▁the ▁bill ▁passed ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁without ▁debate ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Senate . ▁Before ▁the ▁bill ▁was ▁put ▁before ▁the ▁upper ▁chamber , ▁Sen ators ▁Ela ine ▁Mc Co y , ▁Serge ▁Jo yal , ▁and ▁Hugh ▁Seg al ▁were ▁all ▁quoted ▁in ▁Mac lean ' s ▁as ▁des iring ▁a ▁debate ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁on ▁Bill ▁C - 5 3 . ▁Mc Co y ▁stated ▁her ▁opinion ▁that ▁the ▁bill ▁was ▁meaning less , ▁as ▁a ▁law ▁passed ▁after ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁by ▁Britain ' s ▁parliament ▁cannot ▁have ▁any ▁effect ▁in ▁Canada , ▁while ▁Seg al ▁expressed ▁his ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁bill ▁and ▁the ▁government ' s ▁r ationale ▁behind ▁it . ▁All ▁agreed ▁a ▁constitution al ▁am end ment ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁required . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Senate ▁On ▁ 5 ▁February , ▁the ▁bill ▁received ▁its ▁first ▁reading ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁and ▁the ▁Su cc ession ▁to ▁the ▁Crown ▁Bill ▁ 2 0 1 2 – 1 3 ▁was ▁table d . ▁The ▁bill ' s ▁second ▁reading ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 7 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁Stand ing ▁Senate ▁Committee ▁on ▁Leg al ▁and ▁Constitution al ▁Affairs . ▁There , ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁and ▁ 2 1 ▁March , ▁the ▁committee ▁heard ▁from ▁Associ ate ▁Professor ▁Andrew ▁He ard ▁of ▁Simon ▁F ras er ▁University ; ▁Professor ▁of ▁Law ▁Ben o ît ▁Pel let ier , ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ott awa