The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the team from the Dollywood Foundation of Canada and North America, The Waltons Trust and the NWT Literacy Council. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Ravalia.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Reema Fuller and Aubrey Reeves. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Coyle.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Elder Claudette Commanda and a group of Indigenous business leaders and executives who attended a lunch and learn on advancing economic reconciliation on Parliament Hill. They are the guests of the Honourable Senators Francis and Klyne.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Her Excellency Maria Andrelita S. Austria, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines; the Honourable Jon Reyes, Manitoba’s Minister of Labour and Immigration; the late Senator Enverga’s Family, Mrs. Rosemer Enverga and her three daughters; as well as interns from the National Philippine Parliamentary Internship Program. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Osler.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this report be taken into consideration?

(On motion of Senator Housakos, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Veena Kohli. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Marwah.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Tareq Winski is honoured to have had the opportunity to represent the province of British Columbia within the Senate Page Program for the past two years. Tareq will be beginning his third year of international management at the University of Ottawa and hopes to attend law school in the future. The Senate has provided him with memories and experiences he will forever treasure. Tareq extends his sincere thanks for this extraordinary opportunity and wishes to thank the Usher of the Black Rod, his dedicated page colleagues and the esteemed senators, whose support and guidance have been instrumental in making this journey so rewarding.

Thank you, Tareq.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Carignan, you have 17 seconds.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, this week we will be paying tribute to the Senate pages who will be leaving us this summer.

Laura Boyd will be continuing her studies in biology at Carleton University in the fall, where she will enter her third year. Laura is grateful for the two years she spent representing Manitoba in the Senate as a page and feels privileged to have worked during so many historic moments. She would like to thank all those who made the experience so unforgettable, and she is appreciative of those she was able to learn from.

Thank you, Laura.

The Hon. the Speaker: Pursuant to the order of Tuesday, June 13, 2023, I leave the chair for the Senate to resolve into a Committee of the Whole to receive Ms. Harriet Solloway respecting her appointment as Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. The Honourable Senator Ringuette will chair the committee.

On the Order:

The Senate in Committee of the Whole in order to receive Ms. Harriet Solloway respecting her appointment as Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.

(The sitting of the Senate was suspended and put into Committee of the Whole, the Honourable Pierrette Ringuette in the chair.)

The Hon. the Speaker: I have heard enough arguments, and I would like to remind you that former Speaker Furey handed down a ruling on this subject on May 2. I suggest that you reread it.

I will read it to remind you of the rule that applies. I believe we are intelligent enough to interpret it.

[English]

Unparliamentary language

6-13. (1) All personal, sharp or taxing speeches are unparliamentary and are out of order.

6-13. (2) When a Senator is called to order for unparliamentary language, any Senator may demand that the words be taken down in writing by the Clerk.

6-13. (3) A Senator who has used unparliamentary words and who does not explain or retract them or offer an apology acceptable to the Senate shall be disciplined as the Senate may determine.

We must remind ourselves what unparliamentary language is.

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker: First of all, there are other people who may wish to speak, but I think I have heard the arguments.

The Hon. the Speaker: Asta Stalker, Deputy Chief Page, recently completed her Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics at Carleton University and is looking forward to pursuing her common law degree at the University of Ottawa starting this fall. Asta is grateful to have had the opportunity to represent the province of Nova Scotia within the Senate Page Program for the past three years. She would like to sincerely thank the Usher of the Black Rod’s office, the honourable senators, the Senate Administration and her page colleagues for teaching her so much these past few years and making this experience unforgettable.

Thank you, Asta.