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Journals of the Senate

2nd Session, 41st Parliament

Issue 153

Tuesday, June 16, 2015
2:00 p.m.

The Honourable Leo Housakos, Speaker

The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Maltais, Manning, 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, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Tkachuk, Wallace, Watt, Wells, White

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Baker, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Campbell, Carignan, Chaput, Cordy, Cowan, Dagenais, Dawson, Day, Downe, Doyle, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, Enverga, Fortin-Duplessis, Fraser, Frum, Furey, Gerstein, Greene, Hervieux-Payette, Housakos, Hubley, Jaffer, Johnson, Joyal, Lang, LeBreton, Lovelace Nicholas, MacDonald, Maltais, Manning, 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, Sibbeston, Smith (Cobourg), Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif, Tkachuk, 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.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Tabling of documents

The Honourable the Speaker tabled the following:

Reports of the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2).—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1268.

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With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Housakos tabled the following:

Report of the Parliamentary Delegation of the Senate, led by the Speaker Pro tempore of the Senate, that travelled to Trinidad and Tobago, from March 15 to 17, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1269S.

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Tardif, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, tabled its sixth report (interim) entitled: Aiming Higher: Increasing Bilingualism of our Canadian Youth.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41- 1270S.

The Honourable Senator Tardif moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), 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.

Tabling of Reports from Inter-Parliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Rivard tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association respecting its Mission to the next two countries to hold the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and its participation at the Second Part of the 2015 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, held in The Hague, Kingdom of The Netherlands; Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Strasbourg, France, from April 13 to 24, 2015.—Sessional Paper No. 2/41-1271.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills — Third Reading

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

°    °    °

Third reading of Bill C-42, An Act to amend the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code and to make a related amendment and a consequential amendment to other Acts.

The Honourable Senator Beyak moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters, that the bill be read the third time.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Batters, Bellemare, Beyak, Black, Carignan, Dagenais, Doyle, Eaton, Enverga, Frum, Gerstein, Greene, Johnson, Lang, LeBreton, MacDonald, Maltais, Manning, Marshall, Martin, McInnis, McIntyre, Meredith, Mockler, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Ngo, Ogilvie, Oh, Patterson, Plett, Poirier, Raine, Rivard, Runciman, Seidman, Sibbeston, Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tkachuk, Wallace, Watt, Wells, White—46

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

Cowan, Furey, Ringuette, Eggleton, Joyal, Hervieux-Payette, Fraser, Smith (Cobourg), Cordy, Jaffer, Chaput, Dawson, Moore, Day, Hubley, Munson, Merchant, Campbell, Lovelace Nicholas, Mitchell, Dyck, Massicotte—22

ABSTENTIONS

The Honourable Senators

Nil

Accordingly, Bill C-42 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, without amendment.

Reports of Committees — Other

Orders No. 1 to 7 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

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Doyle, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dagenais, for the third reading of Bill C-555, An Act respecting the Marine Mammal Regulations (seal fishery observation licence).

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The bill was then read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, without amendment.

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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dagenais, seconded by the Honourable Senator Doyle, for the third reading of Bill C-377, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (requirements for labour organizations);

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Bellemare, seconded by the Honourable Senator Black, that the bill be not now read a third time but that it be amended in clause 1, on page 5,

(a) by replacing line 34 with the following:

"poration;''; and

(b) by adding after line 43 the following:

"(c) labour organizations whose labour relations activities are not within the legislative authority of Parliament;

(d) labour trusts in which no labour organization whose labour relations activities are within the legislative authority of Parliament has any legal, beneficial or financial interest; and

(e) labour trusts that are not established or maintained in whole or in part for the benefit of a labour organization whose labour relations activities are within the legislative authority of Parliament, its members or the persons it represents.''.

After debate,

In amendment, the Honourable Senator Cowan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette, that the motion in amendment be not now adopted but that it be amended as follows:

(a) by deleting the word "and'' at the end of paragraph (a) of the amendment;

(b) by adding the following new paragraph (b) to the amendment:

"(b) by replacing line 36 with the following:

'of which are limited to the'; and''; and

(c) by changing the designation of current paragraph (b) to paragraph (c).

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., that further debate on the subamendment be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Tannas, seconded by the Honourable Senator Oh, for the third reading of Bill C-586, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Parliament of Canada Act (candidacy and caucus reforms).

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Fraser for the Honourable Senator Cowan, moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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 9 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 twelfth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights (budget—study on the Hague Abductions Conventionpower to hire staff), presented in the Senate on June 11, 2015.

The Honourable Senator Jaffer moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cowan, that the report be adopted.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator White, seconded by the Honourable Senator Frum, for the adoption of the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament (amendments to the Rules of the Senate), presented in the Senate on June 11, 2014;

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Cowan, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser, that the report not now be adopted, but that it be amended by:

1. Replacing paragraph 1.(j) with the following:

"That an item of Other Business that is not a Commons Public Bill be not further adjourned; or'';

2. Replacing the main heading before new rule 6-13 with the following:

"Terminating Debate on an Item of Other Business that is not a Commons Public Bill'';

3. Replacing the sub heading before new rule 6-13 with the following:

"Notice of motion that item of Other Business that is not a Commons Public Bill be not further adjourned'';

4. In paragraph 2.6-13 (1), adding immediately following the words "Other Business'', the words "that is not a Commons Public Bill'';

5. In the first clause of Paragraph 2.6-13 (3), adding immediately following the words "Other Business'', the words "that is not a Commons Public Bill'';

6. In the first clause of paragraph 2.6-13 (5), adding immediately following the words "Other Business'', the words "that is not a Commons Public Bill''

7. In paragraph 2.6-13 (7) (c), adding immediately following the words "Other Business'' the words "that is not a Commons Public Bill'';

8. And replacing the last line of paragraph 2.6-13(7) with the following:

"This process shall continue until the conclusion of debate on the item of Other Business that is not a Commons Public Bill'';

And on the subamendment of the Honourable Senator Mitchell, seconded by the Honourable Senator Day, that the amendment be not now adopted but that it be amended by adding immediately after paragraph 8 the following:

9. And that the rule changes contained in this report take effect from the date that the Senate begins regularly to provide live audio-visual broadcasting of its daily proceedings.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Greene moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Andreychuk, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the subamendment, it was adopted.

Motions

Orders No. 8, 136, 73, 9, 55, 62, 60, 113, 47, 79, 66 and 56 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 57, 53, 54, 51 and 52 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Plett, calling the attention of the Senate to the decisions made by certain provinces' law societies to deny accreditation to Trinity Western University's proposed new law school.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Andreychuk, 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. 41, 44, 42, 43, 45, 34, 17, and 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Mercer, calling the attention of the Senate to Senate Reform and how the Senate and its Senators can achieve reforms and improve the function of the Senate by examining the role of Senators in their Regions.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Hubley 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.

MOTIONS

The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Munson:

That the Senate:

(a) take note of the resolution adopted by the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association on June 3, 2015, and tabled in the Senate on June 11, 2015, concerning the rights of persons with albinism, who are subject to widespread discrimination, and whose body parts have been used in witchcraft, exposing them to murder and mutilation; and

(b) encourage all parliamentarians to

(i) exercise their influence within their communities with a view to combatting prejudice and disinformation with respect to albinism and people with albinism,

(ii) educate their fellow citizens with respect to the multiple layers of human rights challenges — including social marginalization, medical and psychological problems, and confinement to poverty — affecting people with albinism, and

(iii) advocate tolerance and adherence to the rule of law to ensure the rights and safety of persons with albinism and exercise extra vigilance in the lead-up to elections.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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The Honourable Senator Gerstein moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate a report relating to its study on the use of digital currency, between June 22 and June 30, 2015, if the Senate is not then sitting; and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Chamber.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

°    °    °

The Honourable Senator Manning moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Runciman:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Monday, December 9, 2013, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in relation to its study on the regulation of aquaculture, current challenges and future prospects for the industry in Canada, be extended from June 30, 2015 to July 31, 2015; and

That the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans be permitted, notwithstanding the usual practice, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate a report relating to its study on the regulation of aquaculture, current challenges and future prospects for the industry in Canada between June 22 and July 31, 2015, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Chamber.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Dyck called the attention of the Senate to the National Roundtable on missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls and the Government of Canada's Action Plan to Address Family Violence and Violent Crimes Against Aboriginal Women and Girls.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Lovelace Nicholas moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

A message was brought from the House of Commons to return Bill S-7, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act and the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts,

And to acquaint the Senate that the Commons has passed this bill, without amendment.

DECLARATIONS OF PRIVATE INTERESTS

Pursuant to rule 15-7(1) of the Rules of the Senate and subsection 12(1) of the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, a declaration of private interest was made as follows:

—By written declaration, dated June 16, 2015, the Honourable Senator Tannas (Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 21, 2015 and other measures).

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Martin, moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Andreychuk:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

(Accordingly, at 6:30 p.m. the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.)


Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Fraser replaced the Honourable Senator Campbell (June 16, 2015).

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

The Honourable Senator Munson replaced the Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C. (June 16, 2015).

Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

The Honourable Senator Cordy replaced the Honourable Senator Chaput (June 16, 2015).

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