The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has the honour to present its

TWENTIETH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill S-235, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, has, in obedience to the order of reference of June 1, 2023, examined the said bill and now reports the same with the following amendments:

1.Clause 1, pages 2 and 3:

(a) On page 2,

(i) replace lines 4 to 9 with the following:

“1 The Citizenship Act is amended by adding the following after section 5.2:

5.3 (1) The Minister shall grant citizenship to any person who applies for it and who was ordinarily resident in Canada on the day on”,

(ii) replace line 13 with the following:

“(a) the person resided in an institution — in-”,

(iii) replace lines 21 to 23 with the following:

“(i) a department or agency of the Government of Canada or a province mandated with the protection and care of children, or

(ii) an agency appointed by a province, in-”,

(iv) replace line 29 with the following:

“(b) the person resided in or was maintained by”,

(v) replace lines 33 to 36 with the following:

“(c) the person was provided with services to improve their living conditions by an agency appointed by a province,”, and

(vi) replace lines 42 and 43 with the following:

“(d) the person

(i) was not returned to the care and custody of their parent when any of the circumstances described in paragraphs (a) to (c) ceased to apply to that person, unless the return took place within 365 days of the date upon which the person reached the age of 18 years,

(ii) has been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days before the date of their application,

(iii) was subject to one or more of the circumstances described in paragraphs (a) to (c) for at least 365 days cumulatively, and

(iv) has not resided outside of Canada for more than 10 years since reaching the age of 18 years.

(2) The Minister may, in their discretion, after having reviewed a person’s particular circumstances, waive on compassionate grounds any of the requirements set out in paragraph (1)(d).”; and

(b) on page 3, delete lines 1 to 11.

2.Clause 2, page 3:

(a) Replace lines 14 and 15 with the following:

“(1.1) In determining whether to grant an application made under section 5.3, the Minister must accept a written state-”; and

(b) replace line 17 with the following:

“circumstances in paragraphs 5.3(1)(a) to (c) as proof of that cir-”.

3.Clause 3, page 3:

(a) Replace line 20 with the following:

“3 Section 50 of the Immigration and Refugee”; and

(b) replace lines 22 to 26 with the following:

“ing after paragraph (c):

(c.1) in the case of a foreign national who has applied under section 5.3 of the Citizenship Act, until a final decision has been made on the application;”.

Your committee has also made certain observations, which are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

Observations to the twentieth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (Bill S-235)

Your committee heard from witnesses that, while the $630 application fee and documentation requirements associated with obtaining a grant of citizenship would represent insurmountable barriers to too many individuals who were formerly in the child welfare system, these barriers can be effectively eliminated through regulation.

Your committee shares the expectations expressed by witnesses that the Government of Canada will consult with immigration and citizenship law experts and eliminate, through regulation, barriers to applying for citizenship under Bill S-235, including by ensuring that no applicants under this legislation are charged application fees.

Your committee observes that ensuring that applications for citizenship pursuant to Bill S-235 are free of cost is in line with the Government of Canada’s approach in its recent policies respecting temporary residence permits and permanent residence for those formerly in the child welfare system, recognizing the inequalities, injustices and marginalization that the latter too often experience, as well as the particular responsibility of the government with respect to those formerly in the care of the state.

The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources has the honour to present its

SEVENTH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice, has, in obedience to the order of reference of October 26, 2023, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment.

Respectfully submitted,

The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications has the honour to present its

EIGHTH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information), has, in obedience to the order of reference of April 11, 2024, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment.

Respectfully submitted,

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its

TWELFTH REPORT

Your committee, which is authorized by the Rules of the Senate to consider financial and administrative matters, now reports that it has reviewed the Senate Administrative Rules in light of the return of the one-clerk model and recommends the following amendments:

1.In Chapter 1:03, section 1,

(a)delete the definition of “Executive Committee”, and

(b)replace the definition “Senate Administration” with the following:

““Senate Administration” or “Administration” means the Clerk of the Senate and all persons carrying out administrative responsibilities in the service of the Senate and under the direction and control of the Clerk of the Senate, including employees, contractors and volunteers.”.

2.In Chapter 2:03, replace sections 3 and 4 with the following:

“3. (1) The Clerk of the Senate has the rank of a deputy head of a department of the Government of Canada and, for protocol purposes, is second in rank among chief officers of the public service, after the Clerk of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Secretary to the Cabinet.

(2) The Clerk of the Senate is the head of the Senate Administration and, as such, is accountable to the Senate through the Internal Economy Committee.

(3) Subject to the rules, direction and control of the Senate and of the Internal Economy Committee, the Clerk of the Senate is responsible for directing and controlling the Senate Administration.

(4) The principal functions of the Clerk of the Senate, as head of the Senate Administration, are

(a) to advise on corporate governance, including strategic, administrative and financial planning and administration;

(b) to organize internal administrative and financial structures;

(c) to direct the Senate Administration;

(d) to control and monitor the Senate Administration’s functions; and

(e) to report to the Senate through the Internal Economy Committee.

(5) The principal functions of the Clerk of the Senate as Clerk of the Parliaments are

(a) to organize and preserve the records of Parliament; and

(b) to provide copies of those records as required by law or practice.”.

3. In Chapter 2:06, replace section 7 with the following:

“7. The Clerk of the Senate must be advised of any request for access to unpublished records or unpublished information concerning the Senate Administration.”.

Respectfully submitted,

The Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples has the honour to present its

SEVENTEENTH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill S-16, An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation, has, in obedience to the order of reference of February 29, 2024, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment.

Respectfully submitted,

The Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators has the honour to present its

SECOND REPORT

Your committee, which is responsible on its own initiative for all matters relating to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, pursuant to rule 12-7(3) of the Rules of the Senate, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered:

(a)to travel outside Canada; and

(b)to engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 1(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

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STANDING COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR SENATORS

Consideration of matters relating to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2025

Extract from the Rules of the Senate:

12-7. (3) the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, which shall be authorized:

(a) to exercise general direction over the Senate Ethics Officer, and

(b) to be responsible, on its own initiative, for all matters relating to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, including all forms involving Senators that are used in its administration, subject to the general jurisdiction of the Senate.

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SUMMARY OF BUDGET

The above budget was approved by the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

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APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. The approved budget is as follows:

(includes funds for a fact-finding mission and for 6 senators to travel)

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity. Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel. In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings. Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be proactively disclosed. Any funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Respectfully submitted,

The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications has the honour to present its

SEVENTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Thursday, February 10, 2022, to examine and report on the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors and the consequential impacts on their interdependencies, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered to:

(a)engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary;

(b)travel inside Canada.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 1(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Study of the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2025

Extract from the Journals of the Senate of Thursday, February 10, 2022:

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Housakos moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be authorized to examine and report on the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors and the consequential impacts on their interdependencies, and measures needed to increase resiliency to those impacts;

That the committee also examine the impacts of critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors on climate change, and measures to reduce those impacts; and

That the committee submit its final report no later than November 30, 2023, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Extract from the Journals of the Senate of Thursday, November 30, 2023:

The Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne moved, for the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Boehm:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Thursday, February 10, 2022, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications in relation to its study on the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors and the consequential impacts on their interdependencies be extended from November 30, 2023, to November 30, 2024.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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SUMMARY OF BUDGET

The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

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APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, for its special study on the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors, as authorized by the Senate on Thursday, February 10, 2022. The approved budget is as follows:

(includes funds for fact-finding missions and for 12 senators to travel)

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity. Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel. In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings. Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be proactively disclosed. Any funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Respectfully submitted,

The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy has the honour to present its

TWELFTH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act, has, in obedience to the order of reference of Thursday, December 14, 2023, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment but with certain observations, which are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

Observations to the Twelfth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy (Bill C-34)

The committee supports Bill C-34 with reservations. We heard serious concerns from several witnesses that the scope of the legislation is too limited and does not adequately balance our economic and national security needs. Several national security experts stated the bill did not sufficiently account for the threat of foreign actors.

Your committee believes it is important to ensure that government-funded intellectual property and treatment of personal data be considered as economic net benefit factors and that forthcoming regulations reflect that. Due to the limited levels of domestic investment in the intangibles sector, the strategic value of these assets may not be fully captured in commercial valuations of acquired corporations. Thus, prioritizing expert technical diligence is essential in the Net Benefit Review, with threshold metrics adapting to evolving intangible asset valuation methodologies.

The committee acknowledges the close work with our Five Eyes partners, but considering the evolving threat of foreign interference, the Government should move quickly to increase greater collaboration with our allies.

Finally, because of the rapidly evolving nature of foreign investment in Canada and the growing concerns over national security in an era of great geopolitical changes, the committee recommends that in 3 years’ time the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry report to parliamentarians on whether the Investment Canada Act is meeting its objectives.