Debates of the Senate
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CANADA Debates of the Senate 1st SESSION . 39th PARLIAMENT . VOLUME 143 . NUMBER 1 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, April 3, 2006 ^ THE HONOURABLE NOËL A. KINSELLA SPEAKER This issue contains the latest listing of Senators, Officers of the Senate, the Ministry, and Senators serving on Standing, Special and Joint Committees. CONTENTS (Daily index of proceedings appears at back of this issue). Debates and Publications: Chambers Building, Room 943, Tel. 996-0193 Published by the Senate Available from PWGSC ± Publishing and Depository Services, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S5. Also available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 1 THE SENATE Monday, April 3, 2006 THIRTY-NINTH PARLIAMENT [Translation] OPENING OF FIRST SESSION I want to thank you, honourable senators, for your kind words of congratulations. Parliament having been summoned by proclamation to meet this day for the dispatch of business: [English] The Senate met at 10:30 a.m. It is a high honour that we all share in serving the people of Canada in this foundational and critically important House of Parliament. SPEAKER OF THE SENATE [Translation] COMMISSION APPOINTING HONOURABLE NOËL A. KINSELLA COMMUNICATION FROM GOVERNMENT HOUSE The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, having taken the clerk's chair, to inform you that I have received the following communication rose and informed the Senate that a commission had been issued from Government House, which reads as follows: under the Great Seal of Canada, appointing him Speaker of the Senate. RIDEAU HALL The said commission was then read by the clerk. March 20, 2006 Mr. Speaker The Hon. the Speaker then took the chair at the foot of the Throne, to which he was conducted by the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, P.C., and the Honourable Daniel Hays, the Usher of I am commanded to inform you that the Right the Black Rod preceding. Honourable Beverley McLachlin, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, in her capacity as Deputy of the Governor General, will proceed to the Chamber of the Prayers. Senate to open the First Session of the Thirty-ninth Parliament of Canada at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, the [Translation] 3rd day of April, 2006. The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, under the Rules of Yours sincerely, the Senate, when the Speaker of the Senate wishes to make a Barbara Uteck statement, he may do so from his place in the Senate. Secretary to the Governor General [English] The Honourable The Speaker of the Senate Therefore, honourable senators, pursuant to rule 55(3), at a Ottawa subsequent sitting I shall leave the chair and rise in my place in the Senate in order to express my deep gratitude to my predecessor as [English] Speaker, the Honourable Daniel Hays. Senator Hays undertook remarkable work during his tenure as our Speaker, and he has NEW SENATOR been generous with his guidance and wise counsel as I begin my term as Speaker. The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour to inform the Senate that the clerk has received a certificate from . (1040) the Registrar General of Canada showing that the Honourable Michael Fortier has been summoned to the Senate: On a further procedural note, honourable senators will have observed that the long Westminster parliamentary practice of INTRODUCTION dragging a chamber member to the Speaker's chair has been maintained. This practice relates to an earlier time when the The Hon. the Speaker having informed the Senate that there Speaker was often placed in harm's way as he brought before the was a senator without, waiting to be introduced: Crown messages from Parliament that were not overly pleasing to the monarch. We are all familiar with the phrase ``shoot the The following honourable senator was introduced; presented messenger.'' I trust that this earlier practice of a displeased Her Majesty's writ of summons; took the oath prescribed by law, sovereign has been well forgotten. which was administered by the clerk; and was seated: 2 SENATE DEBATES April 3, 2006 Hon. Michael Fortier, P.C., of the Town of Mount Royal, The Honourable the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor Quebec, introduced between Hon. Marjory LeBreton, P.C., and General was pleased to retire. Hon. W. David Angus. The Hon. the Speaker informed the Senate that the honourable [Translation] senator named above had made and subscribed the declaration of qualification required by the Constitution Act, 1867, in the The sitting was resumed. presence of the Clerk of the Senate, the Commissioner appointed to receive and witness the said declaration. COMMUNICATION FROM GOVERNMENT HOUSE The Senate adjourned during pleasure. The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour to inform the Senate that I have received a communication from Government House, which reads as follows: . (1100) RIDEAU HALL At 11:00 a.m. the sitting was resumed, and was then adjourned, April 3, 2006 pending the arrival of the Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General. Sir, [Translation] I have the honour to inform you that Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, Deputy of Her Canada, and His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond will arrive Excellency the Governor General, having come to the Senate and at the Peace Tower at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the 4th day of being seated at the foot of the Throne, April, 2006. The Hon. the Speaker commanded the Usher of the Black Rod When it has been indicated that all is in readiness, Their to proceed to the House of Commons and acquaint that House Excellencies will proceed to the chamber of the Senate to that it is the desire of the Right Honourable the Deputy of Her formally open the First Session of the Thirty-ninth Excellency the Governor General that they attend her Parliament of Canada. immediately in the Senate chamber. Yours sincerely, [English] Barbara Uteck Who being come, Secretary to the Governor General The Hon. the Speaker said: The Honourable The Speaker of the Senate Honourable Members of the Senate: Ottawa Members of the House of Commons: ADJOURNMENT I have it in command to let you know that Her Excellency Hon. Gerald J. Comeau (Deputy Leader of the Government), the Governor General does not see fit to declare the causes with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 59(1)(h), of her summoning the present Parliament of Canada until moved: the Speaker of the House of Commons shall have been chosen, according to law; but tomorrow, Tuesday, April 4, That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand 2006, at the hour of three o'clock in the afternoon, Her adjourned until Tuesday, April 4, 2006, at 3 p.m. Excellency will declare the causes of her calling this Parliament. Motion agreed to. The House of Commons withdrew. The Senate adjourned until tomorrow at 3 p.m. The Hon. the Speaker APPENDIX Officers of the Senate The Ministry Senators (Listed according to seniority, alphabetically and by provinces) Committees of the Senate ii SENATE DEBATES April 3, 2006 THE SPEAKER The Honourable Noël A Kinsella THE LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT The Honourable Marjory LeBreton, P.C. THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION The Honourable Daniel Hays ————— OFFICERS OF THE SENATE CLERK OF THE SENATE AND CLERK OF THE PARLIAMENTS Paul Bélisle DEPUTY CLERK, PRINCIPAL CLERK, LEGISLATIVE SERVICES Gary O'Brien LAW CLERK AND PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL Mark Audcent USHER OF THE BLACK ROD Terrance J. Christopher April 3, 2006 SENATE DEBATES iii THE MINISTRY (In order of precedence) ————— (April 3, 2006) ————— The Right Hon. Stephen Joseph Harper Prime Minister The Hon. Robert Douglas Nicholson Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform The Hon. David Emerson Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics The Hon. Jean-Pierre Blackburn Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec The Hon. Gregory Francis Thompson Minister of Veterans Affairs The Hon. Marjory LeBreton Leader of the Government in the Senate The Hon. Monte Solberg Minister of Citizenship and Immigration The Hon. Chuck Strahl Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board The Hon. Gary Lunn Minister of Natural Resources The Hon. Peter Gordon MacKay Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency The Hon. Loyola Hearn Minister of Fisheries and Oceans The Hon. Stockwell Day Minister of Public Safety The Hon. Carol Skelton Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification The Hon. Vic Toews Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada The Hon. Rona Ambrose Minister of the Environment The Hon. Michael D. Chong President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for Sport The Hon. Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Social Development The Hon. Gordon O'Connor Minister of National Defence The Hon. Beverley J. Oda Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women The Hon. Jim Prentice Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians The Hon. John Baird President of the Treasury Board The Maxime Bernier Minister of Industry The Hon. Lawrence Cannon Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities The Hon. Tony Clement Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario The Hon. James Michael Flaherty Minister of Finance The Hon. Josée Verner Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages The Hon. Michael Fortier Minister of Public Works and Government Services iv SENATE DEBATES April 3, 2006 SENATORS OF CANADA ACCORDING TO SENIORITY (April 3, 2006) Senator Designation Post Office Address THE HONOURABLE Jack Austin, P.C.