Journals of the Senate
2 Charles III , A.D. 2023, Canada
1st Session, 44th Parliament
Issue 170 (Unrevised)
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
2 p.m.
The Honourable RAYMONDE GAGNÉ, Speaker
The Members convened were:
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoyerBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreenwoodHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMacDonaldMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Nunavut)Patterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenPlettPoirierProsperQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWhiteWooYussuff
The Members in attendance to business were:
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoyerBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDagenaisDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreenwoodHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMacDonaldMarshallMartinMassicotteMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMégieMiville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Nunavut)Patterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenPlettPoirierProsperQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSmithSorensenTannasVernerWallinWellsWhiteWooYussuff
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
Tributes
Tribute was paid to the Honourable Senator Dupuis, who will retire from the Senate on January 17, 2024.
Senators’ Statements
An Honourable Senator made a statement.
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
The Honourable Senator Cotter, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, tabled the twenty-first report of the committee, entitled Document entitled Proposals to correct certain anomalies, inconsistencies, out-dated terminology and errors and to deal with other matters of a non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the Statutes and Regulations of Canada and to repeal certain provisions that have expired, lapsed or otherwise ceased to have effect.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2476S.
The Honourable Senator Cotter presented the following:
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has the honour to present its
TWENTY-SECOND REPORT
Your committee, to which was referred Bill S-231, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Criminal Records Act, the National Defence Act and the DNA Identification Act, has, in obedience to the order of reference of November 3, 2022, examined the said bill and now reports the same with the following amendments:
1.Delete clause 3, page 3.
2.Delete clause 4, pages 3 and 4.
3.Delete clause 16, page 6.
4.Delete clause 18, pages 7 and 8.
5.Clause 20, page 8: Replace lines 39 to 41 with the following:
“(b) the person has no other findings of guilt or discharges for a designated offence or”.
6.Clause 24, page 9: Replace line 19 with the following:
“Act, with specific analysis of the inculpatory and exculpatory effects that DNA sampling have had on Indigenous, Black and racialized populations.”.
Respectfully submitted,
BRENT COTTER
Chair
The Honourable Senator Cotter moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Woo, 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.
The Honourable Senator Galvez presented the following:
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources has the honour to present its
SIXTH REPORT
Your committee, to which was referred Bill S-14, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, the Rouge National Urban Park Act and the National Parks of Canada Fishing Regulations, has, in obedience to the order of reference of October 26, 2023, examined the said bill and now reports the same with the following amendments:
1.Clause 4, page 2:
(a)Replace line 23 with the following:
“section (2)(b), the superintendent shall order the person”; and
(b)replace line 25 with the following:
“measures that they are ordered to take, the Minister shall”.
2.Clause 6, pages 3 and 8:
(a)On page 3,
(i) replace lines 25 and 26 with the following:
“tion of existing cabins, or may issue licences for the personal use or occupation of existing cabins on those lands, and may renew or”,
(ii)replace lines 30 to 32 with the following:
“al Park Reserve of Canada for the personal use or occupation of existing tilts, or may issue licences for the personal use or occupation of existing tilts on”, and
(iii)replace lines 37 to 39 with the following:
“may authorize the personal use or occupation of existing cabins on public lands in the park reserve, or the personal use or occupation of existing tilts on those lands, and”; and
(b)on page 8, delete lines 5 to 8.
3.Clause 19, page 23:
(a)Replace line 26 with the following:
“must order the person to take those measures. If the per-”; and
(b)replace line 28 with the following:
“take, the Minister must take the measures on behalf of”.
Respectfully submitted,
ROSA GALVEZ
Chair
The Honourable Senator Galvez moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cormier, 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 LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:
That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice, and without affecting progress in relation to Bill C-56, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Competition Act:
1.the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine the subject matter of Bill C-56;
2.the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than Routine Proceedings on Thursday, December 14, 2023, and be authorized to deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting; and
3.for the purposes of this study, the committee be authorized to meet even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, with the application of rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) being suspended in relation thereto.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations
The Honourable Senator Dagenais tabled the following:
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, Meetings of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, Rabat, Morocco, March 1 to 3, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2477.
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, 29th Assembly of the Africa Region of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, Niamey, Niger, May 16 to 18, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2478.
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, Parliamentary Mission to the United Nations, New York, New York, United States of America, June 9, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2479.
Report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, IXe Jeux de La Francophonie, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, August 3 to 7, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2480.
The Honourable Senator Cormier tabled the following:
Report of the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association, 49th Annual Meeting, Île de France and Normandy, France, from April 1 to 8, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2481.
The Honourable Senator Wells tabled the following:
Report of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, Second Part of the 2023 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France, from April 24 to 28, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2482.
Report of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, Meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, Washington, D.C., United States of America, from April 25 to 26, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2483.
Report of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Reykjavik, Iceland, May 15, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2484.
Report of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, Third Part of the 2023 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France, from June 19 to 23, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2485.
Question Period
The Senate proceeded to Question Period.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
At 3:30 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted on December 7, 2023, the Senate was suspended during pleasure and resolved into a Committee of the Whole in order to receive Marie-Chantal Girard respecting her appointment as President of the Public Service Commission of Canada, the Honourable Senator Ringuette in the Chair.
—In the Committee—
Pursuant to the order adopted on December 7, 2023, Marie-Chantal Girard, was escorted to a seat in the Senate Chamber.
Debate.
It was agreed that the chair report to the Senate that the witness had been heard.
The sitting of the Senate resumed.
The Chair of the Committee informed the Senate that the committee had heard the witness.
Question Period
The Senate resumed Question Period.
Orders of the Day
Government Business
Motions
The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:
That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice:
1.the Senate resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, to consider the subject matter of Bill C-56, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Competition Act;
2.the Committee of the Whole on the subject matter of Bill C-56 receive the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P., Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, each accompanied by one official, for a period of no more than 65 minutes, after which the committee rise;
3.the witnesses’ introductory remarks last a maximum total of five minutes; and
4.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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Bills – Third Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Bills – Second Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gignac, seconded by the Honourable Senator Klyne, for the second reading of Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Second reading of Bill C-60, An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.
The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., that the bill be read the second time.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The bill was then read the second time.
The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., 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.
Reports of Committees – Other
Orders No. 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Orders No. 1, 131 and 132 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dupuis:
That, in accordance with subsection 4(5) of the Public Service Employment Act, S.C. 2003, c. 22, ss. 12 and 13, the Senate approve the appointment of Marie-Chantal Girard as President of the Public Service Commission, for a term of seven years.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C.:
That, pursuant to section 3 of the Statutes Repeal Act, S.C. 2008, c. 20, the Senate resolve that the Act and the provisions of the other Acts listed below, which have not come into force in the period since their adoption, not be repealed:
1.Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, R.S., c. 33 (2nd Supp.):
-Part II;
2.Contraventions Act, S.C. 1992, c. 47:
-paragraph 8(1)(d), sections 9, 10 and 12 to 16, subsections 17(1) to (3), sections 18 and 19, subsection 21(1) and sections 22, 23, 25, 26, 28 to 38, 40, 41, 44 to 47, 50 to 53, 56, 57, 60 to 62, 84 (in respect of the following sections of the schedule: 2.1, 2.2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7.1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16) and 85;
3. Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Implementation Act, S.C. 1998, c. 32;
4.Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act, S.C. 1999, c. 34:
-sections 155, 157, 158 and 160, subsections 161(1) and (4) and section 168;
5.Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act, S.C. 2000, c. 12:
-subsections 107(1) and (3) and section 109;
6.Yukon Act, S.C. 2002, c. 7:
-sections 70 to 75 and 77, subsection 117(2) and sections 167, 168, 210, 211, 221, 227, 233 and 283;
7.An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, S.C. 2003, c. 26:
-sections 4 and 5, subsection 13(3), section 21, subsections 26(1) to (3) and sections 30, 32, 34, 36 (with respect to section 81 of the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act), 42 and 43;
8. Budget Implementation Act, 2005, S.C. 2005, c. 30:
-Part 18 other than section 125;
9.An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to financial institutions, S.C. 2005, c. 54:
-subsection 27(2), section 102, subsections 239(2), 322(2) and 392(2);
10.Budget Implementation Act, 2009, S.C. 2009, c. 2:
-sections 394, 399 and 401 to 404;
11.Payment Card Networks Act, S.C. 2010, c. 12, s. 1834:
-sections 6 and 7;
12.An Act to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy by regulating certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities, and to amend the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Telecommunications Act, S.C. 2010, c. 23:
-sections 47 to 51, 55 and 68, subsection 89(2) and section 90;
13.Financial System Review Act, S.C. 2012, c. 5:
-sections 54 and 56 to 59;
14.An Act to amend the Railway Safety Act and to make consequential amendments to the Canada Transportation Act, S.C. 2012, c. 7:
-subsections 7(2) and 14(2) to (5);
15.Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act, S.C. 2012, c. 17:
-sections 70 to 77;
16.Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, S.C. 2012, c. 19:
-sections 459, 460, 462 and 463;
17.Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, S.C. 2012, c. 31:
-sections 361 to 364;
18.Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act, S.C. 2013, c. 24:
-sections 12, 13 and 46;
19.Yale First Nation Final Agreement Act, S.C. 2013, c. 25:
-sections 1 to 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24;
20.Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1, S.C. 2013, c. 33:
-subsection 228(2); and
21.Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2, S.C. 2013, c. 40:
-sections 263, 266 and 267.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Inquiries
Orders No. 3, 4, 5 and 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Other Business
Senate Public Bills – Third Reading
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills – Third Reading
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wells, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters, for the third reading of Bill C-234, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, as amended.
Debate.
DEFERRED VOTES
At 5:30 p.m., pursuant to rule 9-10(2), the Senate proceeded to the taking of the deferred standing vote on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., to the motion of the Honourable Senator Yussuff, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, for the third reading of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).
The question being put on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Poirier:
That Bill C-21 be not now read a third time, but that it be amended on page 28 by adding the following after line 20:
“13.01 Section 231 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (6.2):
(6.3) Irrespective of whether a murder is planned and deliberate on the part of a person, murder is first degree murder when the death is caused by that person’s discharge of a firearm at or into a public place as defined in section 150.”.
The motion in amendment was negatived on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
AtaullahjanBattersBoisvenuCarignanDagenaisHousakosMacDonaldMarshallMartinMocklerOhPlettPoirierSeidmanWells—15
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
AndersonArnotAucoinBellemareBernardBlackBoehmBonifaceBoyerBureyBussonCardozoClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDuncanDupuisForestFrancisGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreenwoodHarderHartlingJafferKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinLoffredaMassicotteMcNairMégieMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenProsperQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSimonsSorensenVernerWhiteWooYussuff—66
ABSTENTIONS
The Honourable Senators
RichardsSmithWallin—3
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Yussuff, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, for the third reading of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).
Debate.
Pursuant to rule 3-3(1), the Speaker left the Chair to resume the same at 8 p.m.
The sitting resumed.
Government Business
Bills – Third Reading
The Senate resumed debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Yussuff, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, for the third reading of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).
After debate,
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Plett moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin:
That Bill C-21 be not now read a third time, but that it be amended in clause 43, on page 49, by replacing lines 27 to 34 with the following:
“(i) that they are participating in a handgun shooting discipline,
(ii) the disciplines in which they participate, and
(iii) that the handgun in question is appropriate and necessary for participating in those disci-”.
After debate,
The question was put on the motion in amendment.
Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the standing vote was deferred until 4:15 p.m. at the next sitting, with the bells to sound at 4 p.m. for fifteen minutes.
Other Business
Commons Public Bills – Third Reading
The Senate resumed debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wells, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters, for the third reading of Bill C-234, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, as amended.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
The bill, as amended, 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 with certain amendments, to which it desires its concurrence.
Order No. 2 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Private Bills – Third Reading
Third reading of Bill S-1001, An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada, as amended.
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, that the bill, as amended, be read for a third time.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Consideration of the eighteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (Bill S-244, An Act to amend the Department of Employment and Social Development Act and the Employment Insurance Act (Employment Insurance Council), with an amendment), presented in the Senate on December 11, 2023.
The Honourable Senator Omidvar moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Clement, that the report be adopted.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Senate Public Bills – Second Reading
Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boisvenu, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin, for the second reading of Bill S-265, An Act to enact the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime Act, to amend the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and to establish a framework for implementing the rights of victims of crime.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Mégie, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cotter, for the second reading of Bill S-280, An Act respecting a national framework on sickle cell disease.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 37 and 38 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Commons Public Bills – Second Reading
Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Martin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall, for the second reading of Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information).
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Loffreda, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 11 and 12 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Reports of Committees – Other
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Moncion, seconded by the Honourable Senator Yussuff, for the adoption of the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, entitled Senate Budget 2023-24, presented in the Senate on February 7, 2023.
Ordered: That further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Housakos.
Orders No. 33, 40, 48, 51, 53, 56, 60 and 61 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Motions
Order No. 3 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:
That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to:
(a)denounce the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime and recognize the Cuban opposition and civil society as valid interlocutors; and
(b)call on the Cuban regime to ensure the right of the Cuban people to protest peacefully without fear of reprisal and repudiation.
Ordered: That further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting, in the name of the Honourable Senator Clement.
Orders No. 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 19, 30, 68, 77, 82 and 96 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia), seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith:
That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to replace its outdated program delivery and information technology systems by urgently accelerating the implementation of user-friendly, digital solutions that transform the public service delivery experience of Canadians, and ultimately reduce the cost of program delivery.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Martin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 113 and 147 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Inquiries
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Dasko, calling the attention of the Senate to the role of leaders’ debates in enhancing democracy by engaging and informing voters.
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Loffreda, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Orders No. 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11 and 12 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Klyne, calling the attention of the Senate to the ongoing business and economic contributions made by Indigenous businesses to Canada’s economy.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 14 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Black, calling the attention of the Senate to the ongoing concerns with respect to Canadian agricultural, wetland, and forest land reallotments, as well as potential food, economic, and social insecurities as a result of reduced capacity for farming, pasture, forestry, and food production both domestically and internationally.
After debate,
The Honourable Senator Clement moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Order No. 17 was called and postponed until the next sitting.
MOTIONS
The Honourable Senator Francis moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Klyne:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples be authorized to examine and report on the federal specific claims policy and process including, but not limited to:
(a)the research and development of specific claims;
(b)the settlement of specific claims including compensation and availability of mediation;
That the committee report to the Senate no later than October 30, 2025;
That the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report; and
That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.
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.
The Honourable Senator Francis moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Klyne:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples be authorized to examine and report on the provisions and operation of the Indigenous Languages Act (S.C. 2019, c. 23) pursuant to Section 49.1 of said Act;
That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2025;
That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate; and
That the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
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.
ADJOURNMENT
The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson 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 11:41 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)
Legislative Costing Note of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer entitled Amendment to the Excise Tax Act to exempt psychotherapy and mental health support services from the GST, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, sbs. 79.2(2).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2473.
Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, pursuant to the Building a Green Prairie Economy Act, S.C. 2022, c. 21, s. 4(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2474.
Copy of the Regulations amending the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Regulations (P.C. 2023-1192), pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), S.C. 2017, c. 21, s. 5.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2475.
Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5
Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
The Honourable Senator Hartling replaced the Honourable Senator Pate (December 12, 2023).