Source: https://www.sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/421/journals/283jr_2019-05-02-e
Timestamp: 2020-08-11 22:03:18
Document Index: 444214965

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4']

Journals, Issue 283 (May 2, 2019)
Issue 283 (Unrevised)
AndersonAndreychukAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBeyakBlack (Alberta)Black (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyerCampbellCarignanChristmasCordyCormierCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDawsonDayDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuncanDupuisDyckEatonForest-NiesingFrancisFrumFureyGalvezGreeneGriffinHarderHousakosJafferJoyalKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankinManningMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMitchellMocklerMoncionMoodieMunsonNgoOhOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPlettPoirierPratteRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSinclairStewart OlsenTannasVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo
AndersonAndreychukAtaullahjanBattersBellemareBeyakBlack (Alberta)Black (Ontario)BoehmBoisvenuBonifaceBoveyBoyer*BussonCampbellCarignanChristmasCordyCormierCoyleDagenaisDalphondDaskoDawsonDayDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDowneDoyleDuncanDupuisDyckEaton*ForestForest-NiesingFrancisFrumFurey*GagnéGalvezGreeneGriffinHarderHousakosJafferJoyalKlyneKutcherLaBoucane-BensonLankin*MacDonaldManningMartinMarwahMassicotteMcCoyMcInnisMcIntyreMcPhedranMégieMercerMitchell*Miville-DechêneMocklerMoncionMoodieMunson*NeufeldNgoOhOmidvarPatePattersonPetitclercPlettPoirierPratteRavaliaRichardsRinguetteSaint-GermainSeidmanSimonsSinclair*SmithStewart OlsenTannas*TkachukVernerWallinWellsWetstonWhiteWoo
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, presented the committee’s twenty-third report (Bill C-85, An Act to amend the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act and to make related amendments to other Acts, without amendment).
Honourable senators, on April 9, 2019, Senator Plett raised a question of privilege concerning the leak of a confidential agreement that was the result of private negotiations among a number of senators in leadership positions. Several senators intervened in the debate on the matter at that time. Two days later, at Senator Plett’s request, there was further consideration of the question of privilege. These two occasions provided ample opportunity for senators to express their understanding about what had happened and to share their concerns about the course of events.
Two related issues can be discerned in this question of privilege: the release of the agreement to senators outside those present during the negotiations, and the release of the agreement to the media. The release to the media meant that the agreement quickly became available to the general public.
In listening to interventions on the question of privilege, it soon became apparent that certain matters related to the agreement — in particular how it would be communicated, if at all, and to whom — had not been understood in the same way by all senators present at the discussions. Senator Woo confirmed that he had shared the agreement with his colleagues in the Independent Senators Group, but stated that he did so in good faith. Senator Plett, on the other hand, had left the discussions with the understanding that the agreement was “strictly confidential and [was] not to be shared outside of the most immediate advisers of each leader”.
Honourable senators know that private discussions about matters of concern to the Senate are invaluable to the proper functioning of this place. These exchanges may involve the Government, representatives of the various caucuses, or individual senators. Ours is a very human institution, and these informal consultations help create shared understandings as to the expected course of Senate business. They also provide clarity that may otherwise be lacking.
Inevitably, however, such human relations sometimes give rise to misunderstandings. That seems to have been the case in the current situation. I would therefore encourage senators to express as fully as possible the conditions of the agreements they reach. Quite often this is best done in writing. When — as will sometimes happen — there is a misunderstanding, we must then focus on maintaining positive relationships, while trying to understand what happened and to resolve any problems in a collegial and productive way.
To turn to the specifics of the case at hand, the four criteria of rule 13-2(1) guide the Speaker when dealing with a question of privilege. All the criteria must be met for the matter to proceed to the next step. There is little doubt that this question of privilege was raised at the earliest opportunity, thereby meeting the first criterion.
The same conclusion does not, however, hold when we turn to the second criterion. This requires that the question of privilege “be a matter that directly concerns the privileges of the Senate, any of its committees or any Senator”. Privilege does not cover all activities in which senators engage. As explained by the Speaker of the other place on April 11, “the authority of the Speaker is limited to the internal affairs of the House, its own proceedings”. It does not cover issues such as caucus matters, and neither would it cover agreements among parliamentarians operating outside the ambit of parliamentary proceedings. I would also note the statement, at page 74 of the 14th edition of Odgers’ Australian Senate Practice, that privilege does not cover “the content of a document which has come into existence independently of proceedings in Parliament”. Such limits are in line with the point, made in the 2015 report of the Rules Committee on privilege, that stated:
In today’s age of Twitter and social media it is also worth reiterating accepted Canadian law that communications made outside of parliamentary proceedings, for example tweets or blog posts, are not protected by parliamentary privilege.
Given the requirement that all the criteria of rule 13-2(1) must be met, a prima facie question of privilege cannot be established in this case. I do, however, trust that colleagues will seek to address the evident misunderstanding that gave rise to this unfortunate situation. It may also be timely for all senators to reflect on the need for prudence when using the powerful tools that social media place at our disposal, and which may have accelerated the course of events leading to the question of privilege. While these tools help us highlight the important work of the Senate, we should not ignore their potential pitfalls.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Bovey, seconded by the Honourable Senator Omidvar, for the third reading of Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act, as amended.
Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill with an amendment, to which it desires its concurrence.
Third reading of Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, as amended.
The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Day, that the bill, as amended, be read for a third time.
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Boisvenu moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain:
That Bill C-58, as amended, be not now read a third time, but that it be further amended in clause 37, on page 27, by adding the following after line 18:
“75.1 Within 30 days after the end of the first month in which a ministerial adviser or a member of ministerial staff receives severance pay or any similar payment as a result of the end of his or her employment, the minister for whom the person was an adviser or member of ministerial staff — or, if that minister is no longer in office, the President of the Treasury Board — shall cause to be published in electronic form the following information:
(b) the date on which they ceased to serve as a ministerial adviser or member of ministerial staff; and
(c) the total amount of the payment.
75.2 Within 30 days after the end of the month in which a ministerial adviser or a member of ministerial staff receives a payment or reimbursement for expenses related to relocation, the minister for whom that person is an adviser or a member of ministerial staff — or, if that minister is no longer in office, the President of the Treasury Board — shall cause to be published in electronic form the following information:
(a) the name of the ministerial adviser or member of ministerial staff;
(b) the date of the payment or reimbursement;
(c) the amount of the payment or reimbursement; and
(d) the reason for the payment or reimbursement.”.
AtaullahjanBattersBeyakBoisvenuDagenaisDalphondDayEatonFrumHousakosJoyalMartinMassicotteMcInnisMcIntyreMocklerNgoOhPattersonPlettPoirierRichardsSeidmanSimonsStewart OlsenTannasWellsWhite—28
AndersonBellemareBlack (Alberta)BoehmBonifaceBoveyBoyerCordyCormierCoyleDawsonDeacon (Nova Scotia)DeanDuncanDyckForest-NiesingFrancisGreeneGriffinHarderKlyneLaBoucane-BensonMarwahMcCoyMcPhedranMégieMitchellMoncionOmidvarPetitclercPratteRavaliaRinguetteSaint-GermainSinclairWetstonWoo—37
GalvezKutcherLankinMoodiePate—5
The Senate resumed debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Ringuette, seconded by the Honourable Senator Day, for the third reading of Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, as amended.
The Honourable Senator Housakos moved, for the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boniface, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bovey, for the adoption of the twenty-first report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence (Bill C-71, An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms, with amendments and observations), presented in the Senate on April 10, 2019.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Klyne, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne, for the second reading of Bill C-83, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act.
The Honourable Senator Klyne moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moodie, that the bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-82, An Act to implement a multilateral convention to implement tax treaty related measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette, that the bill be placed on the Orders of the Day for a second reading two days hence.
Orders No. 22 to 28 and 33 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, for the Honourable Senator Bellemare, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
Orders No. 246 and 251 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
1.The following committees be separately authorized to examine the subject matter of the following elements contained in Bill C-97 in advance of it coming before the Senate:
(a)the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples: those elements contained in Division 25 of Part 4;
(b)the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry: those elements contained in Subdivision C of Division 9 of Part 4, insofar as it relates to food, and in Subdivision J of Division 9 of Part 4;
(c)the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce: those elements contained in Divisions 1, 5 and 26 of Part 4, and in Subdivision A of Division 2 of Part 4;
(d)the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources: those elements contained in Divisions 23 and 24 of Part 4;
(e)the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs: those elements contained in Division 17 of Part 4, and in Subdivisions B, C and D of Division 2 of Part 4;
(f)the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence: those elements contained in Divisions 10 and 21 of Part 4;
(g)the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology: those elements contained in Divisions 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20 of Part 4, and in Subdivisions C, K and L of Division 9 of Part 4; and
(h)the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications: those elements contained in Divisions 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part 4, and in Subdivision I of Division 9 of Part 4;
2.That the various committees listed in point one that are authorized to examine the subject matter of particular elements of Bill C-97 be authorized to meet for the purposes of their studies of those elements even though the Senate may then be sitting, with the application of rule 12-18(1) being suspended in relation thereto;
3.That the various committees listed in point one that are authorized to examine the subject matter of particular elements of Bill C-97 submit their final reports to the Senate no later than June 6, 2019;
4.That, as the reports from the various committees authorized to examine the subject matter of particular elements of Bill C-97 are tabled in the Senate, they be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting; and
5.That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be simultaneously authorized to take any reports tabled under point four into consideration during its study of the subject matter of all of Bill C-97.
That, in order to allow the Senate to receive a Minister of the Crown during Question Period as authorized by the Senate on December 10, 2015, and notwithstanding rule 4-7, when the Senate sits on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, Question Period shall begin at 3:30 p.m., with any proceedings then before the Senate being interrupted until the end of Question Period, which shall last a maximum of 40 minutes;
That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at 2 p.m.
The Honourable Senator Wallin moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bovey, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Richards, for the second reading of Bill S-253, An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and other Acts and Regulations (pension plans).
Orders No. 4 to 10 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Mercer, seconded by the Honourable Senator Day, for the second reading of Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (organ donors).
The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bovey, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Omidvar, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, for the second reading of Bill C-344, An Act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (community benefit).
The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., moved, for the Honourable Senator Bellemare, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mitchell, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.
The Honourable Senator Housakos moved, for the Honourable Senator Neufeld, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin, that further debate on the consideration of the report be adjourned until the next sitting.
Orders No. 100 to 102, 104 and 105, 107, 110 and 114 and 115 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Order No. 116 was called and pursuant to rule 12-30(2), further debate was adjourned until the next sitting.
Order No. 146 was called and, pursuant to rule 4-15(2), dropped from the Order Paper and Notice Paper.
Orders No. 189, 215, 302, 310, 325, 357 and 358, 371, 407, 410 and 439 were called and postponed until the next sitting.
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Plett, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:
A point of order was raised concerning participation in debate.
Senator Plett, you have the right to speak and then Senator Ringuette can ask for leave to speak after you.
The Senate resumed debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Plett, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:
Senator Ringuette, before you start, perhaps I should clarify something. The Scroll version of the Order Paper shows that Senator Ringuette has been starred on her adjournment, which means that in order for her to adjourn a second time, she would need leave. In this case, because the chair has already recognized Senator Plett to speak, and because Senator Ringuette is starred, she will also need leave to enter debate.
I should say, honourable senators, that normally when somebody adjourns a debate, if another senator wishes to speak, they will consult that senator and some agreement is usually reached. However, that was not done in this case, so Senator Plett was recognized and he spoke. In order for Senator Ringuette to speak now, she will need the leave of the Senate. I would caution, honourable senators, it would be courteous to allow a senator in whose name an item was adjourned the opportunity to speak.
In amendment, the Honourable Senator Ringuette moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Woo:
1.by replacing the words “report on the serious” by the words “report on the role of political staff in the Office of the Prime Minister in their interactions with parliamentarians, ministers and Attorneys general, including the serious”; and
2.by adding the following new paragraph after the words “Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., M.P.;”:
“That, as part of this study, and without limiting the committee’s right to invite other witnesses as it may decide, the committee invite the following witnesses with potential experience in past matters of alleged political interference, direction and pressure on parliamentarians and their work in the Office of the Prime Minister:
Nigel Wright, former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister;
Benjamin Perrin, former Special Adviser and Legal Counsel to the Prime Minister;
Ray Novak, former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister;
The Honorable Senator David Tkachuk;
The Honourable Marjory LeBreton, P.C., former senator;
The Honourable Irving Russell Gerstein, former senator; and
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., former Prime Minister of Canada;”.
The Honourable Senator Omidvar moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Woo, that further debate on the motion in amendment be adjourned until the next sitting.
AndersonBoehmBoveyCoyleDalphondDeanDuncanDyckForest-NiesingHarderKlyneKutcherLankinMcPhedranMitchellMoncionOmidvarPatePratteRavaliaRinguetteSimonsSinclairWoo—24
BeyakHousakosMartinPlettWells—5
(Accordingly, at 10:40 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at 2 p.m.)
Report of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, together with the Auditor General’s Report, for the year ended December 31, 2018, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 150(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/42-2980.
The Honourable Senator Anderson replaced the Honourable Senator Griffin (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Ringuette replaced the Honourable Senator Duncan (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Mockler (May 1, 2019).
The Honourable Senator McCallum replaced the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Eaton replaced the Honourable Senator Tannas (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Saint-Germain replaced the Honourable Senator Dalphond (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Tannas replaced the Honourable Senator Eaton (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator Seidman (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Busson replaced the Honourable Senator Cormier (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., replaced the Honourable Senator Housakos (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk replaced the Honourable Senator Doyle (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Marshall replaced the Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Doyle replaced the Honourable Senator Tkachuk (May 1, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Forest replaced the Honourable Senator Dalphond (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Neufeld replaced the Honourable Senator Martin (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Plett replaced the Honourable Senator Manning (May 1, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Boniface replaced the Honourable Senator Omidvar (May 2, 2019).
The Honourable Senator Cormier replaced the Honourable Senator Busson (May 2, 2019).