Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 41st Parliament
Issue 29
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
2:00 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, MacDonald, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McInnis, McIntyre, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wells, White
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Buth, Callbeck, Campbell, Carignan, Champagne, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dallaire, Dawson, Day, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, MacDonald, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McInnis, McIntyre, Mercer, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Segal, Seidman, Seth, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Wells, White
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
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable the Speaker tabled the following:
Letter from the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada to the Speaker of the Senate, dated January 29, 2013, concerning the removal of Senators from the Liberal National Parliamentary Caucus.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41- 304S.
SPEAKER'S STATEMENT
Honourable senators, it was clearly important under this unusual circumstance that, prior to calling for Senators' Statements, we should have engaged in discussion on this matter so we could bring some clarity.
There are a couple of issues I will note, as a member of the chamber but also as Speaker. I took note of the fact that a carbon copy of this letter was sent to my colleague the distinguished Speaker of the House of Commons. I can't understand why because we are a separate house. Honourable senators, it is important for the purpose of getting on with our business to note that the Rules of the Senate, as has been indicated by several honourable senators, do provide, a definition of a recognized party, which is "A caucus consisting of at least five senators who are members of the same party political party. The party must have initially been registered under the Canada Elections Act to qualify for this status and have never fallen subsequently below five senators. Each recognized party has a leader in the Senate.''
I think all the conditions of that provision have been met. We've heard from our honourable colleagues who have stated that they are a member of a party that has been duly registered under the Canada Elections Act.
As to the position of the Leader of the Opposition, it is defined in our Rules as "The Senator recognized as the head of the party, other than the Government party with the most Senators. The full title of the Opposition Leader is `Leader of the Opposition in the Senate'.''
As has been indicated by Senator Cowan, he has been elected by his colleagues and, therefore, meets the definition of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Champagne, P.C., tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), respecting its participation at Bilateral Meetings and the XXVI Session of the Europe Regional Assembly of the APF, held in Paris, France, and Chisinau, Moldova, from November 13 to 21, 2013.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-305.
ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS
Pursuant to rule 4-10(2), the Honourable Senator Martin tabled the following:
Reply to Question No. 7, dated November 4, 2013, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Downe, respecting the Enhanced New Veterans Charter Act.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-306S.
Reply to Question No. 8, dated November 4, 2013, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Downe, respecting the government's September 2007 announcement of a "one-time, tax-free, ex gratia payment of $20,000 related to the testing of unregistered U.S. military herbicides, including Agent Orange, at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-307S.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills — Second Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Second reading of Bill C-9, An Act respecting the election and term of office of chiefs and councillors of certain First Nations and the composition of council of those First Nations.
The Honourable Senator Tannas moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oh, that the bill be read the second time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dyck, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 3 and 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 to 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 to 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees — Other
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Orders No. 9, 33 and 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Orders No. 5, 8, 11, 7, 2, 6, 10, 3 and 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 14-1(7):
Summaries of the Corporate Plan for the period 2012-2013 to 2016-2017 and of the Operating and Capital Budgets for 2012-2013 of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4).—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-303
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall:
That the Senate do now adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
(Accordingly, at 4:07 p.m. the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senator Eaton replaced the Honourable Senator LeBreton, P.C. (January 28, 2014).