The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBlackBoisvenuBonifaceBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)DeanDupuisForestFrancisGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreeneGreenwoodHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacDonaldMarshallMartinMcCallumMcNairMégieMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenPlettPoirierProsperQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSmithTannasVernerWooYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AndersonArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBlackBoisvenuBonifaceBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCordyCormierCotterCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Ontario)DeanDupuisForestFrancisGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreeneGreenwoodHarderHartlingHousakosJafferKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMacDonaldMarshallMartinMcCallumMcNairMégieMoncionMoodieOhOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenPlettPoirierProsperQuinnRavaliaRichardsRinguetteRossSaint-GermainSeidmanSmithTannasVernerWooYussuff

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

Senators’ Statements

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

---

The Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that a communication had been received from the Secretary to the Governor General.

The communication was then read by the Honourable the Speaker as follows:

RIDEAU HALL

December 14, 2023

Madam Speaker:

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada, will proceed to the Senate Chamber on the 15^th day of December, 2023, at 3:30 p.m., to grant Royal Assent to certain bills of law.

Yours sincerely,

The Honourable

The Speaker of the Senate

Ottawa

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Moncion, Chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, presented the tenth report of the committee, entitled Senate Budget 2024-25.

(The report is printed as an appendix at pages 2394-2400 (available in print format PDF).)

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

The Honourable Senator Moncion moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dupuis, 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.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Delayed Answers

Pursuant to rule 4-10(2), the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson tabled the following:

Reply to Question No. 188, dated January 31, 2023, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding the Canada Revenue Agency.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2504S.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Bills – Third Reading

Third reading of Bill C-60, An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., that the bill be read for a third time.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

ArnotAucoinAudetteBonifaceBureyBussonCardozoClementCordyCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeanForestFrancisGalvezGerbaGignacGoldGreenwoodHarderHartlingKingstonKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLoffredaMoncionMoodieOmidvarOslerPatePatterson (Ontario)PetitclercPettenProsperQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRossSaint-GermainTannasWooYussuff—46

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

AtaullahjanBattersBoisvenuCarignanHousakosMarshallMartinPlettPoirierRichardsSeidman—11

ABSTENTIONS

The Honourable Senators

Nil

Accordingly, Bill C-60 was read a 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

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

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Orders No. 1, 131 and 132 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 3, 4, 5 and 6 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Other Business

Ordered, That motion No. 175 standing in the name of the Honourable Senator Dalphond on the Notice Paper be brought forward.

The Honourable Senator Dalphond moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos:

That, given that:

(a)Jimmy Lai stands for so many of the values championed by Canadians, most importantly media freedom, respect for the rule of law, and standing up for what is right;

(b)Mr. Lai is a peaceful pro-democracy campaigner and publisher whose hugely popular newspaper Apple Daily was shut down for political reasons in 2021;

(c)Mr. Lai has just spent his 76th birthday in prison where he has been for the last three years on charges brought under the National Security Law, whose provisions are inconsistent with international human rights law; and

(d)Mr. Lai is about to face trial on yet further charges arising from his pro-democracy writing and campaigning that could see him spend the rest of his life behind bars;

the Senate call upon the Hong Kong authorities to release Jimmy Lai and cease prosecuting him and others charged under the National Security Law and the Senate reaffirms journalists and media workers everywhere have the right to operate in an environment free from intimidation and harassment by state authorities.

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

---

Ordered, That Order No. 61 under OTHER BUSINESS, Reports of Committees – Other, and motion No. 139 standing in the name of the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan on the Notice Paper be brought forward.

Consideration of the seventh report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, entitled Anti-Black Racism, Sexism and Systemic Discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Commission, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on December 11, 2023.

The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall:

That the seventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, entitled Anti-Black Racism, Sexism and Systemic Discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Commission, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on December 11, 2023, 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 and Attorney General of Canada being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report, in consultation with the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Minister of Labour and Seniors, and the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities.

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

o o o

The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall:

That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to recognize the erasure of Afghan women and girls from public life as gender apartheid.

After debate,

The Honourable Senator Patterson (Ontario) moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Burey, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

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

---

The Senate resumed debate on the point of order, raised on December 14, 2023, relating to correspondence sent to a committee of the House of Commons.

After debate,

The point of order was withdrawn.

---

At 11:43 a.m., pursuant to rule 16-1(5), the sitting was suspended until 3:15 p.m.

The sitting resumed.

ROYAL ASSENT

The sitting of the Senate was suspended to await the arrival of the Right Honourable Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General.

After awhile, the Right Honourable Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General arrived and was seated at the foot of the Throne.

The Honourable the Speaker commanded the Usher of the Black Rod to proceed to the House of Commons and acquaint that House that:

“It is the desire of the Right Honourable Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General that they attend him immediately in the Senate Chamber.”

The House of Commons being come,

One of the Clerks at the Table then read the titles of the bills to be assented to as follows:

An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Competition Act (Bill C-56, Chapter 31, 2023)

An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms) (Bill C-21, Chapter 32, 2023)

To these bills the Royal Assent was pronounced by the Clerk of the Senate in the following words:

“In His Majesty’s name, the Right Honourable Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General doth assent to these bills.”

4:01 p.m.

The Speaker of the House of Commons addressed the Right Honourable Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General as follows:

“May it Please Your Honour:

The Commons of Canada have voted supplies to enable the Government to defray certain expenses of the public service.

In the name of the Commons, I present to Your Honour the following bill:

An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 (Bill C-60, Chapter 33, 2023)

To which bill I humbly request Your Honour’s Assent.”

After one of the Clerks at the Table read the title of this bill,

To this bill the Royal Assent was pronounced by the Clerk of the Senate in the following words:

“In His Majesty’s name, the Right Honourable Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General thanks his loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence and assents to this bill.”

4:04 p.m.

The Commons withdrew.

After which the Right Honourable Deputy of Her Excellency the Governor General was pleased to retire.

---

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 2 p.m.

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

ADJOURNMENT

At 4:08 p.m., pursuant to rule 3-4, the Speaker declared the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 2 p.m.

DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 14-1(7)

Report of the Public Service Commission for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, pursuant to the Public Service Employment Act, S.C. 2003, c. 22, ss. 12 “23(2)” and 13.—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2500.

Debt Management Report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 49(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2501.

Amendment to the Agreement for RCMP policing services (First Nations Community Policing Service) for the Government of the Northwest Territories, pursuant to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. R-10, sbs. 20(5).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2502.

Proposed Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Firearms Act, pursuant to the Act, S.C. 1995, c. 39, sbs. 118(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/44-2503.