The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukBattersBellemareBernardBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBrazeauCampbellCarignanChristmasCoolsCordyCormierDagenaisDawsonDayDeanDowneDoyleDuffyDupuisDyckEatonEggletonEnvergaForestFrumFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJoyalKennyLankinMacDonaldMaltaisMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMitchellMocklerMoncionNeufeldNgoOgilvieOhOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPlettPoirierPratteRaineRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTannasTkachukUngerVernerWallinWattWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndreychukBattersBellemareBernardBlack (Alberta)BoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBrazeauCampbellCarignanChristmasCoolsCordyCormierDagenaisDawsonDayDeanDowneDoyleDuffyDupuisDyckEatonEggletonEnvergaForestFrumFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJoyalKennyLankinMacDonaldMaltaisMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMitchellMocklerMoncionNeufeldNgoOgilvieOhOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPlettPoirierPratteRaineRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSinclairSmithStewart OlsenTannasTkachukUngerVernerWallinWattWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

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

The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of the three year anniversary of the death of Corporal Nathan Cirillo during the attack against the Parliament of Canada on October 22, 2014, and the death of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent also killed during an attack two days earlier.

Senators’ Statements

Pursuant to rule 13-3(4), the Honourable Senator Plett gave notice that he would raise a question of privilege concerning a senator’s written letter, which called upon the House of Commons to interfere with the Senate as an independent chamber.

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Some Honourable Senators made statements.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills

A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-60, An Act to correct certain anomalies, inconsistencies and errors and to deal with other matters of a non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the Statutes of Canada and to repeal certain Acts and provisions that have expired, lapsed or otherwise ceased to have effect, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Bellemare moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading two days hence.

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

Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator Maltais tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, held in Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut, Greenland, Denmark, from May 15 to 18, 2017.—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-1655.

Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

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

That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources have the power to meet on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, at 5 p.m., even though the Senate may then be sitting, and that rule 12-18(1) be suspended in relation thereto.

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

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With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Maltais moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry have the power to meet on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, at 5 p.m., even though the Senate may then be sitting, and that rule 12-18(1) be suspended in relation thereto.

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

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Bills – Messages from the House of Commons

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

Bills – Second Reading

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Black, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mitchell, for the second reading of Bill C-23, An Act respecting the preclearance of persons and goods in Canada and the United States.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Omidvar moved, for the Honourable Senator Moncion, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, that further debate on the motion 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 Wetston, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., for the second reading of Bill C-25, An Act to amend the Canada Business Corporations Act, the Canada Cooperatives Act, the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and the Competition Act.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tkachuk, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

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Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

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

Inquiries

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Third Reading

Orders No. 1 to 3 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Commons Public Bills – Third Reading

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc, for the third reading of Bill C-210, An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender).

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Beyak, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dagenais:

That Bill C-210 be not now read a third time, but that it be amended, on page 1, by adding the following after line 6:

“2 This Act comes into force on the later of July 1, 2017 and the day on which it receives royal assent.”.

And on the subamendment of the Honourable Senator Plett, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:

That the motion in amendment moved by the Honourable Senator Beyak be amended by replacing the words “the later of July 1, 2017 and the day on which it receives royal assent” with the words “November 1, 2017”.

After debate,

The question was put on the subamendment.

Pursuant to rule 9-10(2), a standing vote was deferred until 5:30 p.m. at the next sitting, with the bells to sound at 5:15 p.m. for fifteen minutes.

Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees

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

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., for the second reading of Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of children against standard child-rearing violence).

After debate,

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

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

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Orders No. 2 to 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Commons Public Bills – Second Reading

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

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Ordered, That debate on Order no. 2 be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.

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Second reading of Bill C-309, An Act to establish Gender Equality Week.

The Honourable Senator Dawson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., that the bill be read the second time.

Debate.

Question Period

Pursuant to the order adopted on October 19, 2017, the Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Pursuant to the order adopted on December 10, 2015, the Honourable  Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, entered the Senate and took part in Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Other Business

Commons Public Bills – Second Reading

The Senate resumed debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dawson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., for the second reading of Bill C-309, An Act to establish Gender Equality Week.

After debate,

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

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

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Orders No. 4 and 5 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Reports of Committees – Other

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

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Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Tannas, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells, for the adoption of the sixth report (interim) of the Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization, entitled Senate Modernization: Moving Forward (Speakership), presented in the Senate on October 5, 2016.

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

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

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Orders No. 6 to 8 and 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the consideration of the fifth report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, entitled Positioning Canada’s Electricity Sector in a Carbon Constrained Future, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on March 7, 2017.

Debate concluded.

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Orders No. 15, 29, 33 and 50 to 54 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 31, 73, 89, 92, 139, 146, 158, 174, 189, 206, 215, 223 and 245 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1, 8 and 11 to 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Hubley, calling the attention of the Senate to the current state of literacy and literacy programs on Prince Edward Island, including the need for federal support of the PEI Literacy Alliance.

With leave of the Senate,

Further debate on the inquiry was adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Cordy.

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Orders No. 18 to 20 and 23 to 25 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator McPhedran, calling the attention of the Senate to the important opportunity we have to review our principles and procedures with a view to ensuring that the Senate has the strongest most effective policies and mechanisms possible to respond to complaints against senators of sexual or other kinds of harassment.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Hartling moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bovey, 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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Order No. 28 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Munson, calling the attention of the Senate to the 10th anniversary of its groundbreaking report Pay Now or Pay Later: Autism Families in Crisis.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Christmas moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE

Pursuant to rule 13-5(1), the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the question of privilege of the Honourable Senator Plett concerning a senator’s written letter, which called upon the House of Commons to interfere with the Senate as an independent chamber.

After debate,

The Speaker reserved his decision.

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Bellemare moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 6:10 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)

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 Fisheries and Oceans

The Honourable Senator Dyck was added to the membership (October 24, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade

The Honourable Senator Neufeld replaced the Honourable Senator Eaton (October 24, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Eaton replaced the Honourable Senator Neufeld (October 23, 2017).

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Boisvenu (October 23, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Marshall replaced the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C. (October 23, 2017).

Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament

The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Plett (October 24, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator Tkachuk (October 23, 2017).

Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

The Honourable Senator Eaton replaced the Honourable Senator Neufeld (October 24, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Neufeld replaced the Honourable Senator Eaton (October 23, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Frum replaced the Honourable Senator Doyle (October 23, 2017).

The Honourable Senator Raine replaced the Honourable Senator Poirier (October 23, 2017).