Journals of the Senate
2nd Session, 41st Parliament
Issue 144
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Ghislain Maltais, Acting Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Carignan, Chaput, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Downe, Doyle, Eaton, Eggleton, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Maltais, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McInnis, McIntyre, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Runciman, Seidman, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Unger, Wallace, Watt, Wells, White
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Carignan, Chaput, Cools, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Downe, Doyle, Eaton, Eggleton, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Kenny, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Maltais, Marshall, Martin, Massicotte, McInnis, McIntyre, Merchant, Meredith, Mitchell, Mockler, Moore, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Ringuette, Rivard, Runciman, Seidman, Smith (Cobourg), Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Unger, 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.
The Clerk at the Table informed the Senate that the Honourable the Speaker was unavoidably absent.
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser:
That during the absence of the Honourable the Speaker, the Honourable Senator Maltais do preside as Speaker.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Whereupon the Honourable Senator Maltais took the Chair.
PRAYERS
SENATORS' STATEMENTS
Some Honourable Senators made statements.
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
The Honourable Senator Mockler, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, tabled its ninth report entitled: The Importance of Bee Health to Sustainable Food Production in Canada.—Sessional Paper No. 2/ 41-1213S.
The Honourable Senator Mockler moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wallace, that the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
The Honourable Senator Lang presented the following:
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence has the honour to present its
FOURTEENTH REPORT
Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-51, An Act to enact the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act and the Secure Air Travel Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, has, in obedience to the order of reference of Thursday, May 14, 2015, examined the said Bill and now reports the same without amendment but with observations, which are appended to this report.
Respectfully submitted,
DANIEL LANG
Chair
Observations to the Fourteenth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
The Committee notes that in testimony to the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence on May 25, 2015, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness confirmed that the government is prepared to consider measures to ensure greater accountability by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in the use of warrants by requiring the Service to report back to the Security Intelligence Review Committee on its execution of warrants. With regard to privacy rights of Canadians, Minister Blaney advised the Committee that all departments and agencies affected by the information sharing provisions of the Bill will be required to complete a privacy impact assessment in consultation with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, to ensure the privacy rights of Canadians are protected. The Committee welcomes these positive steps by the government.
Following its hearings, the Committee makes the following four observations for consideration by the government.
Extend the period of time for the laying of charges in summary conviction proceedings under s. 25 of the Secure Air Travel Act, from one to five years; take steps to ensure that implementation of the Act can be achieved without placing front-line airline and other staff, as well as members of the public, in unnecessary physical jeopardy and consider future inclusion in s. 8(1) of the words "photograph or other suitable image'' to the information that can be kept in the database.
Enhance Canada's capacity to combat terrorist threats by utilizing the laws passed by Parliament as an effective deterrent. To achieve this, the government should establish a specialized team of lawyers within the department of the Attorney General of Canada to prosecute terrorism cases and ensure judges who are selected to hear terrorism cases have specialized background and training about terrorism.
Make it a criminal offence to be a member of a "designated'' terrorist group in Canada or a de-facto terrorist group (as defined by the courts).
To increase accountability, the government should develop statutory authorities among the national security bodies, in order to provide for the exchange of operational information, referral of investigations, conduct of joint investigations and coordination in the preparation of reports.
Finally, given the rapidly evolving threats to the national security of Canada, and the importance of this legislation to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence will, with the approval of the Senate, conduct a review of Bill C-51, within five years of it receiving Royal Assent.
The Honourable Senator Lang moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Neufeld, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a third reading at the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) respecting its participation at the the 132nd IPU Assembly and related meetings, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from March 28 to April 1, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1214.
° ° °
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 54th Annual Meeting with Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, held in Ottawa, Ontario, from June 6 to 9, 2014.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1215.
Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Governors' Association, held in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America, from August 14 to 17, 2014.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1216.
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 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
OTHER BUSINESS
Commons Public Bills — Third Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
° ° °
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wallace, seconded by the Honourable Senator Rivard, for the third reading of Bill C-591, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security Act (pension and benefits).
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
The bill was then read the third time and passed, on division.
Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, without amendment.
Senate Public Bills — Reports of Committees
Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills — Reports of Committees
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Senate Public Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 to 7 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills — Second Reading
Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees — Other
Consideration of the fifth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages (budget—study on second- language learning), presented in the Senate on May 26, 2015.
The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy, that the report be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
° ° °
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Orders No. 56, 125, 62, 60, 113, 47, 79, 73, 8, 55, 9 and 66 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Orders No. 47, 41, 44, 42, 43, 45, 34, 17, 13, 19 and 21 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Runciman moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:
That during the month of June 2015, for the purposes of its consideration of government legislation, the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs:
(a) have the power to sit even though the Senate may then be sitting, with the application of rule 12-18(1) being suspended in relation thereto; and
(b) be authorized, notwithstanding rule 12-18(2), to meet from Monday to Friday, even though the Senate may be then be adjourned for more than a day but less than a week.
After debate,
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 Chief of Defence Staff on the National Sex Offender Registry for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, pursuant to the National Defence Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-5, sbs. 227.171.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1212.
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 2:27 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 Agriculture and Forestry
The Honourable Senator Enverga replaced the Honourable Senator Ngo (May 27, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
The Honourable Senator Meredith replaced the Honourable Senator Tkachuk (May 26, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Doyle (May 26, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
The Honourable Senator Nancy Ruth replaced the Honourable Senator Bellemare (May 26, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Smith (Saurel) replaced the Honourable Senator Unger (May 26, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Bellemare replaced the Honourable Senator Nancy Ruth (May 26, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
The Honourable Senator White replaced the Honourable Senator Runciman (May 27, 2015).
The Honourable Senator Day replaced the Honourable Senator Jaffer (May 26, 2015).
Committee of Selection
The Honourable Senator Poirier replaced the Honourable Senator Tkachuk (May 27, 2015).
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
The Honourable Senator Beyak replaced the Honourable Senator Enverga (May 26, 2015).