The Hon. the Speaker: I’m sorry to interrupt you, Senator Omidvar. Lately, you’ve been in conflict with the six o’clock rule. You will be given the balance of your time. My apologies.

Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 3-3(1) and the order adopted on November 25, 2021, I’m obliged to leave the chair unless there is leave that we continue.

There being no request for leave, the sitting is suspended until 7 p.m.

(The sitting of the Senate was suspended.)

(The sitting of the Senate was resumed.)

(1900)

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Omidvar, seconded by the Honourable Senator Audette, for the second reading of Bill S-217, An Act respecting the repurposing of certain seized, frozen or sequestrated assets.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Cordy, would you take some questions?

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

The Hon. the Acting Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, yesterday was the deadline for senators who wished to be candidates for the position of Speaker pro tempore to communicate that fact to the Clerk of the Senate. The Honourable Senator Bovey and the Honourable Senator Ringuette advised him that they wished to stand as candidates. As announced on December 1, we will now hear from the candidates for a maximum of three minutes each. I will call on them in alphabetical order.

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, the Clerk will distribute information shortly about how to vote, and you will be able to vote until 6 p.m. tomorrow. The information will be sent to the Senate email address that you use to access Zoom for sittings of the Senate or a committee meeting. As there are only two candidates, senators will be asked to select only one.

We will now proceed with Senators’ Statements for the 12 minutes remaining.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Moodie, would you take a question? You have two minutes.

The Hon. the Speaker: I’m sorry for interrupting you, Senator McCallum, but your time has expired. Are you asking for five more minutes to finish?

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Martin, do you wish to ask a supplementary question?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators will remember that on November 22, 2021, we attempted to return the Senate Chamber to full chamber attendance. One of the conditions was that when in the chamber, senators are to wear masks at all times. If, for medical reasons, a senator is unable to wear a mask, we can accommodate senators when they wish to speak by either socially distancing them in the chamber if we have room or allowing for the use of the gallery when senators are not speaking and then rearranging so when senators are speaking they can be socially distanced in the chamber.

I want to remind senators that the use of masks at all times while in the chamber is necessary for now.

The Hon. the Speaker: I’m sorry, Senator Housakos. Senator Moncion is raising a point of order.

The Hon. the Speaker: The time for Question Period has expired.

The Hon. the Speaker: If anyone is opposed to leave, please say “no.” Leave is granted.

The Hon. the Acting Speaker: Honourable senators, are you ready for the question?

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

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

The Hon. the Speaker: I dislike wearing a mask as much as everybody else when speaking because it is cumbersome. I did say to one senator in particular, who said that he had medical problems speaking, to check with the senators around that individual, and if they were uncomfortable with the mask not being worn, then we could arrange for them to be socially distanced.

If that’s the case at any time, I would just ask senators to bring it to my attention. We’ll make the appropriate accommodations.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Boniface, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

[Translation]