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Debates of the Senate 2nd SESSION . 41st PARLIAMENT . VOLUME 149 . NUMBER 109 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, December 15, 2014 The Honourable PIERRE CLAUDE NOLIN Speaker CONTENTS (Daily index of proceedings appears at back of this issue). Debates Services: D'Arcy McPherson, National Press Building, Room 906, Tel. 613-995-5756 Publications Centre: David Reeves, National Press Building, Room 926, Tel. 613-947-0609 Published by the Senate Available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 2747 THE SENATE Monday, December 15, 2014 The Senate met at 5 p.m., the Speaker in the chair. powerful and continue to work because we refuse to give up our values and our hope for a better future. We are Prayers. mobilizing young people to challenge ideologies that say we should hate each other. We reject any understanding of religion that condones or promotes violence and the oppression of women. We are spreading the message of SENATOR'S STATEMENT peace and pluralism that has, for centuries, allowed this region to live together peacefully despite differences. WOMEN'S RIGHTS, PEACE AND SECURITY FORUM We work with women to build their knowledge of Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, recently I universal rights and inclusive interpretations of religion, to participated in a forum in Istanbul for women to speak out strengthen their voices, to respect their dignity and to give against extremism. them jobs. We work with men to counter the culture of violence that has permeated our region. Against the odds, we struggle to hold our governments accountable to their They set out a statement that I would like to read to you, titled own commitments. ``The World at a Crossroads: Women Have the Solutions'': Honourable senators, the women have said that: We, sixty women representing thirteen countries spanning the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, together with our colleagues from Europe and North America, gathered Today we stand at a crossroads. The international together in Turkey at the Third Annual Forum on community can continue its failed policies and strategies Women's Rights, Peace and Security, convened by the that foment more violent extremism and radicalization. Or International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), have they can follow our lead. One thing is guaranteed: our one word to share with the world: Enough. version of the region, our vision for the future, is about peace, freedom, dignity, rights, pluralism, and prosperity for Enough of the violence; enough of the importation of all. extremist ideologies that have no roots in our cultures, religions or history; and enough of the weapons and bombs Honourable senators, I ask you to reach out to the women of that are forcing us to bury our people, especially our the region. We can all work together to bring peace in this world. children, at an age when they should be going to school and building their futures. Across our regions, within the borders of our nations, our people are suffering at the Thank you. frontlines of the most horrendous wars and forms of violence in recent history. The vast majority of our peace loving people are being held hostage by a small minority of extremists, occupation forces and authoritarian powers. We women, as activists for [Translation] peace, rights and pluralism, are in the crosshairs of these forces. On one side, we find ourselves on the kill lists of ISIS/Daesh and other extremist militias for simply daring to ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS speak out for freedom. On the other, we are being harassed, threatened and arrested by state and occupation forces for daring to demand simple services ranging from clean water ECONOMIC ACTION PLAN 2014 BILL, NO. 2 to decent governance, basic rights, equality and leadership. The policies of international actors are contributing to FIFTEENTH REPORT OF NATIONAL FINANCE the suffering of our people including through sanctions, COMMITTEE PRESENTED arms sales, human trafficking and the drug trade. Our girls are being coerced into militias or kidnapped, raped and sold. Hon. Joseph A. Day, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee Meanwhile, extremist and regressive forces are directly on National Finance, presented the following report: benefitting from these policies. Monday, December 15, 2014 The challenges we face are profound. They are not of our creation. Yet we are forced to deal with the consequences. You may think that nothing positive is possible under the The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance has circumstances. But you are wrong. We [the women] are the honour to present its 2748 SENATE DEBATES December 15, 2014 FIFTEENTH REPORT Whereas the introduction of such rules could undermine the ability of the Canadian Federal Parliament as well as Provincial and Territorial assemblies or parliaments to Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-43, A legislate, particularly on social, health and environmental second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget issues, exposing the federal, provincial and territorial tabled in Parliament on February 11, 2014 and other governments to paying substantial compensation to measures, has, in obedience to the order of reference of investors who feel aggrieved by new measures; Friday, December 12, 2014, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment. Whereas there is already another interstate dispute Your committee has also made certain observations, settlement mechanism for investment, inspired by the which are appended to this report. Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization, Respectfully submitted, The Senate of Canada urges the Government to revise Chapters 10 (Investment) and 33 (Dispute Resolution) of JOSEPH A. DAY the free trade agreement negotiated with the European Chair Union in order to remove the investor / state dispute settlement mechanism from the agreement. (For text of observations, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 1501.) The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the third time? . (1710) (On motion of Senator Smith (Saurel), bill placed on the Orders [English] of the Day for third reading at the next sitting of the Senate.) [English] QUESTION PERIOD ADJOURNMENT CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION NOTICE OF MOTION SYRIAN REFUGEES Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move: Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. I had mistakenly understood that Syrian refugees were coming to our border in an orderly way. I That when the Senate next adjourns after the find out now that we have accepted only 200 refugees. Is that adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until correct? Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 2 p.m. [Translation] [Translation] Hon. Claude Carignan (Leader of the Government): Senator, we THE SENATE are continuing to take in refugees. We will continue to protect the Syrian people as we have always done. We hope that Syria will NOTICE OF MOTION TO URGE GOVERNMENT TO have a stable and democratic future. REMOVE INVESTOR AND STATE ARBITRATION MEASURES FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC AND TRADE AGREEMENT Canada leads the Western nations in offering permanent protection to the most vulnerable Syrian and Iraqi refugees. We Hon. Céline Hervieux-Payette: Honourable senators, I give continue to take an active interest in the ever-increasing number notice that at the next sitting, I will move: of humanitarian crises, and we are taking action on several fronts to help people who have been displaced because of conflict. That, whereas the free trade agreement with the European Union contains rules to protect investments Canada is consistently among the top three countries in the accompanied by a dispute settlement mechanism between world in welcoming refugees. We have made significant states and investors through arbitration (ISDS); commitments. We are proud of that and plan to do even more. [ Senator Day ] December 15, 2014 SENATE DEBATES 2749 Since the beginning of the conflict, Canada has taken in over BUSINESS OF THE SENATE 1,900 Syrian refugees under the Resettlement Assistance Program. Since 2013, we have approved the applications of more than The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, it being 5:15 p.m., 1,150 Syrians who want to live in Canada permanently. These I must interrupt the proceedings. Pursuant to rule 9-6, the bells numbers are rising and will continue to rise in 2015. will ring to call the senators for the taking of the deferred vote at 5:30 p.m. on Bill C-428. [English] Call in the senators. Senator Jaffer: Thank you for your answer. I understand that . (1730) only 200 Syrian refugees have found asylum in our country so far. I will read to you what someone sent to me: INDIAN ACT Martin Mark boils with frustration at the inertia he says has paralyzed Canada's refugee system during Syria's civil BILL TO AMEND—THIRD READING war. The Hon. the Speaker: It was moved by Senator Ngo, seconded by Senator Marshall: ``There is delay, delay, delay,'' says the executive director of the Catholic Office of Refugees in the Archdiocese of That Bill C-428, An Act to amend the Indian Act Toronto . ``It is spoiling our international reputation. (publication of by-laws) and to provide for its replacement, be read a third time. ``If I go to a church and tell them, `Please do the fundraising and prepare and the refugees will come,' I have a Motion agreed to and bill read third time and passed, on the good chance of getting a good response. But if I finish my following division: speech by saying it will happen three years from today, they are going to say, `Get out, man. Are you serious?' YEAS THE HONOURABLE SENATORS Leader, why are there only 200 Syrian refugees on our soil at this time? Andreychuk Marshall Senator Carignan: I didn't say 200; I said close to 2,000.