Journals of the Senate
60 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2012, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 41st Parliament
Issue 47
Thursday, February 2, 2012
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Angus, Ataullahjan, Baker, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, De Bané, Demers, Di Nino, Downe, Doyle, Duffy, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Massicotte, Meighen, Mercer, Meredith, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Angus, Ataullahjan, Baker, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, *Day, De Bané, Demers, Di Nino, Downe, Doyle, Duffy, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Massicotte, Meighen, Mercer, Meredith, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Zimmer
The first list records senators present in the Senate Chamber during the course of the sitting.
An asterisk in the second list indicates a senator who, while not present during the sitting, was in attendance to business, as defined in subsections 8(2) and (3) of the Senators Attendance Policy.
PRAYERS
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS
Tabling of Documents
The Honourable Senator Carignan tabled the following:
Report on the Statutes Repeal Act for the year 2012, pursuant to the Statutes Repeal Act, S.C. 2008, c. 20, s. 2.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-671.
Presentation of Reports from Standing or Special Committees
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk, Chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, tabled its fifth report entitled: Annual Report on Internal Audits, 2010-2011, Sessional Paper No. 1/41- 672S.
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Tardif tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the 38th Annual Meeting, held in Paris, Normandy and Pays de Loire, France, from August 31st to September 7th, 2011. —Sessional Paper No. 1/41-673.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Patterson, seconded by the Honourable Senator MacDonald, for the second reading of Bill S-6, An Act respecting the election and term of office of chiefs and councilors of certain First Nations and the composition of council of those First Nations.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the second time.
The Honourable Senator Patterson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Frum, that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills
Orders No. 1 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Orders No. 11, 27, 30 (inquiries), 19 (motion), 9 (inquiry), 37 (motion), 15 (inquiry), 56 (motion), 3, 20, 23, 17, 8, 16, 14 and 18 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stratton:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to examine and report on Canadian foreign policy regarding Iran, its implications, and other related matters; and
That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 30, 2012 and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until July 31, 2012.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
INQUIRIES
The Honourable Senator Meighen called the attention of the Senate to the unconscionable delay, despite the resolution of this Chamber passed unanimously on June 18, 2008, of the awarding of an appropriate theatre decoration for the brave Canadian flyers and crew who served in Bomber Command during World War II, without whose efforts, courage and sacrifice the war and its destruction would have continued for many more years.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rivard, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Raine moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Andreychuk:
That the Senate call upon the Government of Canada to modernize and standardize the laws that regulate Canada's maple syrup industry, which is poised for market growth in North America and overseas, and which provides consumers with a natural and nutritious agricultural product that has become a symbol of Canada;
That the Government of Canada should do this by amending the Maple Products Regulations, in accordance with the September 2011 recommendations of the International Maple Syrup Institute in its document entitled "Regulatory Proposal to Standardize the Grades and Nomenclature for Pure Maple Syrup in the North American and World Marketplace'', for the purpose of
(a) adopting a uniform definition as to what constitutes pure maple syrup;
(b) contributing toward the development of an international standard for maple syrup, as it has become very apparent that the timing for the introduction of such a standard is ideal;
(c) eliminating non-tariff measures that are not found in the international standard that may be used as a barrier to trade such as container sizes and shapes;
(d) modernizing and standardizing the grading and classification system for pure maple syrup sold in domestic, import and export markets and through interprovincial trade, thereby eliminating the current patchwork system of grades that is confusing and fails to explain to consumers in meaningful terms important differences between grades and colour classes;
(e) benefiting both marketing and sales for an industry that is mature, highly organized and well positioned for growth;
(f) enhancing Canadian production and sales, which annually constitutes in excess of 80% of the world's annual maple products output; and
(g) upholding and enhancing quality and safety standards as they pertain to maple products.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Nolin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lang, that further debate on the motion 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 Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Unger:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, February 7, 2012, 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):
Summaries of the Corporate Plan for 2012-2016 and of the Capital Budget for 2012 of the Royal Canadian Mint, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4). —Sessional Paper No. 1/41-669.
Report of the National Arts Centre, together with the Auditor General's Report, for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011, pursuant to the National Arts Centre Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-3, sbs. 17(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-670.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Meighen:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 3:28 p.m. the Senate was continued until Tuesday, February 7, 2012, at 2 p.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)
Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples
The Honourable Senator Wallace replaced the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Dagenais replaced the Honourable Senator Meredith (February 1, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The Honourable Senator Rivard replaced the Honourable Senator Smith (Saurel) (February 1, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
The Honourable Senator Raine replaced the Honourable Senator Brown (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Lang replaced the Honourable Senator Dickson (February 1, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Finley (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator St. Germain, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Nolin (February 1, 2012).
Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
The Honourable Senator Runciman replaced the Honourable Senator Smith (Saurel) (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Demers replaced the Honourable Senator Comeau (February 1, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senator Meredith replaced the Honourable Senator Dagenais (February 1, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Eaton replaced the Honourable Senator Champagne, P.C. (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Neufeld replaced the Honourable Senator Eaton (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Braley replaced the Honourable Senator Seth (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Dyck replaced the Honourable Senator Mercer (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Cordy replaced the Honourable Senator Campbell (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Campbell replaced the Honourable Senator Cordy (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Mercer replaced the Honourable Senator Dyck (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Hubley replaced the Honourable Senator Merchant (February 1, 2012).
The Honourable Senator Eaton replaced the Honourable Senator Martin (February 1, 2012).