Journals of the Senate
61 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2012, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 41st Parliament
Issue 58
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Donald H. Oliver, Speaker pro tempore
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Angus, Boisvenu, Braley, Brown, Buth, Callbeck, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, 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, McCoy, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Peterson, Plett, Poirier, Poy, 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, Brown, Buth, Callbeck, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cochrane, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, 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, McCoy, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Peterson, Plett, Poirier, Poy, 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
Tabling of Documents
The Honourable Senator Carignan tabled the following:
Summary of the Corporate Plan for 2012-2016 of Export Development Canada, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4).—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-739.
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Cordy tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the Meeting of the Standing Committee and the Secretaries of Delegation, held in Ponta Delgada, The Azores, Portugal, April 1 and 2, 2011.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-740.
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The Honourable Senator Nolin tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the Visit of the Science and Technology Committee, held in Berlin and Munich, Germany, from May 9 to 12, 2011.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41- 741.
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The Honourable Senator Johnson tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the 65th Annual Meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference, held in Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America, from July 16 to 20, 2011.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-742.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the 64th Annual Meeting of the Council of State Governments-WEST, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America, from July 30 to August 2, 2011.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-743.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the 2011 Legislative Summit of the National Conference of State Legislatures, held in San Antonio, Texas, United States of America, from August 8 to 11, 2011.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-744.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance Conference, held in Washington, D.C., United States of America, from October 2 to 4, 2011.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-745.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the National Conference of the Council of State Governments, held in Bellevue, Washington, United States of America, from October 19 to 23, 2011.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-746.
SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE 'S RULING
I will now deal with the point of order raised by the Honourable Senator Mitchell after Question Period yesterday. The point of order dealt with an article published in this week's edition of The Hill Times, containing certain comments by the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence.
A point of order is typically a complaint or question raised by a senator who believes that the rules, practices, or procedures of the Senate have been incorrectly applied or overlooked during the proceedings, either in the chamber or in committee. I would refer honourable senators to page 632 of the second edition of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, as well as citation 317 of the sixth edition of Beauchesne. While Senator Mitchell may take issue with the comments, they do not involve a departure from our Rules or practices. As such, there is no point of order.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
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Second reading of Bill S-8, An Act respecting the safety of drinking water on First Nation lands.
The Honourable Senator Patterson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mockler, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Dyck moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Watt, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
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.
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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Cordy, seconded by the Honourable Senator Peterson, for the second reading of Bill S-204, An Act to establish a national strategy for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI).
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Johnson, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
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. 33 and 34 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting.
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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wallin, 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.
A point of order was raised with respect to remarks made during the sitting of the Senate on March 6, 2012.
After debate,
The Speaker Pro tempore reserved his decision.
The Senate resumed debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wallin, 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 question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wallin, 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
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Orders No. 20, 23, 24, 18, 29, 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.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):
Summaries of the Corporate Plan for 2011-2012 to 2015-2016 and of the Operating and Capital Budgets for 2011- 2012 of the Old Port of Montreal Corporation Inc., pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4).—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-738.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Eaton:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 3:27 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 Watt replaced the Honourable Senator Moore (March 6, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages
The Honourable Senator De Bané, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Day (March 6, 2012).