61 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2012, Canada

Journals of the Senate

1st Session, 41st Parliament

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Issue 57

Tuesday, March 6, 2012
2:00 p.m.

The Honourable Donald H. Oliver, Speaker pro tempore

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The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Angus, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Brown, Callbeck, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Demers, Di Nino, Downe, Doyle, Duffy, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Lang, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, White, Zimmer

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Angus, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Brown, Callbeck, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Demers, Di Nino, Downe, Doyle, Duffy, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Fairbairn, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Lang, LeBreton, Losier-Cool, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wallin, Watt, White, 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

First Reading of Commons Public Bills

A message was brought from the House of Commons with a Bill C-290, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sports betting), to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Runciman moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen, 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

A point of order was raised with respect to an article that appeared in the March 5, 2012 edition of The Hill Times.

After debate,

The Speaker Pro tempore reserved his decision.

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Eaton, calling the attention of the Senate to the interference of foreign foundations in Canada's domestic affairs and their abuse of Canada's existing Revenue Canada Charitable status.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Plett moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wallace, 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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Orders No. 20, 23, 24, 18 and 29 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Downe, calling the attention of the Senate to:

(a) the problem of Canadians evading taxes by hiding assets in overseas tax havens;

(b) the harm this does to Canada, both in terms of lost revenue and its effect on those Canadians who obey the law and pay their fair share of taxes;

(c) the pathetic efforts of the Canada Revenue Agency to discover, halt and deter overseas tax evasion, and how, in comparison to those similar agencies in other countries, CRA falls short;

(d) the fact that this, plus recent scandals involving the CRA could lead one to conclude that there are serious problems at the Agency; and

(e) concerns that this situation amounts to a lack of leadership on the part of the Government of Canada.

After debate,

Further debate on the inquiry was adjourned until the next sitting in the name of the Honourable Senator Carignan.

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Orders No. 25, 27 (inquiries), 61 (motion), 3, 11, 19, 22, 26, 30 (inquiries), 19 (motion), 9, 15 (inquiries) and 56 (motion) were called and postponed until the next sitting.

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Neufeld called the attention of the Senate to the issue of liquefied natural gas in Canada and its associated benefits.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Poirier, 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 Wallin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to examine and report on the state of Canada's defence and security relationships with the United States; and

That the Committee present its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2013 and that the Committee retain, until March 31, 2014, all powers necessary to publicize its findings.

After debate,

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

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

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The Honourable Senator Wallin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Eaton:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to examine and report on the status of, and lessons learned, during Canadian Forces operations in Afghanistan; and

That the Committee present its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2013 and that the Committee retain, until March 31, 2014, all powers necessary to publicize its findings.

After debate,

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

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 Blue Water Bridge Authority for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, pursuant to the Alternative Fuels Act, S.C. 1995, c. 20, s. 8.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-736.

Report of the Blue Water Bridge Authority for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, pursuant to the Alternative Fuels Act, S.C. 1995, c. 20, s. 8.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-737.

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Di Nino:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 5:20 p.m. the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.)

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

Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples

The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan (March 5, 2012).

The Honourable Senator White replaced the Honourable Senator Patterson (March 5, 2012).

The Honourable Senator Moore replaced the Honourable Senator Campbell (March 5, 2012).

The Honourable Senator Brazeau replaced the Honourable Senator Stratton (March 1, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

The Honourable Senator Rivard replaced the Honourable Senator Smith (Saurel) (March 6, 2012).

The Honourable Senator Champagne, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Buth (March 5, 2012).

The Honourable Senator Smith (Saurel) replaced the Honourable Senator Demers (March 1, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

The Honourable Senator Moore replaced the Honourable Senator Campbell (March 1, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

The Honourable Senator Chaput replaced the Honourable Senator Peterson (March 5, 2012).

The Honourable Senator Johnson replaced the Honourable Senator Raine (March 1, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade

The Honourable Senator De Bané, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Jaffer (March 2, 2012).

The Honourable Senator Johnson replaced the Honourable Senator Raine (March 1, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights

The Honourable Senator Nancy Ruth replaced the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan (March 5, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Finley replaced the Honourable Senator Maltais (March 1, 2012).

Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages

The Honourable Senator Day replaced the Honourable Senator De Bané, P.C. (March 5, 2012).

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