Journals of the Senate
56 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2007, Canada
Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 39th Parliament
Issue 25
Friday, December 14, 2007
9:00 a.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Baker, Brown, Callbeck, Campbell, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Day, Di Nino, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, Fraser, Gustafson, Harb, Jaffer, Johnson, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, McCoy, Meighen, Merchant, Moore, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Peterson, Ringuette, Robichaud, Spivak, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Baker, Brown, Callbeck, Campbell, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Comeau, Cook, Cools, Corbin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Day, Di Nino, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, *Fortier, Fraser, Gustafson, Harb, Jaffer, Johnson, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, McCoy, Meighen, Merchant, Moore, Murray, Nancy Ruth, Nolin, Oliver, Peterson, Ringuette, Robichaud, Spivak, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Trenholme Counsell, Watt
PRAYERS
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk presented a Bill S-225, An Act to amend the State Immunity Act and the Criminal Code (deterring terrorism by providing a civil right of action against perpetrators and sponsors of terrorism).
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon, 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.
With leave,
The Senate reverted to SENATORS' STATEMENTS.
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Second reading of Bill C-18, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (verification of residence).
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the second time.
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oliver, that the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole now.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
The Senate was accordingly adjourned during pleasure and put into a Committee of the Whole on the Bill C-18, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (verification of residence), the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., in the Chair.
—In the Committee—
Pursuant to Rule 21, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, P.C., M.P., Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform, with Mr. Dan McDougall, Director of Operations, Legislation and House Planning, Privy Council Office; and Mr. Marc Chénier, Legal Counsel, Democratic Renewal Secretariat, Privy Council Office, were escorted to a seat in the Senate Chamber.
Debate.
With leave, Mr. Marc Mayrand, Chief Electoral Officer; Mr. Rennie Molnar, Senior Director, Operations, Elections Canada; Ms. Diane Davidson, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and Chief Legal Counsel, Elections Canada; and Mr. Stéphane Perrault, Senior General Counsel and Senior Director, Elections Canada, were escorted to a seat in the Senate Chamber.
Debate.
The title of the Bill was read and postponed.
Clause 1 of the Bill was read.
The question of concurrence being put on Clause 1 of the Bill, it was adopted.
Clause 2 of the Bill was read.
The question of concurrence being put on Clause 2 of the Bill, it was adopted.
Clause 3 of the Bill was read.
The question of concurrence being put on Clause 3 of the Bill, it was adopted.
Clause 4 of the Bill was read.
The question of concurrence being put on Clause 4 of the Bill, it was adopted, on division.
Clause 5 of the Bill was read.
The question of concurrence being put on Clause 5 of the Bill, it was adopted, on division.
The title of the Bill was again read.
The question of concurrence being put on the title of the Bill, it was adopted.
The question of concurrence being put on the Bill, it was adopted.
The question of concurrence in the motion that the Chair report the Bill to the Senate without amendment being put, it was adopted.
The sitting of the Senate resumed.
The Chair of the Committee stated that the Committee had examined Bill C-18 and had directed him to report the same to the Senate, without amendment.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino, that the bill be read the third time now.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
The bill was then read the third time and passed, on division.
Ordered, That a Message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, without amendment.
The Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that a communication had been received from the Deputy Secretary to the Governor General.
The communication was then read by the Honourable the Speaker as follows:
RIDEAU HALL
December 14, 2007
Mr. Speaker:
I have the honour to inform you that the Honourable Marshall Rothstein, Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, in his capacity as Deputy of the Governor General, will proceed to the Senate Chamber today, the 14th day of December, 2007, at 1:00 p.m. for the purpose of giving Royal Assent to certain bills of law.
Yours sincerely,
Sheila-Marie Cook
Secretary to the Governor General
The Honourable
The Speaker of the Senate
Ottawa
Motions
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oliver:
That Committees be authorized, pursuant to Rule 95(3)(a), to meet between Monday, December 17, 2007 and Monday, January 28, 2008, inclusive, even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding one week, provided that both whips have given approval.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Tabling of Documents.
The Honourable Senator Comeau tabled the following:
Report from Daniel Paillé, Independent Advisor to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, entitled: Public Opinion Research Practices of the Government of Canada (October 2007).—Sessional Paper No. 2/39- 364.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oliver:
That the sitting be suspended to reassemble at the call of the chair with a fifteen minute bell.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 12:19 p.m., the sitting was suspended.)
At 1:00 p.m., the sitting resumed.
ROYAL ASSENT
The Senate adjourned during pleasure to await the arrival of the Honourable the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General.
After awhile, the Honourable Marshall Rothstein, Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, in his capacity as Deputy of the Governor General, having come and being seated at the foot of the Throne.
The Honourable the Speaker commanded the Usher of the Black Rod to proceed to the House of Commons and acquaint that House that:
``It is the pleasure of the Honourable the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General that they attend him immediately in the Senate Chamber.''
The House of Commons being come,
One of the Clerks at the Table then read the title of the Bills to be assented to as follows:
An Act to amend the Canada-United States Tax Convention Act, 1984 (Bill S-2, Chapter 32, 2007)
An Act respecting the exploitation of the Donkin coal block and employment in or in connection with the operation of a mine that is wholly or partly at the Donkin coal block, and to make a consequential amendment to the Canada- Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act (Bill C-15, Chapter 33, 2007)
An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007 and to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on October 30, 2007 (Bill C-28, Chapter 35, 2007)
An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the Wage Earner Protection Program Act and chapter 47 of the Statutes of Canada, 2005 (Bill C-12, Chapter 36, 2007)
An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (verification of residence) (Bill C-18, Chapter 37, 2007)
To these Bills the Royal Assent was pronounced by the Clerk of the Senate in the following words:
``In Her Majesty's name, the Honourable the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General doth assent to these Bills.''
1:12 p.m.
The Acting Speaker of the House of Commons addressed the Honourable the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General as follows:
``May it Please Your Honour:
The Commons of Canada have voted supplies to enable the Government to defray certain expenses of the public service.
In the name of the Commons, I present to Your Honour the following Bill:
An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2008 (Bill C-35, Chapter 34, 2007)
To which Bill I humbly request Your Honour's Assent.''
After one of the Clerks at the Table read the title of the Bill.
To this Bill the Royal Assent was pronounced by the Clerk of the Senate in the following words:
``In Her Majesty's name, the Honourable the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General thanks her loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence and assents to this Bill.''
1:15 p.m.
The Commons withdrew.
After which the Honourable the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General was pleased to retire.
At 1:17 p.m., the sitting resumed.
With leave,
The Senate reverted to Government Notices of Motions.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oliver:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, January 29, 2008, at 2 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):
Annual Report on the RCMP's use of the Law Enforcement Justification Provisions, pursuant to Section 25.3 of the Criminal Code.—Sessional Paper No. 2/39-360.
Report on the use of electronic surveillance for the year 2006, pursuant to the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sbs. 195(4). —Sessional Paper No. 2/39-361.
Report on Export of Military Goods from Canada for 2003-2005.—Sessional Paper No. 2/39-362.
Report on the Statutory Review of Sections 21.01 to 21.19 of the Patent Act, pursuant to the Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P- 4, sbs. 21.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 2/39-363.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Comeau moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Nolin:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 1:18 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, January 29, 2008, at 2 p.m.)