

The name of the Honourable Senator Bacon added to the membership (March 30).

The name of the Honourable Senator Banks substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Finestone (April 2).

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

The name of the Honourable Senator Milne substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Hubley (March 30).

The name of the Honourable Senator Hubley substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Milne (April 3).

Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries

The name of the Honourable Senator Kenny substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Watt (March 30).

The name of the Honourable Senator Johnson substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Meighen (April 2).

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

The name of the Honourable Senator Banks substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Fraser (April 2).

Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages

The name of the Honourable Senator De Bané substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Fraser (April 2).

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