CANADA Debates of the Senate 2nd SESSION . 37th PARLIAMENT . VOLUME 140 . NUMBER 30 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, December 12, 2002 ^ THE HONOURABLE DAN HAYS SPEAKER 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 Communication Canada ± Canadian Government Publishing, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S9. Also available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 692 THE SENATE Thursday, December 12, 2002 The Senate met at 1:30 p.m., the Speaker in the Chair. I am delighted that several ministers have pointed out how ridiculous the situation was and have spoken out in her favour. It Prayers. is obvious that Jennifer Carroll's intentions were not political in the least, but merely a gesture of gratitude toward her sponsors, [Translation] her friends, her family and everyone who had supported her. ROYAL ASSENT As for Canadian swimming coach Dave Johnson, it seems he may have had an acute over-reaction in calling for the young NOTICE athlete's suspension for six months for what she did. Is Jennifer Carroll not a Canadian from Quebec, after all? The Hon. the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received: Furthermore, we did not get all up in arms when Catriona Lemay-Doan waved the flag of Saskatchewan at the Salt Lake RIDEAU HALL City Winter Olympics. Why should so much significance be attached to the actions of this athlete from Quebec? I am just December 12, 2002 asking. Mr. Speaker, Honourable senators, as far as I can see, Dave Johnson has three options. First, he could resign and make way for a coach I have the honour to inform you that the Right who would focus on athletic performance rather than political Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of propaganda. Second, he should perhaps run for the Canadian Canada, will proceed to the Senate Chamber today, the Alliance. Or, third, he could simply go jump in the lake, or rather 12th day of December, 2002, at 5 p.m., for the purpose of in an Olympic-sized pool! giving Royal Assent to certain bills of law. [English] Yours sincerely, Barbara Uteck CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS Secretary to the Governor General RETIREMENT OF SHIRLEY THOMSON, DIRECTOR The Honourable The Speaker of the Senate Hon. Laurier L. LaPierre: Honourable senators, at the end of Ottawa this month, Ms. Shirley Thomson will retire as Director of the Canada Council for the Arts, a post she has held for the past five years, and a remarkable five years it has been. [English] Ms. Thomson admits it took her a long time to discover a career, one that began in 1981 when she received her Ph.D. in art history at McGill University. After directing the destinies of the SENATORS' STATEMENTS McCord Museum in Montreal, the Canadian Commission of UNESCO and the National Gallery, she finally came to the QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE Canada Council for the Arts. NOTICE Since beginning her career, she has devoted her time to helping Canadians, and the world, I might add, to grasp the value and the Hon. E. Leo Kolber: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 43, I possibilities of art in the life of a nation and of individuals. With give oral notice that I wish to raise a question of privilege, written dynamism and intensity she pursued the difficult but attainable notice of which I gave to the clerk's office this morning. goal of excellence, while encouraging the birth of new institutions devoted to creative purposes. She managed her portfolio with [Translation] great skill, demanding of others the maximum of themselves, as she gave of herself every day. COMMONWEALTH GAMES . (1340) SWIMMING CANADA—ADMONISHMENT OF COMPETITOR FOR WAVING QUEBEC FLAG She is the main founder of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies and she will continue in her role Hon. Jean Lapointe: Honourable senators, I rise to speak today there. We shall all be the better for it. out of indignation about the hue and cry stirred up by Swimming Canada when Montreal swimmer Jennifer Carroll waved a Mr. Jean-Louis Roux, the great actor and Chairman of the Quebec fleur-de-lis flag at the last Commonwealth Games. Canada Council for the Arts, said: December 12, 2002 SENATE DEBATES 693 She has devotion, conviction, generosity and moreover, she SENATE DELEGATION TO has faith....She believes in what she is doing and she believes FRANCE, ITALY AND THE VATICAN in the importance of arts and culture in our society and she is constantly fighting for the politicians to be convinced of MARCH 5-7, 2002—REPORT TABLED that importance. Hon. Dan Hays: Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate, Her successor, we are told, will be John Hobday, the Executive pursuant to rule 28(4), I have the honour to table a report of the Director of the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation Senate Parliamentary Delegation led by me, that visited France, in Montreal. If that is the case, then it will be a magnificent gift to Italy and the Vatican, from March 5 to 7 and beyond, in the Ms. Thomson. year 2002. As for this chamber, honourable senators, the Senate should [Translation] give her the gift of creating a standing committee on arts and culture and dedicating it to her. INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS I do not know whether this is possible, but I believe in the AND ADMINISTRATION possibility of miracles. SEVENTH REPORT OF COMMITTEE PRESENTED NUNAVUT Hon. Lise Bacon, Chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, presented the following COURT RULING GRANTING INTERIM INJUNCTION report: AGAINST CERTAIN SECTIONS OF FIREARMS ACT Thursday, December 12, 2002 Hon. Charlie Watt: Honourable senators, I should like to add to my remarks yesterday concerning the ruling on firearms that The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets came down from the Nunavut Court of Justice. It is only proper and Administration has the honour to present its for me to read from a news release that I have which, in relation to that ruling, states: SEVENTH REPORT Justice Browne's decision granting an interim injunction Your Committee recommends that the following funds be until the hearing of the stay motion temporarily exempts the released for fiscal year 2002-2003. Inuit of Nunavut from the application of: Section 112(1) of the Firearms Act, which makes it an Legal and Constitutional Affairs (Legislation) offence to not register a firearm, and Professional and Other Services $ 11,600 Transport and Communications $ 3,270 Section 91 and 92 of the Criminal Code, which makes Other Expenditures $ 1,000 it an offence to use a firearm that is not registered. Total $ 15,870 Nunavimmiut have a temporary injunction. In other words, registration will not apply until the matter is heard. Respectfully submitted, LISE BACON Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! Chair The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this report be taken into consideration? ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS On motion of Senator Bacon, notwithstanding rule 58(1)(g), report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration later this day. PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA [English] OCTOBER 13-18, 2001—REPORT TABLED STUDY ON PUBLIC INTEREST Hon. Dan Hays: Honourable senators, I rise to table reports of IMPLICATIONS OF BANK MERGERS delegations that I, as Speaker, led to China last fall, and to France, Italy and the Vatican this spring. REPORT OF BANKING, TRADE AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE TABLED Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate, pursuant to rule 28(4), I have the honour to table a report of a Joint Hon. E. Leo Kolber: Honourable senators, I have the honour to Parliamentary Delegation to the People's Republic of China from table the sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on October 13 to 18, 2001, as part of the ongoing parliamentary Banking, Trade and Commerce, concerning its special study into exchanges between China and Canada. the public interest implications for large bank mergers. 694 SENATE DEBATES December 12, 2002 The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this Thursday, December 12, 2002 report be taken into consideration? The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages On motion of Senator Kolber, report placed on the Orders of has the honour to present its the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate. FIRST REPORT HUMAN RIGHTS Your Committee, which was authorized by the Senate on December 5, 2002, to study and report from time to time BUDGET—REPORT OF COMMITTEE PRESENTED upon the operation of the Official Languages Act, and of regulations and directives made thereunder, within those Hon. Shirley Maheu, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee institutions subject to the Act, as well as upon the reports of on Human Rights, presented the following report: the Commissioner of Official Languages, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, respectfully requests for the purpose of this study that it be Thursday, December 12, 2002 empowered to engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary. The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has the honour to present its Pursuant to section 2:07 of the Procedural Guidelines for the Financial Operation of Senate Committees, the budget SECOND REPORT submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that Committee are appended to this report. Your Committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Thursday, November 21, 2002, to examine and report upon Canada's possible adherence to the American Convention Respectfully submitted, on Human Rights, respectfully requests for the purpose of this study that it be empowered to engage the services of ROSE-MARIE LOSIER-COOL such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may Chair be necessary.