Day 1: Request for Shawn Buckley to appear at the Senate Committee as the voice of concerned citizens across Canada, tabled and denied.
READ NOVEMBER 24 2010 SENATE COMMITTEE MEETING TRANSCRIPT
Senator Cordy: I would like to make another motion that we ask Mr. Shawn Buckley to appear as a witness before our committee.
The Deputy Chair: The motion has been moved by Senator Cordy that Mr. Shawn Buckley be invited to appear before the committee.
Senator Cordy: Shall I explain it?
The Deputy Chair: If you wish to.
Senator Cordy: I have received hundreds of emails from people requesting that Shawn Buckley appear before our committee. I have received phone calls and I have spoken with people who have phoned the office who have only asked that he appear before the committee.
I have also received letters requesting that he appear. I believe we have a responsibility in tune with the democratic process to at least allow him to appear before the committee.
Senator Eaton: Given his appearance last time, I believe Mr. Shawn Buckley went through this bill very carefully. He is not concerned with Bill C?36 or then Bill C?6 but rather possibly another bill coming from Health Canada in the future. This is what he is fighting to set jurisprudence on, and I think it is a complete waste of time to hear from him again.
Senator Day: It would not surprise you, honourable senators, to know that I disagree with my honourable colleague. Mr. Buckley is qualified as a lawyer, I believe from British Columbia. I do not have his resumé in front of me, but from out west somewhere.
Senator Eaton: Alberta.
Senator Day: Thank you. He is probably the most knowledgeable person in Canada regarding this legislation, certainly from a lawyer’s point of view. He was very helpful and reasonable in his last appearance. I thought he made some recommendations that were actually adopted by the government and the department. It would be interesting to hear his comments with relation to those that had been adopted as well as those that have not.
Senator Callbeck: I would agree, I said the first time I spoke, that we should hear from Mr. Shawn Buckley. We have had hundreds of emails on this, and the public are demanding that we hear from him. I think that we have a responsibility to do so.
Senator Seidman: First, I am sure that Mr. Buckley has been offered the opportunity to send us a written brief. Second, as far as the hundreds of emails are concerned, I too have received them. However, I must say that it is very clear to me that they are computer generated because they are all absolutely identical with just a changed name on the bottom. Therefore, quite frankly, I do not know what the “hundreds of emails” refers to. It seems to refer to one person changing the name and sending the same email out over hundreds of times.
I would like to call the question, or ask the chair to call the question. Thank you.
The Deputy Chair: Thank you. Honourable colleagues, are you ready for the question on this motion? The question before you is understood by the committee.
Those in favour of the motion please so signify. Those contrary minded please so signify. I declare the motion defeated.
Senator Cordy: I would like a recorded vote, please.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Ogilvie.
Senator Ogilvie: Nay.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Callbeck.
Senator Callbeck: Yes.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Champagne, P.C.
Senator Champagne: Nay.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Cordy.
Senator Cordy: Yes.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Day.
Senator Day: Yes.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Eaton.
Senator Eaton: Nay.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Martin.
Senator Martin: Nay.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Merchant.
Senator Merchant: Yes.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Marshall.
Senator Marshall: Nay.
Ms. Richardson: The Honourable Senator Seidman.
Senator Seidman: Nay.
The Deputy Chair: I declare the motion defeated, 6 to 4.
NOVEMBER 24 2010
[BILL C-36] STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE MEETING
