Bill S-7 explained in plain English

This document records the proceedings of the Senate on November 5, 2014. The Senate officially introduced and gave first reading to Bill S-7, which aims to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act, and the Criminal Code. Following this procedural step, the bill was scheduled for second reading debate on a future date. The sitting also included discussions on other matters, such as a report on food banks, the Energy East Pipeline project, the role of women in world wars, and various legislative items at different stages of the parliamentary process.

On November 18, 2014, the Senate held a sitting that included a debate on Bill S-7. Senator Salma Ataullahjan moved for the second reading of Bill S-7, an Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act and the Criminal Code. She spoke in favour of the bill, stating its purpose is to provide more protection and support for vulnerable individuals, particularly women and girls, by reinforcing that Canada does not permit underage, forced, or polygamous marriages, or other practices that deny gender equality. The debate on Bill S-7 was adjourned. The sitting also included discussions on other matters, such as the Joint Parliamentary Symposia in Canada and France, the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, the role of women in the Second World War, and the practice of introducing legislative changes through large budget bills, with a discussion on time allocation and public debate. Additionally, there were updates on on-reserve housing fires and fire prevention, and debates on other bills, including one concerning copyright and trademarks, and another related to equalization and fiscal federalism. The Senate also adopted an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne and debated a motion to authorize a committee to meet during a Senate sitting.

This record details a debate in the Senate regarding Bill S-7, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act and the Criminal Code. The bill's sponsor, Senator Salma Ataullahjan, delivered a speech in favour of the bill, explaining its purpose to protect vulnerable individuals, primarily women and girls, from practices such as underage and forced marriage, polygamy, and "honour killings." She highlighted that the bill aims to reinforce Canadian values by not tolerating these practices and introduced specific amendments to existing acts to achieve this. Other senators asked clarifying questions about the bill's provisions, particularly concerning the defence of provocation in honour killings and the process for amending the Criminal Code.

On November 26, 2014, the Senate held a debate at the second reading stage of Bill S-7, titled the "Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act." The debate primarily focused on the procedural aspects of the bill and featured extended tributes to retiring Speaker Noël A. Kinsella. While the debate for Bill S-7 was initiated, it was adjourned before a decision was made on its second reading. The sitting also included discussions on other matters, such as the CBC/Radio-Canada, liquefied natural gas development, and support for veterans, and concluded with the notification that Bill C-41 (An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Korea) had received Royal Assent.

This record details a debate at the second reading stage of Bill S-7 in the Senate on November 26, 2014. The primary focus of the discussion was the bill itself, which aims to address "barbaric cultural practices" by amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act, and the Criminal Code. Senator Mobina S. B. Jaffer spoke at length about the bill's provisions concerning polygamy, the national age of marriage, forced marriages, and changes to the definition of "provocation." She expressed significant concerns that the bill's language and approach might marginalize certain communities and misrepresent issues like violence against women as solely cultural problems. She also highlighted that the bill would not address polygamy within Canada (referencing Bountiful, B.C.) but would apply to foreign nationals, and questioned the inclusion of changes to the "provocation" defence in a bill focused on "barbaric cultural practices." Other senators spoke about various topics, including tributes to the retiring Speaker, Senator Noël A. Kinsella, and discussions on CBC/Radio-Canada funding, sports, Down Syndrome Awareness Week, and liquefied natural gas development. The debate on Bill S-7 was eventually adjourned.

This artifact is a record of a Senate sitting that took place on November 27, 2014. The sitting included the formal appointment of the Honourable Pierre Claude Nolin as Speaker of the Senate, followed by congratulations from the government and opposition leaders. The Senate then proceeded to various committee report presentations and debates on several topics, including homelessness, international business challenges, budget matters, pension plans, First Nations financial transparency, and issues related to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act, and the Criminal Code (Bill S-7). Specifically concerning Bill S-7, the debate at second reading continued, with Senator Elaine McCoy raising concerns about the bill's title and substance. The bill was then read a second time, "on division," and referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights. Other proceedings included adopting committee reports, debating motions on recognizing specific weeks, and discussing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the case of Asia Bibi. The sitting concluded with arrangements for the next sitting.

On December 11, 2014, the Senate convened and engaged in various procedural activities and debates. A key procedural event was the presentation of the Tenth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, which had examined Bill S-7, an Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act, and the Criminal Code. The committee reported the bill without amendment, but with observations. The bill was then placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading. The Senate also heard tributes to the late journalist Bruce Phillips, O.C., and discussed the charitable and not-for-profit sector. Other proceedings included the tabling of various committee reports, motions to authorize committees to sit during Senate sittings, and debates on several other bills, including Bill C-442 (Federal Framework on Lyme Disease), Bill C-47 (Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2014), Bill C-27 (Public Service Employment Act amendments), Bill C-428 (Indian Act amendments), Bill C-483 (Corrections and Conditional Release Act amendments), and Bill C-520 (Supporting Non-Partisan Offices of Agents of Parliament). Inquiries on sickle cell disease, the persecution of Rohingya Muslims, and the genocide in Rwanda and the Central African Republic were also continued, with debates adjourned to a later date. Motions to extend committee report deadlines were adopted.

This artifact documents a Senate sitting on December 12, 2014, where the third reading debate of Bill S-7, concerning amendments to immigration, marriage, and criminal laws, was adjourned. The sitting also included discussions on various other matters, such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, solitary confinement in federal prisons, economic conditions, and the regulation of agricultural supply management systems. Additionally, there was a point of order raised concerning the procedural validity of omnibus bills like Bill C-43, and the third reading of a bill concerning a federal framework on Lyme disease (Bill C-442) was completed.

On December 15, 2014, the Senate debated Bill S-7, "An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act and the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts," at its third reading. The debate included discussions on the bill's short title, "Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act," and its implications for marginalized communities. Senator Mobina S. B. Jaffer raised concerns about the title's potentially racist framework and its targeting of specific groups. She also discussed issues related to polygamy, the national age of marriage, forced marriage, and provocation, proposing amendments to raise the national age of marriage to 18 and alter the definition of provocation. Senator Anne C. Cools and Senator Nicole Eaton also participated in the debate, questioning the bill's scope and title. Senator Eggleton spoke about the bill's focus on law and order over support services and the potential for re-victimization. An amendment to remove the short title was proposed but negatived. The main motion for third reading was then debated, with a vote deferred to the next sitting. The sitting also included other business, such as the presentation of committee reports and notices of motions.

On December 16, 2014, the Senate held its third reading debate for Bill S-7. During this sitting, senators also discussed other matters, including a terrorist attack in Peshawar, physician-assisted death, and the North Pole and Arctic continental shelf. The Senate also debated and voted on amendments to Bill C-43, the Economic Action Plan Act, No. 2, and adopted a report on underground infrastructure safety. After several debates and votes on other bills and amendments, the Senate adjourned until January 27, 2015. Royal Assent was received for Bill S-7 and other bills on December 16, 2014.