Journals of the Senate
61 Elizabeth II, A.D. 2012, Canada
Journals of the Senate
1st Session, 41st Parliament
Issue 108
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Bellemare, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Brown, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Duffy, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Massicotte, McCoy, McInnis, McIntyre, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Ngo, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Peterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wallin, White, Zimmer
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Bellemare, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Brown, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Comeau, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Duffy, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, MacDonald, Mahovlich, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Massicotte, McCoy, McInnis, McIntyre, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Ngo, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Peterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wallin, 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.
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
The Honourable Senator Carignan introduced a Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Statutory Instruments Act and to make consequential amendments to the Statutory Instruments Regulations.
The bill was read the first time.
The Honourable Senator Carignan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tkachuk, 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.
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
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 52nd Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum of the Council of State Government's Eastern Regional Conference, held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States of America, from July 20 to 23, 2012.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-1321.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, respecting its participation at the 67th Annual Meeting of the Council of State Government's Midwestern Legislative Conference, held in Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America, from July 15 to 18, 2012.—Sessional Paper No. 1/41-1322.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills — Third Reading
Third reading of Bill S-11, An Act respecting food commodities, including their inspection, their safety, their labelling and advertising, their import, export and interprovincial trade, the establishment of standards for them, the registration or licensing of persons who perform certain activities related to them, the establishment of standards governing establishments where those activities are performed and the registration of establishments where those activities are performed, as amended.
The Honourable Senator Plett moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mockler, that the bill, as amended, be read the third time.
After debate,
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Peterson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Munson, that the bill, as amended, be not now read a third time but that it be amended in clause 103, on page 43, by adding after line 14 the following:
"(2) To assist the Agency in carrying out its responsibilities under subsection (1) in respect of the Safe Food for Canadians Act, the Auditor General of Canada shall, at least once every five years, conduct a resources audit to examine the resources the Agency has and the resources it needs to carry out its food inspection obligations.
(2.1) The Agency may determine the scope of the resources audit, but the resulting report must include
(a) a review of the compliance verification system, including its design and implementation;
(b) an analysis and assessment of the number, capacity and training of inspectors, including how many plants an inspector should be responsible for and the appropriateness of rotation of inspectors;
(c) an analysis and assessment of the financial resources available to inspectors;
(d) an analysis and assessment of the materials, equipment and support services available to inspectors; and
(e) recommendations regarding required changes and implementation strategies.
(2.2) The Agency and its auditor shall provide the Auditor General of Canada with any records, accounts, statements or other information that, in the opinion of the Auditor General of Canada, are necessary to conduct the resources audit.
(2.3) Immediately after the Agency receives a resources audit report, the President must submit a copy of it to the Minister and to the Minister of Health, and the Minister must cause a copy of the report to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first fifteen days on which that House is sitting after the Minister receives the report.".
After debate,
The question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Baker, Callbeck, Campbell, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cordy, Cowan, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, De Bané, Downe, Dyck, Eggleton, Fraser, Furey, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, Hubley, Jaffer, Joyal, Mahovlich, Massicotte, McCoy, Merchant, Mitchell, Moore, Munson, Peterson, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Smith (Cobourg), Tardif, Zimmer—35
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Bellemare, Boisvenu, Braley, Brazeau, Brown, Buth, Carignan, Champagne, Comeau, Dagenais, Demers, Doyle, Duffy, Eaton, Enverga, Finley, Fortin-Duplessis, Frum, Gerstein, Greene, Housakos, Johnson, Lang, LeBreton, MacDonald, Maltais, Marshall, McInnis, McIntyre, Meredith, Mockler, Nancy Ruth, Ngo, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oliver, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Rivard, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Smith (Saurel), St. Germain, Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wallin, White—57
ABSTENTIONS
The Honourable Senators
Nil
The question then being put on the motion of the Honourable Senator Plett, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mockler, that Bill S-11, as amended, be read the third time, it was adopted, on division.
The bill, as amended, was then read the third time and passed, on division.
Ordered, That the Clerk do go down to the House of Commons and acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, to which it desires its concurrence.
Inquiries
Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
At 4:02 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on October 18, 2011, the Senate adjourned until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator Lang replaced the Honourable Senator Wallin (October 16, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senator Maltais replaced the Honourable Senator Buth (October 16, 2012).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan replaced the Honourable Senator Martin (October 16, 2012).