Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
2nd Session, 39th Parliament,
Volume 144, Issue 65
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
- ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
THE SENATE
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair.
Prayers.
Afghanistan—Fallen Soldier
Silent Tribute
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, before we proceed, I would ask honourable senators to rise and observe one minute of silence in memory of Captain Richard Steve Leary, whose tragic death occurred today while serving his country in Afghanistan.
Honourables senators then stood in silent tribute.
Business of the Senate
Hon. Gerald J. Comeau (Deputy Leader of the Government): As honourable senators may know, this week was originally intended to be a committee week. However, due to extenuating circumstances, this is no longer the case. The Senate this week will be preoccupied with the study of Bill C-50, the budget implementation bill. As the Senate has not yet received this bill, I will be moving a motion that allows the Senate to suspend to the call of the chair for the purposes of receiving the bill later today.
It is hoped that, if we receive the bill today, it will be given second reading shortly thereafter and referred to the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance.
In keeping with the original intent of having a committee week, this motion will permit those committees scheduled to meet today to meet during the suspension of the Senate. For those listening in and discovering that we are having a shortened session today, the purpose of the motion that I will be introducing later is to enable committees to sit.
Thus, honourable senators are not out having a great time. We will, in fact, be at work on committee business. Those who wish to see us at work may watch or listen to the committee proceedings.
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[Translation]
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Privacy Commissioner
2007 Annual Report Tabled
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Privacy Commissioner for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2007, in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
[English]
Specific Claims Tribunal Bill
Report of Committee
Hon. Gerry St. Germain, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, presented the following report:
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples has the honour to present its
SIXTH REPORT
Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-30, An Act to establish the Specific Claims Tribunal and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, has, in obedience to the order of reference of Tuesday, May 27, 2008, examined the said Bill and now reports the same without amendment.
Respectfully submitted,
GERRY ST. GERMAIN
Chair
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the third time?
On motion of Senator St. Germain, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting of the Senate.
[Translation]
The Estimates, 2008-09
Report of National Finance Committee on Supplementary Estimates (A) Presented
Hon. Joseph A. Day, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, presented the following report:
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance has the honour to present its
FOURTEENTH REPORT
Your Committee, to which were referred the Supplementary Estimates "A", 2008-2009 has, in obedience to the Order of Reference of Wednesday, May 14, 2008, examined the said Estimates and herewith presents its report.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH A. DAY
Chair
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, Appendix, p. 1224.)
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this report be taken into consideration?
On motion of Senator Day, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.
Energy Efficiency Act
Bill to Amend—First Reading
Hon. Gerald J. Comeau (Deputy Leader of the Government) presented Bill S-4, An Act to amend the Energy Efficiency Act.
Bill read first time.
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?
On motion of Senator Comeau, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.
(1410)
[English]
Inter-Parliamentary Union
Parliamentary Conference on World Trade Organization, June 14-15, 2007—Report Tabled
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian parliamentary delegation to the fifteenth session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from June 14 to 15, 2007.
Parliamentary Conference on World Trade Organization, October 3, 2007—Report Tabled
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian parliamentary delegation to the sixteenth session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization, held in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 3, 2007.
Parliamentary Panel within Framework of World Trade Organization Public Forum, October 4, 2007—Report Tabled
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Panel within the Framework of the World Trade Organization Public Forum 2007, held in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 4, 2007.
[Translation]
Business of the Senate
Hon. Gerald J. Comeau (Deputy Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 58(1)(i), I move:
That the sitting be suspended, to reassemble at the call of the Chair with a fifteen minute bell;
That, when the sitting resumes, it be either for the purpose of adjournment or to receive any Messages from the House of Commons;
That, if a Message is received from the House of Commons with Bill C-50, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 26, 2008 and to enact provisions to preserve the fiscal plan set out in that budget, that Bill shall, upon being read a first time, be ordered taken into consideration at second reading stage forthwith, and the provisions of Rule 57(1)(f) shall be suspended in relation thereto;
That the application of Rule 13(1) be suspended for this day, and the Senate continue sitting past 6:00 o'clock in the afternoon, if necessary; and
That committees that have already issued notices to meet today be authorized to sit during the time the Senate is suspended, until the sitting of the Senate resumes, and the application of Rule 95(4) be suspended in relation thereto.
Hon. Marcel Prud'homme: Honourable senators, how late will we have to stay in order to accomplish what you are asking?
Senator Comeau: Honourable senators, I expect that we will sit no later than 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. A number of senators have engagements this evening.
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, is leave granted?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Motion agreed to.
The sitting of the Senate was suspended.
(1710)
The sitting was resumed.
The Senate adjourned until Wednesday, June 4, 2008, at 1:30 p.m.