Journals of the Senate
52 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2003, Canada
Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 37th Parliament
Issue 36
Thursday, February 13, 2003
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Daniel Hays, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Angus, Atkins, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Beaudoin, Biron, Bryden, Buchanan, Carney, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Chaput, Christensen, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Day, De Bané, Di Nino, Doody, Eyton, Fairbairn, Ferretti Barth, Finnerty, Fraser, Furey, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Kinsella, Kolber, Kroft, Lapointe, Lawson, LeBreton, Léger, Lynch-Staunton, Mahovlich, Meighen, Merchant, Milne, Moore, Morin, Murray, Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, Phalen, Poulin (Charette), Poy, Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Roche, Rompkey, Rossiter, St. Germain, Setlakwe, Sibbeston, Smith, Sparrow, Spivak, Stollery, Stratton, Watt, Wiebe
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Angus, Atkins, Bacon, Baker, Banks, Beaudoin, Biron, Bryden, Buchanan, Carney, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Chaput, Christensen, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Day, De Bané, Di Nino, Doody, Eyton, Fairbairn, Ferretti Barth, Finnerty, Fraser, Furey, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Kinsella, *Kirby, Kolber, Kroft, Lapointe, Lawson, LeBreton, Léger, Lynch-Staunton, Mahovlich, Meighen, Merchant, Milne, Moore, Morin, Murray, Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, Phalen, Poulin (Charette), Poy, Prud'homme, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Roche, Rompkey, Rossiter, St. Germain, Setlakwe, Sibbeston, Smith, Sparrow, Spivak, Stollery, Stratton, Watt, Wiebe
PRAYERS
WRITTEN DECLARATION OF ROYAL ASSENT
The Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:
RIDEAU HALL
February 13, 2003
Mr. Speaker:
I have the honour to inform you that the Honourable John Major, Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, in his capacity as Deputy of the Governor General, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bill listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 13th day of February, 2003, at 8:50 a.m.
Yours sincerely,
Barbara Uteck
Secretary to the Governor General
The Honourable
The Speaker of the Senate
Ottawa
Schedule
Bill Assented To
Thursday, February 13, 2003
An Act to amend the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (Bill C-4, Chapter 1, 2003)
SPEAKER'S STATEMENT
I might add that this event was the first occasion that the procedure for signifying royal assent by written declaration to a bill passed by both Houses of the Parliament of Canada has been used. History was made this morning when the Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments presented Bill C-4, An Act to amend the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, to the Honourable John Major, Deputy of the Governor General, for royal assent.
As you are aware, many attempts had been made over the years to modernize our procedure for royal assent. This morning's event culminated the work of many Honourable Senators, in particular, the work of the Leader of the Government, Senator Carstairs, who had sponsored Bill S-34, An Act respecting royal assent to bills passed by the Houses of Parliament, which became law on June 4, 2002, and the work of the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Lynch-Staunton, who presented a number of bills on this subject in past sessions.
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Tabling of Documents
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., tabled the following:
Document entitled Canadian Firearms Program Review: Business Case Assessment and Risk Analysis (Final Report). —Sessional Paper No. 2/37-262.
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Bacon presented the following:
THURSDAY, February 13, 2003
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
NINTH REPORT
Your Committee recommends that the following funds be released for fiscal year 2002-2003.
Foreign Affairs (Legislation)
| Professional and Other Services | $ 1,750 |
| Transport and Communications | $ 500 |
| Other Expenditures | $ 500 |
| Total | $ 2,750 |
Scrutiny of Regulations (Joint Committee)
| Professional and Other Services | $ 40,800 |
| Transport and Communications | $ 1,350 |
| Other Expenditures | $ 1,770 |
| Total | $ 43,920 |
Your Committee recommends that the following additional funds be released for fiscal year 2002-2003.
National Security and Defence (Special Study on National Security Policy)
| Professional and Other Services | — |
| Transport and Communications | $ 36,000 |
| Other Expenditures | — |
| Total | $ 36,000 |
Respectfully submitted,
LISE BACON
Chair
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Bacon moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., that the Report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration later this day.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Meighen for the Honourable Senator Kenny, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, presented its Sixth Report (budget—study on health care provided to veterans—power to hire staff and to travel).
(The Report is printed as Appendix "A'' at pages 508-513 (available in print format PDF))
The Honourable Senator Meighen moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gustafson, that the Report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Cordy for the Honourable Senator Kirby, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, presented its Eighth Report (budget—study on Health Care System (mental health)—power to hire staff and to travel).
(The Report is printed as Appendix "B'' at pages 514-519 (available in print format PDF))
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Cordy moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C., that the Report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration later this day.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Cools presented a Bill S-15, An Act to remove certain doubts regarding the meaning of marriage.
The Bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Cools moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ferretti Barth, that the Bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading on Tuesday, February 25, 2003.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
__________________________________________________________
With leave,
The Senate reverted to SENATORS' STATEMENTS.
An Honourable Senator made a statement.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Motions
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C. moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C.
That, pursuant to Rule 95(3), during the period of February 14 to 24, 2003, the committees of the Senate be authorized to meet even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding a week.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Second reading of Bill S-12, An Act to repeal legislation that has not been brought into force within ten years of receiving royal assent.
The Honourable Senator Banks moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wiebe, that the Bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Stratton for the Honourable Senator Kinsella moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 5 to 8 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Spivak, seconded by the Honourable Senator Forrestall, for the second reading of Bill S-10, An Act concerning personal watercraft in navigable waters.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Stratton for the Honourable Senator Kinsella moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Commons Public Bills
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 to 7 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Consideration of the Ninth Report of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (budgets of certain committees) presented in the Senate earlier this day.
The Honourable Senator Bacon moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gill, that the Report be adopted.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Other
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator LeBreton calling the attention of the Senate to the legacy of waste during the Martin-Chrétien years.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., for the Honourable Senator Bryden moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator De Bané, P.C., that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
__________________________________________________________
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Reports of Committees.
Consideration of the Eighth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (budget—study on health care system (mental health)—power to hire staff and to travel) presented in the Senate earlier this day.
The Honourable Senator Cordy moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C., that the Report be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Other
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Roche, seconded by the Honourable Senator Taylor:
That the Senate notes the crisis between the United States and Iraq, and affirms the urgent need for Canada to uphold international law under which, absent an attack or imminent threat of attack, only the United Nations Security Council has the authority to determine compliance with its resolutions and sanction military action.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Rompkey, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Sibbeston, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 7 (inquiry) was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Oliver calling the attention of the Senate to the pandemic of AIDS-HIV which is sweeping across some of the most heavily populated countries in the world, such as India and China, and is in the process of killing 6,000 Africans per day, and the role that the Government of Canada could play in fighting the disease which is destroying much of the emerging third world.
Debate concluded.
Orders No. 66 (motion), 3 (inquiry), 7 (motion), 8, 9, 2 (inquiries) 73, 5 (motions) and 6 (inquiry) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
INQUIRIES
The Honourable Senator Gauthier called the attention of the Senate to the difficulties faced by the deaf and hearing impaired in availing themselves impartially and in full equality of the information and safety procedures available to Canadians at airports, on aircraft, in ships and on all forms of public transport.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Chaput moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette-Maltais , that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
__________________________________________________________
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Government Notices of Motions.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fairbairn, P.C.:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, February 25, 2003, at 2:00 p.m.
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 the Northern Pipeline Agency, together with the Auditor General's report, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002, pursuant to the Northern Pipeline Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-26, ss. 13 and 14.—Sessional Paper No. 2/37- 261.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fairbairn, P.C.:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 4:10 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, February 25, 2003, at 2:00 p.m.)
__________________________________________________________
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
The name of the Honourable Senator Bacon removed from the membership (February 12).
Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
The name of the Honourable Senator Moore removed from the membership (February 12).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The names of the Honourable Senators Callbeck and Merchant substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Merchant and Callbeck (February 13).
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The names of the Honourable Senators Meighen and Setlakwe substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Tkachuk and Mahovlich (February 13).