Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 41st Parliament
Issue 79
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Boisvenu, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Furey, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Jaffer, Joyal, Kenny, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McInnis, McIntyre, Merchant, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Poirier, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Seidman, Seth, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Watt, White
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, *Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Boisvenu, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Charette-Poulin, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Furey, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, *Hubley, Jaffer, Joyal, Kenny, Kinsella, Lang, LeBreton, *Lovelace Nicholas, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McInnis, McIntyre, Merchant, *Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, *Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Nolin, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Poirier, *Raine, *Ringuette, Rivard, Rivest, Robichaud, Runciman, Seidman, Seth, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tkachuk, Unger, Verner, Wallace, Watt, *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
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Bills — Second Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees — Other
Orders No. 1 to 7 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Senate Public Bills — Third Reading
Third reading of Bill S-221, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against public transit operators).
The Honourable Senator Runciman moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Nancy Ruth, that the bill be read the third time.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the third time and passed.
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.
Commons Public Bills — Third Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Senate Public Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 to 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills — Second Reading
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Martin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall, for the second reading of Bill C-525, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Public Service Labour Relations Act (certification and revocation — bargaining agent).
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 2 to 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Private Bills — Second Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees — Other
Orders No. 1 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Orders No. 66, 55, 60, 73, 8, 47, 74, 62, 69 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Cowan, seconded by the Honourable Senator Munson:
That a Special Committee on Equalization and Fiscal Federalism be appointed to consider whether the current formulae for equalization and other related federal transfers affect the ability of Canadians living in all regions of the country to access a basic standard of public services without facing significantly different levels of taxation.
That the committee be composed of nine members, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection and that four members constitute a quorum;
That, the committee have power to send for persons, papers and records; to examine witnesses; and to publish such papers and evidence from day to day as may be ordered by the committee;
That, notwithstanding rule 12-18(2)(b)(i), the committee have power to sit from Monday to Friday, even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding one week; and
That the committee be empowered to report from time to time and to submit its final report no later than March 31, 2015.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Day moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Robichaud, P.C., that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Inquiries
Orders No. 14, 21 and 20 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Nolin, calling the attention of the Senate to its role in representing the regions of the Canadian federation.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Cowan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
With leave of the Senate,
The Honourable Senator Kinsella tabled the following:
Document entitled: "A Welcome Complement'', What the SCC Reference Means for the Senate and Possible Reforms, dated July 23, 2014, presented to the 52nd Canadian Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. —Sessional Paper No. 2/41-766S.
° ° °
Orders No. 23, 27, 34, 5, 33, 30, 31, 15, 17, 22, 18, 19, 28, 8 and 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Maltais, calling the attention of the Senate to the protection of the Atlantic salmon sports fishery in the marine areas of eastern Canada, and the importance of protecting Atlantic salmon for future generations.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Eaton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Orders No. 13 and 25 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Callbeck, calling the attention of the Senate to the well- documented connection between health and poverty, and to the pressing need to alleviate the burden poverty places on our healthcare system and on millions of Canadians.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moore, that further debate on the inquiry 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 14-1(7):
Report of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, together with the Auditor General's Report, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, pursuant to the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, S.C. 1997, c. 9, s. 72.—Sessional Paper No. 2/ 41-765.
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 3:22 p.m. the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.)
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Honourable Senator Eaton replaced the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan (September 23, 2014).
The Honourable Senator Maltais replaced the Honourable Senator Johnson (September 23, 2014).
Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
The Honourable Senator White replaced the Honourable Senator Plett (September 23, 2014).
The Honourable Senator Lang replaced the Honourable Senator Frum (September 23, 2014).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senator Oh replaced the Honourable Senator Wells (September 23, 2014).
The Honourable Senator Wells replaced the Honourable Senator Runciman (September 23, 2014).
The Honourable Senator Downe was removed from the membership of the committee, substitution pending (September 23, 2014).
Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
The Honourable Senator Batters replaced the Honourable Senator Plett (September 23, 2014).