The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBlack (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBussonCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuncanDupuisForestForest-NiesingFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcInnisMcPhedranMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgoOmidvarPatePetitclercPlettRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithStewart OlsenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBattersBellemareBernardBlack (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerBrazeauBussonCarignanCordyCormierCotterCoyleDalphondDaskoDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuncanDupuisForestForest-NiesingFrancisFureyGagnéGalvezGoldGreeneGriffinHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKeatingKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaLovelace NicholasMacDonaldManningMarshallMartinMarwahMassicotteMcInnisMcPhedranMitchellMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgoOmidvarPatePetitclercPlettRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithStewart OlsenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo

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:

Report of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer entitled Surtaxes on Steel, Aluminum, and Other Goods: Issues for Parliamentarians, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-369.

Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné:

That pursuant to rules 12-1 and 12-2, the Honourable Senators Woo, Saint-Germain, Omidvar, Duncan, Ringuette, Plett, Stewart Olsen, Downe and Cordy be appointed a Committee of Selection to nominate:

(a)a senator to preside as Speaker pro tempore; and

(b)the senators to serve on the several committees, except the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, during the present session; and

That the Committee of Selection report with all convenient speed the names of the senators so nominated.

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

o o o

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Woo moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett:

That, for the remainder of the current session, and notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or usual practice:

1.the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence have a membership of twelve senators, other than the ex officio members, provided that if the Senate has adopted a report of the Committee of Selection nominating the members to serve on the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence before the adoption of this order, the Committee of Selection be authorized to present a new report to nominate the three additional members to serve on the committee;

2.except in the case of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators:

(a)except as provided in sub-paragraph (b), if a senator ceases to be a member of a particular recognized party or recognized parliamentary group for any reason, he or she simultaneously cease to be a member of any committee of which he or she is then a member, with the resulting vacancy to be filled by the leader or facilitator of the party or group to which the senator had belonged, following the processes established in rule 12-5;

(b)if a senator ceases to be a member of a recognized party or recognized parliamentary group because that party or group ceases to exist, he or she remain a member of any committee of which he or she was a member, subject to the provisions of sub-paragraph (c); and

(c)if a non-affiliated senator joins a recognized party or recognized parliamentary group, he or she thereby cease to be a member of any committee of which he or she is then a member, with the resulting vacancy to be filled either by order of the Senate or the adoption by the Senate of a report of the Committee of Selection;

3.the following committees be empowered to elect two deputy chairs:

(a)the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration;

(b)the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament;

(c)the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; and

(d)the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence;

4.if a committee has elected two deputy chairs:

(a)the reference to the deputy chair in rule 12-18(2)(b)(ii) be understood as referring to both deputy chairs of that committee acting together;

(b)the reference to the deputy chair in rule 12-23(6) be understood as referring to either deputy chair of that committee; and

(c)any reference to the deputy chair of a committee in any policy or guideline adopted by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration be understood as referring to both deputy chairs acting together, until the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration decides otherwise;

5.if a committee establishes a Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, the members of the subcommittee other than the chair be authorized to direct the clerk of the committee to convene a meeting of the committee for the purposes of considering a draft agenda by sending a letter to the clerk, signed by all the members of the subcommittee other than the chair, upon receipt of which the clerk of the committee shall convene a meeting of the committee at the committee’s next meeting time, during a week that the Senate sits, according to the agreed upon schedule for committee meetings that is more than 24 hours after the receipt of the letter;

6.for greater certainty, if a meeting of a committee is convened pursuant to the terms of paragraph 5 of this order, and the chair is absent, a deputy chair or acting chair preside over the meeting; and

7.the Committee of Selection be a standing committee.

After debate,

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

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Motions

Orders No. 1 and 7 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine and report upon the expenditures set out in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021; and

That, for the purpose of this study, the committee have the power to meet, even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, and that rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) be suspended in relation thereto.

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Private Bills – Second Reading

Second reading of Bill S-1001, An Act respecting Girl Guides of Canada.

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

After debate,

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

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 1, 3 and 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 25, 26, 30 and 31 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Pate, calling the attention of the Senate to the need to examine and evaluate concrete measures available to the Senate to support the implementation of guaranteed livable income initiatives and to promote substantive equality for all Canadians.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, for the Honourable Senator Duncan, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wetston, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

o o o

Order No. 15 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

MOTIONS

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

That the thirteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages entitled Modernizing the Official Languages Act: Views of the Federal Institutions and Recommendations, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 13, 2019, during the first session of the Forty-second Parliament, be placed on the Orders of the Day under Other Business, Reports of Committees — Other, for consideration at the next sitting.

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

o o o

The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Coyle:

That the thirty-second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce entitled Open Banking: What it Means for You, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 19, 2019, during the first session of the Forty-second Parliament, be placed on the Orders of the Day under Other Business, Reports of Committees — Other, for consideration at the next sitting.

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

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Munson called the attention of the Senate to the abuse of human rights and democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.

After debate,

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

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

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 3:41 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 Manning replaced the Honourable Senator Wells (March 11, 2020).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Boehm replaced the Honourable Senator Keating (March 11, 2020).

The Honourable Senator Forest-Niesing replaced the Honourable Senator Loffreda (March 11, 2020).