Document Information

Date: 1988-05-24
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, Senate Debates, 33rd Parl, 2nd Sess, 1988 at 3489-3490.
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3489

BUSINESS OF THE SENATE

EMERGENCIES BILL-RESOLUTION INTO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AT 6 P.M., TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1988

Hon. C. William Doody (Deputy Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 45(1)(a), I move:

That, notwithstanding Rule 12 of the Rules of the Senate, the Senate do resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole at 6:00 o’clock p.m. on Tuesday next, 31st May, 1988, to consider the Bill C-77, An Act to authorize the taking of special temporary measures to ensure safety and security during national emergencies and to amend other Acts in consequence thereof.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Royce Frith (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, Senator Doody advised me that he had arranged for the minister to appear at 6 p.m. on Tuesday next. Honourable senators will recall that we agreed it would be appropriate for the Senate to consider this important legislation in Committee of the Whole and to ask for the attendance of the minister. We also had discussions about whether it would be possible to have the Committee of the Whole sit in the evening, if necessary. Senator Doody arranged for the minister to appear at 6 o’clock on Tuesday, that suiting the minister’s schedule. I told Senator Doody that I had not been able to discuss the matter with our principal spokesman on this bill, Senator Stewart, and that we would not want to proceed if he could not attend.

I know of no reason why he will not be able to attend and, obviously, we want to suit the convenience of the minister and those senators who are most interested in this piece of legislation. Senator Doody felt that he should at least make the arrangements and give advance notice of this meeting. I repeat that I know of no reason why we would be unable to suit the convenience of the minister, but we may not be able to guarantee that we will not ask for another date, if it should turn out that this date is not suitable for senators on this side.

Senator Doody: I can only add, honourable senators, that it is difficult, if not impossible, to try to anticipate the whereabouts of every senator who might be interested in a particular subject or project at a particular time. When it was suggested by honourable senators opposite that the Committee of the Whole would be the most appropriate forum for this particular hearing, I acceded with some reluctance-to be mild about it. I am not convinced that it is the proper forum, but, in any event, I went along with it at that time. It was also suggested that an evening session might be most appropriate.

3490

I conveyed that message to the minister, who agreed to be here at 6 o’clock on Tuesday evening. Realizing that the schedules of ministers are not always easily adjusted, I did take the opportunity to make that arrangement with him. I sincerely hope that those senators who are interested in this matter can be in the chamber then. In any event, that is the time that has been arranged.

Senator Frith: Honourable senators, I do not want to leave the impression, as apparently I have with Senator Doody, that I felt that we should not discuss this matter in Committee of the Whole unless we had checked with ail senators to make sure that it met with their convenience. That is not my position at ail. When we set dates for this sort of thing, including dates for votes and so on, we try to suit the convenience of those persons most interested. I want to suit the convenience of the minister. I merely add this as a caveat: I think we should also consider the particular senators who are interested.

Motion agreed to.