Journals of the Senate

The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldAtaullahjanAucoinBattersBernardBlackBoehmBoudreauBoyerBrazeauBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGerbaGignacGreenwoodHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacAdamManningMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoncionMoodieMoreauOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRobinsonRossSeniorSimonsSorensenSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWells (Alberta)Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldAtaullahjanAucoinBattersBernardBlackBoehmBoudreauBoyerBrazeauBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGerbaGignacGreenwoodHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacAdamManningMcBeanMcCallumMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMohamedMoncionMoodieMoreauOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRobinsonRossSeniorSimonsSorensenSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWells (Alberta)Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

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 on the occasion of the National Day of Mourning.

Senators’ Statements

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Ringuette, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, presented the third report (interim) of the committee, entitled Membership of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators.

(The report is printed as an appendix at pages 835-878 (available in print format PDF).)

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

The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc, 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.

First Reading of Commons Public Bills

A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-225, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill was read the first time.

The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters, 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.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

A message was brought from the House of Commons in the following words:

Monday, April 27, 2026

EXTRACT, —

That, for the duration of the 45th Parliament:

(a)Standing Order 104(1) be amended by replacing the words “consist of 10 members” with the words “consist of 12 members”;

(b)paragraph (a)(i) of the order adopted on June 5, 2025, be rescinded, and Standing Order 104(2) be amended by replacing the words “consist of 10 members” with the words “consist of 12 members” and by adding after the words “12 members” the following: “which shall be composed of seven members from the Liberal Party, four members from the Conservative Party and one member from the Bloc Québecois, except for the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, which shall consist of 10 members and be composed of five members from the Liberal Party, four members from the Conservative Party and one member from the Bloc Québécois, and for which the lists of members are to be prepared, except as provided in section (1) of this standing order, shall be on:”;

(c)for greater certainty, the membership of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament be increased by two members of the House of Commons from the government party and the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations be increased by one member of the House of Commons from the government party;

(d)the Clerk of the House be authorized to make any required editorial and consequential alterations to the Standing Orders, including to the marginal notes;

(e)paragraph (a) of the order adopted on November 20, 2025, be amended by replacing the words “11 members of the House of Commons, including five members of the House of Commons from the government party,” with the words “12 members of the House of Commons, including six members of the House of Commons from the government party,”;

(f)paragraph (b) of the order adopted on February 13, 2026, be amended by replacing the words “10 members of the House of Commons be members of the committee, including five members of the House of Commons from the governing party,” with the words “12 members of the House of Commons be members of the committee, including seven members of the House of Commons from the governing party,”;

(g)notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice of the House, the whip of the recognized party affected by the above changes to the composition of committees submit his membership changes to the Clerk of the House following the adoption of this order, and these changes be effective immediately; and

that a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint Their Honours that this House has adopted this order, and inviting Their Honours to concur in the changes made under paragraphs (e) and (f) of this order.

ATTEST

The Honourable Senator Moreau, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, that the message 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 Business

Bills – Third Reading

Third reading of Bill C-13, An Act to implement the Protocol on the Accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The Honourable Senator Petten moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, that the bill be read for the third time.

After debate,

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

The bill was then read for 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.

Bills – Second Reading

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Wells (Alberta), seconded by the Honourable Senator Cardozo, for the second reading of Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places).

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan, 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, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

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

Inquiries

Order No. 1 was 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.

o o o

Third reading of Bill S-205, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, as amended.

The Honourable Senator Pate moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator MacAdam, that the bill, as amended, be read for the third time.

After debate,

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

The bill, as amended, was then read for the third time.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, to which it desires its concurrence.

Senate Public Bills – Second Reading

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

o o o

Ordered: That consideration of Order No. 15 be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.

o o o

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

Commons Public Bills – Second Reading

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 4, 9, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 23 and 24 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Consideration of the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, entitled Standing United Against Antisemitism: Protecting Communities and Strengthening Canadian Democracy, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on April 21, 2026.

The Honourable Senator Senior moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Busson:

That the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, entitled Standing United Against Antisemitism: Protecting Communities and Strengthening Canadian Democracy, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, be adopted and that, pursuant to rule 12-23(1), the Senate request a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Justice being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report, in consultation with the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.

After debate,

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

Motions

Orders No. 3, 4, 5, 7 and 13 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and 9 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

o o o

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario), calling the attention of the Senate to the vital role that physical activity and sport play in enhancing our well-being, strengthening our communities and shaping the fabric of the Canadian experience.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Batters moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan, 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

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Coyle, calling the attention of the Senate to the final report of the Canadian Youth Climate Assembly.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Kingston moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Clement, 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

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Loffreda, calling the attention of the Senate to the vital role that immigrants have played — and continue to play — in shaping Canada’s economic growth, cultural richness and social fabric.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Kingston moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Clement, 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. 13 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Petten moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

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

(Accordingly, at 6:21 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)

Response to Question No. 35, dated February 24, 2026, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Clement, regarding spending cuts at Correctional Service Canada.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1023S.

Response to Question No. 36, dated February 25, 2026, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Lewis, regarding the import of adulterated honey to Canada — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Public Safety.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1024S.

Response to Question No. 37, dated February 25, 2026, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Prosper, regarding the Departmental Reference Level Units (Indigenous Services Canada).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1025S.

Response to Question No. 38, dated February 25, 2026, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Prosper, regarding the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1026S.

Response to Question No. 39, dated February 25, 2026, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Prosper, regarding the Departmental Reference Level Units (Fisheries and Oceans Canada).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1027S.

Interim Order Respecting the Recycling of Vessels, pursuant to the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, S.C. 2001, c. 26, sbs. 10.1(7).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1028.

Report of the Governor of the Bank of Canada and Statement of Accounts, together with the Auditors’ Report, for the year ended December 31, 2025, pursuant to the Bank of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. B-2, sbs. 30(3).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1029.

Triennial Report of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization for the years 2023 to 2025, together with the Auditors’ Report, pursuant to the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act, S.C. 2002, c. 23, s. 19.1.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1030.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Special Joint Committee on the Exercise of Powers Under the Building Canada Act

The Honourable Senator White replaced the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C. (April 27, 2026).

The Honourable Senator Hébert replaced the Honourable Senator Varone (April 24, 2026).

Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights

The Honourable Senator Arnot replaced the Honourable Senator Pate (April 28, 2026).

The Honourable Senator Pate replaced the Honourable Senator Arnot (April 24, 2026).

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Mohamed replaced the Honourable Senator Forest (April 24, 2026).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The Honourable Senator Youance replaced the Honourable Senator Galvez (April 28, 2026).

Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

The Honourable Senator Al Zaibak replaced the Honourable Senator Ross (April 27, 2026).

The Honourable Senator Ross replaced the Honourable Senator Al Zaibak (April 27, 2026).

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

The Honourable Senator Wilson replaced the Honourable Senator Cardozo (April 28, 2026).