The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukAtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBrazeauCampbellCarignanChristmasCoolsCordyCormierDawsonDayDeanDowneDoyleDuffyDupuisDyckEatonEggletonEnvergaFraserFrumFureyGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHousakosHubleyJoyalKennyLangLankinLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMégieMitchellMocklerMoncionNeufeldNgoOgilvieOmidvarPattersonPetitclercPlettPratteRinguetteRuncimanSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTannasTkachukUngerVernerWallinWellsWetstonWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukAtaullahjanBakerBattersBellemareBernardBeyakBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBrazeauCampbellCarignanChristmasCoolsCordyCormier*DagenaisDawsonDayDeanDowneDoyleDuffyDupuisDyckEatonEggletonEnvergaFraserFrumFurey*GagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarder*HartlingHousakosHubleyJoyalKennyLangLankinLovelace NicholasMacDonald*MaltaisManningMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyre*McPhedranMégie*MercerMitchellMocklerMoncion*MunsonNeufeldNgoOgilvie*OhOmidvar*PatePattersonPetitclercPlettPratteRinguetteRuncimanSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTannas*TardifTkachukUngerVernerWallinWellsWetstonWoo

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 Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Day tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the 2016 Spring Session, held in Tirana, Albania, from May 26 to 30, 2016.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1125.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Bills – Messages from the House of Commons

A message was brought from the House of Commons in the following words:

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

ORDERED,— That a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint their Honours that, in relation to Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Public Service Labour Relations Act, the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board Act and other Acts and to provide for certain other measures, the House:

proposes that amendment 1 be amended by replacing all the words after the word “construed” with the following:

“as affecting the right or authority of the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act to ensure that police operations are effective.”;

respectfully disagrees with amendments 2 and 4(a) because the government has introduced legislation to repeal secret ballot provisions for other public servants in order to achieve balance in workplace relations, further proof of the government’s intention to maintain a good-faith relationship with bargaining agents, including any future bargaining agents for RCMP members and reservists;

respectfully disagrees with amendments 3, 6, and 7 because, while agreeing with the removal of restrictions specific to the RCMP in order to allow meaningful discussions in good faith on topics of importance to RCMP members and reservists, such as harassment, removing restrictions on collective bargaining that have applied to the rest of the public service would upset processes that have worked for over 40 years;

proposes that amendment 4(b) be amended to read as follows:

on page 19, in the English version, add after the words “implementation of the term or condition;” the word “or”;

proposes that amendment 4(c) be amended to read as follows:

on page 20,

(i) replace line 7 with the following: “sation Act.”;

(ii) delete lines 8 to 19;

proposes that amendment 4(d) be amended to read as follows:

on page 21, replace lines 1 to 32 with the following:

“(a) doing so would require the enactment or amendment of any legislation by Parliament, except for the purpose of appropriating money required for the implementation of the term or condition;

(b) the term or condition is one that has been or may be established under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pension Continuation Act, the Public Service Employment Act, the Public Service Superannuation Act or the Government Employees Compensation Act; or

(c) doing so would affect either of the following:

(i) the organization of the public service, the categories of members as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act or the assignment of duties to, and the classification of, positions and persons employed in the public service, or

(ii) the right or authority of the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act to ensure that police operations are effective.”;

respectfully disagrees with amendment 4(e), 5, 8, 9, and 10 because they would result in two different grievance processes applying to RCMP members, because the specialized grievance and appeal processes established under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act function well, and because allowing RCMP members to file identical grievances under two acts could undermine the Commissioner’s ability to ensure effective police operations.

ATTEST

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mitchell, that the message be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.

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

o o o

Consideration of the message from the House of Commons concerning Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bellemare:

That the Senate concur in the amendment made by the House of Commons to its amendment 1(b) to Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make related amendments to other Acts; and

That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that house accordingly.

After debate,

The question was put on the motion.

Pursuant to rule 9-3, a standing vote was requested, with the bells to ring for fifteen minutes.

Ordered, That the standing vote be not proceeded with.

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

Bills – Second Reading

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Bellemare, for the second reading of Bill C-22, An Act to establish the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and to make consequential amendments to certain Acts.

After debate,

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

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

ADJOURNMENT

At 4 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on February 4, 2016, the Senate adjourned until 1:30 p.m., tomorrow.

DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 14-1(7)

Report on the administration of the Firearms Act for the year 2016, pursuant to the Act, S.C. 1995, c. 39, sbs. 93(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1124.

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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5 and to the Order of the Senate of December 7, 2016

Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples

The Honourable Senator Manning was added to the membership (May 17, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Omidvar replaced the Honourable Senator Marwah (May 17, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Martin replaced the Honourable Senator Raine (May 17, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

The Honourable Senator Marshall replaced the Honourable Senator Plett (May 16, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade

The Honourable Senator Smith replaced the Honourable Senator Oh (May 17, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

The Honourable Senator Gold replaced the Honourable Senator Pate (May 17, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Sinclair replaced the Honourable Senator Dean (May 17, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator McIntyre (May 16, 2017).

The Honourable Senator MacDonald replaced the Honourable Senator Dagenais (May 16, 2017).