Senate: Legislation.

• Date: 22 September 2020
• Author: Barrette, Emily

The Senate was adjourned for much of this quarter as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was recalled on three occasions to sit on April 11, May 1 and May 15. On each occasion, a bill relating to the government's COVID-19 response was passed and received Royal Assent by written declaration.

On April 11, the Senate resolved into a Committee of the Whole for consideration of the subject matter of Bill C-14, A second Act respecting certain measures in response to COVID-19, in advance of the bill coming before the Senate, and heard from the Minister of Finance. Following the Committee of the Whole, Bill C-14 was read a first time, adopted at second and third reading stages, without being referred to committee, and received Royal Assent by written declaration. On May 1, Bill C-15, An Act respecting Canada emergency student benefits (coronavirus disease 2019), was read a first time, adopted at second and third reading stages, without being referred to committee, and received Royal Assent by written declaration. Prior to the second reading stage, the Senate resolved into a Committee of the Whole in order to hear from the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion on the subject matter of the bill. On May 15, the Senate dealt with Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canadian Dairy Commission Act, in the same manner as the other bills mentioned above, with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food participating in the Committee of the Whole on the subject matter of the bill.

On May 29, the Speaker announced via memorandum that the adjournment of the Senate was being extended from June 2 to June 16. The Senate sat on June 16 and met seven times over the next two weeks, during which time two supply bills were passed and received Royal Assent by written declaration. The Senate was resolved into a Committee of the Whole on June 23 in order to consider the expenditures set out in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, and in the Supplementary Estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, and received the Minister of Finance and the President of the Treasury Board. Bill C-18, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021 (Appropriation Act No. 2, 2020-21), was read a third time on June 25, and Bill C-19, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for...