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Journals of the Senate

69 Elizabeth II , A.D. 2020, Canada

1st Session, 43rd Parliament

Issue 25 (Unrevised)

Monday, June 22, 2020
6 p.m.

The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY, Speaker


The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonBattersBlack (Ontario)CampbellCormierCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)Forest-NiesingFureyGagnéGoldHarderHousakosLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMarshallMartinMassicotteMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieMunsonPatePattersonPlettRinguetteSeidmanTannasWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonBattersBlack (Ontario)CampbellCormierCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)Forest-NiesingFureyGagnéGoldHarderHousakosLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMarshallMartinMassicotteMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieMunsonPatePattersonPlettRinguetteSeidmanTannasWhiteWoo

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 Senator Gold, P.C., tabled the following:

Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill C-18, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-582.

Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill C-19, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-583.

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Patterson, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, presented the third report of the committee, entitled Developments and actions in relation to the committee’s fifth report regarding Senator Beyak.

(The report is printed as an appendix at pages 563-814 (available in print format PDF).)

(The HTML version of the report is available on the committee website.)

The Honourable Senator Patterson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, 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.

o o o

The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., for the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, tabled the third report of the committee, entitled Supplementary Estimates (A), 2020-21.—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-584S.

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

Government Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate,

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

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, usual practice or previous order:

1.on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, the business before the Senate at 3 p.m., including the ringing of the bells if then underway, be interrupted for the Senate to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider the expenditures set out in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, and in the Supplementary Estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, during which the committee receive the Honourable Bill Morneau, P.C., M.P., Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., President of the Treasury Board, each accompanied by one official;

2.on Thursday, June 25, 2020, the Senate resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole at the start of Orders of the Day to consider the Government of Canada’s role in addressing anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism and ending systemic racism, during which the committee receive a minister or ministers of the Crown, each accompanied by one official;

3.each committee rise no later than 155 minutes after it begins;

4.during each committee:

(a)the witnesses’ introductory remarks be limited to a combined total of five minutes;

(b)if a senator does not use the entire period of 10 minutes for debate provided under rule 12-32(3)(d), including the responses of the witnesses, that senator may yield the balance of time to another senator;

(c)the provisions of rule 3-3(1) be suspended; and

(d)the ringing of the bells for any deferred standing vote that would conflict with the committee be delayed until the committee has completed its work;

5.on the day one of the committees is to meet:

(a)if a standing vote would take place at the time the committee is to begin, that vote be deferred until after the committee has completed its work;

(b)after the committee has completed its work, the business of the Senate resume at the point it was interrupted for the committee, with the times for debate and other proceedings being unaffected by the interruption; and

(c)until the committee has completed its work, the application of any provision of the Rules or previous order concerning the time of adjournment be suspended and no motion to adjourn the sitting be received; and

6.Government Motion number 39 be discharged from the Order Paper.

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

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Bills – Second Reading

Second reading of Bill C-18, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.

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

After debate,

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

The bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

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

o o o

Second reading of Bill C-19, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.

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

After debate,

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

The bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

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

Motions

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

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Order No. 1 (Bill S-201) was called and, pursuant to rule 4-15(2), dropped from the Order Paper and Notice Paper.

o o o

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

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy, for the second reading of Bill S-203, An Act to amend the National Capital Act (buildings or works of national significance).

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

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

o o o

Ordered: That consideration of Order No. 4 be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.

o o o

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

o o o

Second reading of Bill S-217, An Act to establish the Office of the Commissioner for Children and Youth in Canada.

The Honourable Senator Moodie moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Patterson, that the bill be read the second time.

After debate,

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

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

o o o

Order No. 18 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Second reading of Bill S-219, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Regulation Adapting the Canada Elections Act for the Purposes of a Referendum (voting age).

The Honourable Senator McPhedran moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Forest-Niesing, that the bill be read the second time.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne moved, for the Honourable Senator Omidvar, seconded by the Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario), that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

Private Bills – Second Reading

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Consideration of the second report of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, entitled Consideration of an inquiry report of the Senate Ethics Officer, presented in the Senate on June 18, 2020.

The Honourable Senator Patterson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that the report be adopted.

After debate,

Pursuant to rule 12-30(2), further debate on the motion was adjourned until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 25, 26, 30, 31, 47, 53 and 56 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Bovey, calling the attention of the Senate to the need to renew and further its interest in Arctic issues.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Campbell, 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

Orders No. 14 and 15 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

MOTIONS

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

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice, upon the adoption of this order, and for the remainder of the current session, no Senate committee be considered a standing or special committee for the purposes of paragraphs 62.1(1)(g) and (h) of the Parliament of Canada Act.

After debate,

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

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

o o o

The Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pate:

That a Special Senate Committee on Systemic Racism be appointed to conduct a review of systemic racism in Canada;

That, without limiting its mandate, the committee be authorized:

1.to review the extent and scope of anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, and systemic racism in federal institutions and agencies;

2.to review the federal government’s role in eliminating anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, and systemic racism both within federal institutions and agencies and in Canadian society generally; and

3.to identify priorities and recommendations for government action to combat anti-Indigenous, anti-Black, and systemic racism;

That the committee be composed of 12 members, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection, and that 5 members constitute a quorum;

That the committee have the power to send for persons, papers and records; to hear witnesses; and to publish such papers and evidence from day to day as may be ordered by the committee;

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or usual practices, and taking into account the exceptional circumstances of the current pandemic of COVID-19, the committee have the power to meet by videoconference or teleconference, if technically feasible for any purposes of:

1.the study authorized by this order;

2.an organization meeting pursuant to rule 12-13; or

3.electing a chair or deputy chair if there is a vacancy in either of those positions;

That both senators and witnesses be allowed to participate in meetings of this committee by videoconference or teleconference, with such meetings being considered for all purposes to be meetings of the committee in question, and senators taking part in such meetings being considered for all purposes to be present at the meeting;

That, for greater certainty, and without limiting the general authority granted by this order, when the committee meets by videoconference or teleconference:

1.members of the committee participating count towards quorum;

2.priority be given to ensuring that members of the committee are able to participate;

3.such meetings be considered to be occurring in the parliamentary precinct, irrespective of where participants may be; and

4.the committee be directed to approach in camera meetings with all necessary precaution, taking account of the risks to confidentiality inherent in such technologies;

That, when the committee meets by videoconference or teleconference, the provisions of rule 14-7(2) be applied so as to allow recording or broadcasting through any facilities arranged by the Clerk of the Senate, and, if a meeting being broadcast or recorded cannot be broadcast live, the committee be considered to have fulfilled the requirement that a meeting be public by making any available recording publicly available as soon as possible thereafter;

That there be a minimum of 72 hours’ notice for a meeting of the committee by videoconference or teleconference, subject to technical feasibility;

That, the committee be authorized to report from time to time, submit a comprehensive interim report no later than six months after its organization meeting, and submit its final report no later than six months after the tabling or presenting of the comprehensive interim report;

That the committee be permitted to deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, with the reports then being deemed to have been tabled or presented in the Senate; and

That the committee retain the powers necessary to publicize its findings for 60 days after submitting its final report.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Dasko moved, 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.

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 10:21 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)

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

Interim Order Respecting Certain Requirements for Civil Aviation Due to COVID-19 (81100-3-96), dated June 17, 2020, pursuant to the Aeronautics Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-2, sbs. 6.41(5) and (6).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-580.

Legislative Costing Note of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer entitled Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB): Eight Week Extension, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-581.

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