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

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

[English]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion, as amended, of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:

That, in relation to Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, the Senate:

(a)agree to the amendments made by the House of Commons to its amendments; and

(b)do not insist on its amendments to which the House of Commons disagrees;

That the Senate take note of the Government of Canada’s public assurance that Bill C-11 will not apply to user-generated digital content and its commitment to issue policy direction to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission accordingly; and

That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that house accordingly.

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Plett, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos:

That the motion, as amended, be further amended:

1. by replacing sub-paragraph (b) by the following:

“(b) insist on its amendments to which the House of Commons disagrees;”;

2.by adding, before the final paragraph, the following new paragraph:

“That, pursuant to rule 16-3, the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be charged with drawing up the reasons for the Senate’s insistence on its amendments; and”; and

3.by replacing, in the final paragraph, the words “That a message be sent” by the words “That, once the reasons for the insistence have been agreed to by the Senate, a message be sent”.

And on the subamendment of the Honourable Senator MacDonald, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos:

That the motion in amendment be amended:

1. in the proposed new wording for sub-paragraph (b), by replacing the words “amendments to which the House of Commons disagrees;” by the following:

“amendment 3 to which the House of Commons disagrees; and

(c)do not insist on its other amendments to which the House of Commons disagrees;”; and

2.in the proposed new paragraph empowering the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications to develop the Senate’s reasons for its insistence, by replacing the word “amendments” by the word “amendment”.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: It was moved by the Honourable Senator MacDonald:

That the motion in amendment be amended:

1. in the proposed new wording for sub-paragraph (b), by replacing the words “amendments to which the House of Commons disagrees;” by the following:

“amendment 3 to which the House of Commons disagrees; and

(c)do not insist on its other amendments to which the House of Commons disagrees;”; and

2.in the proposed new paragraph empowering the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications to develop the Senate’s reasons for its insistence, by replacing the word “amendments” by the word “amendment”.

Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: All those in favour, please say “yea.”

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Do we have an agreement on the bell?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: All those against, please say “nay.”

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: I believe the “nays” have it.

And two honourable senators having risen:

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: The vote will occur at 5:14 p.m. Call in the senators.

Subamendment negatived on the following division:

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of a former colleague of mine, and former senator and former Leader of the Government, the Honourable Jack Austin.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you back to the Senate of Canada.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: First, Senator Carignan is asking for leave of the Senate to have five more minutes of speaking time. Do honourable senators agree?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Fifteen minutes, honourable senators? Do we have an agreement or not? Since there seems to be no agreement, we will have a 60-minute bell. The vote will take place at 7:06 p.m. Call in the senators.

[English]

Motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Plett negatived on the following division:

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: In just 14 seconds it will be six o’clock. If senators want to ask more questions, then they will have to ask for leave to extend the speaking time for five minutes.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: All those in favour of the motion will please say “yea.”

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: All those opposed to the motion will please say “nay.”

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Do we have an agreement on a bell?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: In my opinion, the “nays” have it.

And two honourable senators having risen:

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: There is no leave. Are honourable senators ready for the question?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: In amendment, it was moved by the Honourable Senator Plett, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos:

That the motion, as amended, be further amended:

1. by replacing sub-paragraph (b) by the following:

“(b) insist on its amendments to which the House of Commons disagrees;”;

2.by adding, before the final paragraph, the following new paragraph:

“That, pursuant to rule 16-3, the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be charged with drawing up the reasons for the Senate’s insistence on its amendments; and”; and

3.by replacing, in the final paragraph, the words “That a message be sent” by the words “That, once the reasons for the insistence have been agreed to by the Senate, a message be sent”.

Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion in amendment?