Debates of the Senate
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Debates of the Senate 1st SESSION . 42nd PARLIAMENT . VOLUME 150 . NUMBER 1 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, December 3, 2015 The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY Speaker This issue contains the latest listing of Senators, Officers of the Senate and the Ministry. 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 1 THE SENATE Thursday, December 3, 2015 FORTY-SECOND PARLIAMENT closely in the past with my predecessor, Senator Housakos, and he has graciously assured me this morning that that work will OPENING OF FIRST SESSION continue. Parliament having been summoned by proclamation to meet this day for the dispatch of business: I am confident that as we face these opportunities and challenges together, we can make the Senate work for Canadians in a way that fully realizes the intent of our nation's SPEAKER OF THE SENATE founders. COMMISSION APPOINTING HONOURABLE Thank you, colleagues. GEORGE J. FUREY The Honourable George J. Furey, having taken the Clerk's Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! chair, rose and informed the Senate that a Commission had been issued under the Great Seal of Canada, appointing him Speaker Prayers. of the Senate. The said Commission was then read by the Clerk. COMMUNICATION FROM GOVERNMENT HOUSE The Hon. the Speaker then took the chair at the foot of the Throne, to which he was conducted by the Honourable Claude Carignan, P.C., and the Honourable James S. Cowan, the Usher The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour of the Black Rod preceding. to inform you that I have received the following communication from Government House, which reads as follows: Prayers. RIDEAU HALL The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, colleagues; thank you for such a warm welcome. November 30, 2015 Honourable senators, our esteemed former Speaker, the Mr. Speaker: Honourable Pierre Claude Nolin, began to speak very briefly to this chamber before he took his place in the chair. My honourable predecessor, Senator Housakos, continued this practice. With I am commanded to inform you that the Right your permission and indulgence, allow me, please, to say a few Honourable Beverley McLachlin, Chief Justice of the brief words. Supreme Court of Canada, in her capacity as Deputy of the Governor General, will proceed to the Chamber of the Senate to open the First Session of the Forty-Second I am deeply honoured to have received this appointment from rd the Governor General, His Excellency David Johnston, and I Parliament of Canada at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, the 3 day thank the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, of December, 2015. for his confidence in me. I will strive to be worthy of that confidence and I will equally strive to gain your respect and your confidence. Yours sincerely, Colleagues, our chamber is at a crossroads. We have an Stephen Wallace opportunity to work together to recreate how this chamber of the Secretary to the Governor General Parliament of Canada does its work for Canadians. Truly, we are entering uncharted waters in which we are invited by the government to reinvent ourselves in a less partisan way and The Honourable fulfill our role, as envisioned under the Constitution, as an The Speaker of the Senate independent chamber of sober second thought. Ottawa I know uncertainty can be unsettling, but I have confidence that (The Senate adjourned during pleasure.) working together, with respect and commitment to this institution, we can meet the challenges ahead. I have worked 2 SENATE DEBATES December 3, 2015 . (1300) RIDEAU HALL At 1 p.m., the sitting was resumed, and was then adjourned, November 30, 2015 pending the arrival of the Deputy of His Excellency the Governor General. Mr. Speaker: I have the honour to inform you that His Excellency the The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, Deputy of His Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Excellency the Governor General, having come and being seated Canada and Her Excellency Sharon Johnston will arrive at at the foot of the Throne, the Peace Tower at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, the 4th day of December, 2015. 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 His formally open the First Session of the Forty-Second Excellency the Governor General that they attend her Parliament of Canada. immediately in the Senate Chamber. Yours sincerely, . (1310) Stephen Wallace Secretary to the Governor General Who being come, The Honourable The Hon. the Speaker said: Speaker of the Senate Ottawa Honourable Members of the Senate: Members of the House of Commons: [Translation] I have it in command to let you know that His Excellency the Governor General does not see fit to declare the causes SENATOR'S STATEMENT of his summoning the present Parliament of Canada, until a Speaker of the House of Commons shall have been chosen, THE HONOURABLE GEORGE J. FUREY according to law; but tomorrow, Friday, December 4, 2015 at the hour of 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon, His Excellency CONGRATULATIONS ON APPOINTMENT AS SPEAKER will declare the causes of his calling Parliament. Hon. Claudette Tardif (Acting Deputy Leader of the Senate Liberals): Honourable senators, before moving the adjournment The House of Commons withdrew. motion, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our new Speaker, the Honourable The Right Honourable the Deputy of His Excellency the George Furey. I am confident that our Speaker will promote the Governor General was pleased to retire. fundamental values of our institution within our parliamentary system and will shine a light on the crucial role played by the Senate so that it meets the expectations of all Canadians. (1320) ADJOURNMENT (The sitting of the Senate was resumed.) Hon. Claudette Tardif (Acting Deputy Leader of the Senate Liberals): Honourable senators, I move: COMMUNICATION FROM That the Senate do now adjourn until tomorrow, Friday, GOVERNMENT HOUSE December 4, 2015, at 2:30 p.m. (Motion agreed to.) The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour to inform you that I have received the following communication (The Senate adjourned until Friday, December 4, 2015, at from Government House, which reads as follows: 2:30 p.m.) APPENDIX Officers of the Senate The Ministry Senators (Listed according to seniority, alphabetically and by provinces) ii SENATE DEBATES December 3, 2015 THE SPEAKER The Honourable George J. Furey THE LEADER OF THE SENATE LIBERALS The Honourable James S. Cowan THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION The Honourable Claude Carignan, P.C. ————— OFFICERS OF THE SENATE CLERK OF THE SENATE AND CLERK OF THE PARLIAMENTS Charles Robert LAW CLERK AND PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL Michel Patrice USHER OF THE BLACK ROD J. Greg Peters December 3, 2015 SENATE DEBATES iii THE MINISTRY (In order of precedence) ————— (December 3, 2015) ————— The Right Hon. Justin P. J. Trudeau Prime Minister The Hon. Ralph Goodale Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness The Hon. Lawrence MacAulay Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food The Hon. Stéphane Dion Minister of Foreign Affairs The Hon. John McCallum Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship The Hon. Carolyn Bennett Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs The Hon. Scott Brison President of the Treasury Board The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc Leader of the Government in the House of Commons The Hon. Navdeep Singh Bains Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development The Hon. William Francis Morneau Minister of Finance The Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould Minister of Justice Attorney General of Canada The Hon. Judy M. Foote Minister of Public Services and Procurement The Hon. Chrystia Freeland Minister of International Trade The Hon. Jane Philpott Minister of Health The Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos Minister of Families, Children and Social Development The Hon. Marc Garneau Minister of Transport The Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau Minister of International Development and La Francophonie The Hon. James Gordon Carr Minister of Natural Resources The Hon. Mélanie Joly Minister of Canadian Heritage The Hon. Diane Lebouthillier Minister of National Revenue The Hon. Kent Hehr Minister of Veterans Affairs Associate Minister of National Defence The Hon. Catherine McKenna Minister of Environment and Climate Change The Hon. Harjit Singh Sajjan Minister of National Defence The Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk Minister of Employment, Workforce Development Minister of Labour The Hon. Amarjeet Sohi Minister of Infrastructure and Communities The Hon. Maryam Monsef Minister of Democratic Institutions The Hon. Carla Qualtrough Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities The Hon. Hunter Tootoo Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard The Hon. Kirsty Duncan Minister of Science The Hon. Patricia A. Hajdu Minister of Status of Women The Hon. Bardish Chagger Minister of Small Business and Tourism iv SENATE DEBATES December 3, 2015 SENATORS OF CANADA ACCORDING TO SENIORITY (December 3, 2015) Senator Designation Post Office Address The Honourable Anne C. Cools . Toronto Centre-York . Toronto, Ont. Charlie Watt . Inkerman. Kuujjuaq, Que. Colin Kenny . Rideau . Ottawa, Ont. Janis G. Johnson . Manitoba . Gimli, Man. A. Raynell Andreychuk . Saskatchewan. Regina, Sask. David Tkachuk . Saskatchewan. Saskatoon, Sask. Céline Hervieux-Payette, P.C. Bedford . Montreal, Que. Wilfred P. Moore . Stanhope St./South Shore . Chester, N.S. Serge Joyal, P.C. Kennebec . Montreal, Que. Joan Thorne Fraser . De Lorimier . Montreal, Que. George Furey, Speaker . Newfoundland and Labrador .