The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonBattersBlack (Ontario)BoehmCampbellCormierDalphondDeacon (Ontario)ForestForest-NiesingFureyGagnéGalvezGoldHarderHousakosLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMunsonNgoPatePattersonPlettRinguetteSeidmanTannasWhiteWoo

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonBattersBlack (Ontario)BoehmCampbellCormierDalphondDeacon (Ontario)ForestForest-NiesingFureyGagnéGalvezGoldHarderHousakosLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMarshallMartinMarwahMcCallumMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMunsonNgoPatePattersonPlettRinguetteSeidmanTannasWhiteWoo

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.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

At 2:23 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted on June 23, 2020, the Senate was suspended during pleasure and resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the Government of Canada’s role in addressing anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism and ending systemic racism, the Honourable Senator Ringuette in the Chair.

—In the Committee—

Pursuant to the order adopted on June 22, 2020, the Honourable Bardish Chagger, P.C., M.P, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P and the Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., M.P, each accompanied by one official, were escorted to seats in the Senate Chamber.

Debate.

It was agreed that the chair report to the Senate that the witnesses have been heard.

---

The sitting of the Senate resumed.

The Chair of the Committee stated that the Committee had considered the Government of Canada’s role in addressing anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism and ending systemic racism and had directed her to report the same to the Senate.

Other Business

Reports of Committees – Other

Resuming debate on the consideration of the third report of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, entitled Developments and actions in relation to the committee’s fifth report regarding Senator Beyak, tabled in the Senate on June 22, 2020.

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

Government Business

Bills – Third Reading

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, for the third 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.

After debate,

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

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.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, for the third 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.

After debate,

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

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

Motions

Orders No. 1, 7 and 43 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Other Business

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc, for the second reading of Bill S-208, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (independence of the judiciary).

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Moncion moved, for the Honourable Senator Duncan, seconded by the Honourable Senator McCallum, 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

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

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc, for the second reading of Bill S-214, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Moncion moved, for the Honourable Senator Duncan, seconded by the Honourable Senator McCallum, 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

Orders No. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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

Resuming debate on the 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.

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 and 22 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mockler:

That the workplace assessment report commissioned by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration during the second session of the Forty-first Parliament, entitled Report of Evidence Relating to the Workplace in the Office of Senator Don Meredith, dated July 13, 2015, be referred to the committee during the current session for the purposes of its work on related issues, subject to normal practices relating to confidential documents.

After debate,

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

o o o

Orders No. 26, 30, 31, 47, 51, 52 and 53 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., 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 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

Order No. 56 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1, 3, 4, 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 Moncion moved, for the Honourable Senator Duncan, seconded by the Honourable Senator Woo, 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 Seidman moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Patterson:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology have the power to meet on Friday, June 26, 2020, 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.

INQUIRIES

The Honourable Senator Plett called the attention of the Senate to the presence of racism and discrimination within Canadian institutions.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Patterson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, 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 9:09 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 9 a.m.)

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

Legislative Costing Note of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer entitled Special payment to Disability Tax Credit certificate holders, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-586.

Report of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, entitled Provincial Government Liquidity Outlook, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/43-587.