Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
1st Session, 44th Parliament
Volume 153, Issue 48
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
The Honourable George J. Furey, Speaker
- SENATORS’ STATEMENTS
- Italian Heritage Month
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
- Visitors in the Gallery
- National Seal Products Day
- Visitors in the Gallery
- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
- Visitors in the Gallery
- Tribute to Senators Gerba and Coyle
- Visitors in the Gallery
- The Late Bruce Gilchrist Duncan Campbell, O.C.
- Visitor in the Gallery
- Italian Heritage Month
- ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
- QUESTION PERIOD
- ORDERS OF THE DAY
- APPENDIX
- DELAYED ANSWERS TO ORAL QUESTIONS
THE SENATE
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair.
Prayers.
[Translation]
SENATORS’ STATEMENTS
Italian Heritage Month
Hon. Tony Loffreda: Honourable senators, today I rise in celebration of Italian Heritage Month.
Throughout the month of June, Italian communities across Canada, from Vancouver to Toronto to Ottawa to Montreal, will be hosting events to celebrate Italy’s dynamic and impressive heritage.
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Canadians of all origins will have an opportunity this month to immerse themselves in all things Italian: food and wine, arts and culture, and good old hospitality and cheer.
Canada is home to one of the largest Italian diasporas in the world with some 1.5 million Canadians of Italian descent. Of course, the first Italian presence in what is now known as Canada was 525 years ago, when Giovanni Caboto landed here.
It wasn’t until the mid-17th century that we saw the first Italian settlement. Some time later, in the late 1800s, an influx of migrant workers came to Canada, many of which eventually chose to stay here permanently. Finally, another important wave occurred after the Second World War.
At that time, my parents were among those who made the difficult decision to leave their family and come to Canada, truly a land of hope and opportunity. I know first-hand to what extent Italian immigrants were grateful for the warm welcome they received when they arrived on our shores after leaving a war-torn country.
Canadians of Italian descent have helped shape Canada in many ways. They’ve made so many contributions to our cultural landscape, social fabric and economic vitality. They are go‑getters, change-makers, innovators and community-builders, and I am proud to be a member of this community.
Of course, 2022 also marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Canada-Italy bilateral relations. Since 1947, the bonds that unite us have been carefully nurtured, and today we have many reasons to be proud of our joint efforts to increase cultural, educational and economic exchanges between our two great nations.
I look forward to working with Italy’s new ambassador to Canada, His Excellency Andrea Ferrari, on various matters to strengthen this very important trade and diplomatic relationship.
Honourable senators, please join me in extending special greetings to all Canadians of Italian descent on the occasion of Italian Heritage Month. I hope you will have an opportunity to take part in some of the activities hosted by our various Italian communities across the country. At the very least, please enjoy a good glass of Italian vino in their honour.
Thank you. Grazie.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Hon. Peter Harder: Honourable senators, “Governments make mistakes.” Those were the words I spoke in this chamber on May 1, 2019, to commemorate the then one-hundredth anniversary of one such mistake, when the following order-in-council was passed by the Government of Canada. It read, in part:
Whereas the minister of immigration and colonization reports that owing to conditions prevailing as the result of the war, a widespread feeling exists throughout the Dominion, and more particularly in western Canada, that steps should be taken to prevent the entry to Canada of all persons who may be regarded as undesirable because owing to their peculiar customs, habits, modes of living and methods of holding property, they are not likely to become readily assimilated or assume the duties and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship within a reasonable time; and
Whereas the minister further reports that numerous representations have been received . . . indicating that persons commonly known as Doukhobors, Hutterites and Mennonites are of the class and character described and that consequently it is desirable to prohibit the entry to Canada of such.
That order prevented my Harder and Tiessen grandparents, my parents and their siblings and thousands of other Mennonites who had applied to come to Canada from leaving the Soviet Union. They were, therefore, stuck.
I don’t raise this simply to acknowledge the pain and suffering of those a century ago, but as a lesson in intolerance for today and as a testament against falsehoods and prejudice in our times.
Jonathan Swift writes, “Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it . . . .”
And so it did. While governments make mistakes, governments can also fix mistakes. After 3 years, exactly 100 years ago tomorrow, on June 2, 1922, the then newly elected Government of Canada rescinded that order, saying in an order-in-council:
His Excellency, the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the acting Minister of Immigration and Colonization, is pleased to order that the Order-in-Council of June 9, 1919, prohibited the landing in Canada of any immigrant of Doukhobor, Hutterite and Mennonite classes shall be and the same is hereby rescinded as respects Hutterites and Mennonites.
That was signed by Mackenzie King and approved by Byng of Vimy.
As a result, thousands of people left the Soviet Union for Canada in what became known as the Mennonite exodus, their immigration facilitated by travel loans from Canadian Pacific Rail guaranteed by their co-religionists in Canada.
The banner headline of the Kitchener-Waterloo Daily Record of that day boldly declared, “Mennonites Now Free To Come Into Canada,” the article saying:
The order-in-council promulgated by the Union Government during the war restricting all Mennonite immigration into Canada has just been annulled by the Liberal government as a result of the efforts of W. D. Euler M. P., according to information received by Record’s press gallery representative at Ottawa. The Mennonites are now as free to enter Canada as the adherents of any other faith. This announcement will be received with considerable pleasure by the thousands of Mennonites in Kitchener . . . .
And so it was.
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I speak today so that we may redouble our efforts to make Canada an ongoing beacon of protection for refugees, a welcoming centre for immigrants celebrating pluralism and a bulwark against falsehoods and other claims of racial, gender or religious intolerance in our time.
Visitors in the Gallery
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of a delegation of senators from the Parliament of the Czech Republic. They are led by Senator Jiří Drahoš and accompanied by His Excellency, Ambassador Bořek Lizec.
On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!
National Seal Products Day
Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, yesterday marked National Seal Products Day on Parliament Hill, established by Bill S-208, developed by our dear former colleague and champion of the sealing industry, former senator Céline Hervieux-Payette. Colleagues, today, in marking National Seal Products Day, I want to alert you to what parliamentary secretary and my good friend Yvonne Jones, MP for Labrador, has described as an ecological disaster in our oceans.
For years, Greenpeace, PETA and their like successfully demonized the seal hunt, with its long and proud tradition in Atlantic Canada and the Arctic. As a result, the seal population is out of control and decimating our fisheries. I want to commend Minister Joyce Murray for being the first Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard ever to acknowledge that seals eat fish. How much fish? According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the harp seal population in Atlantic Canada alone eats 1.6 million metric tonnes of fish in the Atlantic region.
Colleagues, Newfoundland and Labrador’s entire commercial fishery amounts to only 220,000 metric tonnes. Harbour seals and sea lions — or Qasigiaq as we call them in Nunavut — eat 30% of Pacific salmon before they can even get to the sea. The result is that fisheries are having to be closed. Capelin stocks are down 70%, and the cod fishery has not been restored 30 years after its closure.
The collateral damage done to the innocent human victims was also spiritually devastating. False narratives about the cruelty of the seal hunt and the money raised through those narratives were used to effectively destroy overnight the market for rich, beautiful seal fur when the European Union and many other countries banned the sale of seal products.
The documentary by acclaimed Inuit filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril called Angry Inuk is a compelling documentary about the devastating, dispiriting impact of the seal ban. The disappearance of the market for seal skins not only made hunting unaffordable but also deprived the Inuit and the world of a rich, sustainable supply of high-protein food rich in omega-3 fats and vitamins.
Seal skin is also the material used for the very best waterproof and windproof outdoor clothing and footwear, as well as for world-class high-fashion materials. A seal diet was the main source of sustenance which allowed the Inuit to thrive in the harshest climate in the country.
What can we do about this ecological disaster? Let’s look for Clifford Small, MP for Coast of Bays–Central–Notre Dame, whose private member’s bill, Bill C-251, aims at restoring our decimated fisheries through strategies which will restore ecological balance. Senator Wells may sponsor that in the Senate.
Colleagues, we need to support our fledging seal products industry and feed the world while restoring ecological balance in our precious ocean resources. Thank you, honourable senators. Qujannamiik.
Visitors in the Gallery
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of members of the women’s high school tackle football teams of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario).
On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Congratulations on Platinum Jubilee
Hon. David M. Wells: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on the eve of Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne and to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.
Queen Elizabeth II is only the eighth Queen of England, and her reign is not only a remarkable length of service but an example of leadership to the Commonwealth and to the world. Queen Elizabeth II has been a living example of stability and stoicism through many difficult global events over her seven decades as monarch.
Her reign has had no shortage of historic points, starting with her pledge in a speech broadcast on the radio from Cape Town on April 21, 1947, when she dedicated her life to service. Her reign began when she was 25 years old, following the death of her father, King George VI, on February 6, 1952.
Queen Elizabeth II has made countless trips throughout the world, including 22 official visits to Canada, the first being in 1951 as Princess Elizabeth, where she visited in place of her father, who was ill, and the most recent being in 2010. She had an official visit to my home province in 1978, visiting St. John’s, Deer Lake, Corner Brook and Stephenville. There were also many stops in Gander, but most were not considered official as they were simply to refuel. I was in Bonavista when the Queen visited there in 1997. My eldest son, Luke, who is now 25 — many of you have met him — was three months old and in my arms.
My maternal grandmother from Tottenham in North London, Ruby L. Jewson, joined the Women’s Auxiliary for the war effort and, later, was part of the team that catalogued the gifts to the Queen upon her ascension to the throne. She was so proud of that and would always show me her scrapbook of those times. I was proud of her. She’d be humbled to have her name mentioned in the Senate of Canada.
I met Her Majesty — as we were told to address her; Prince Philip was to be addressed as Your Royal Highness — a few years ago, and I wanted to mention that story about my grandmother but chickened out in favour of protocol. I regret that now.
Over the years, Queen Elizabeth II has met with numerous Indigenous groups, including being greeted by the Chief of the Montagnais and given a pair of beaded moosehide jackets. In 1976, the Queen received an Alberta First Nations delegation at Buckingham Palace.
In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II presented Christ Church, Her Majesty’s Royal Chapel of the Mohawks, with handbells to symbolize the councils and treaties between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Crown.
Queen Elizabeth II is a champion of unity and democracy, and her legacy and remarkable achievements are deserving of celebration. I will mark this historic occasion and pay tribute to Canada’s longest-reigning sovereign and the first to celebrate a platinum jubilee. I will take time and reflect on this historic moment and reflect on the role of my grandmother, my province, my country, my all-too-brief meeting with her and my oath to Her Majesty over nine years ago.
Thank you, colleagues.
Visitors in the Gallery
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Beau James Atkins, of Evolve Family Law, and his son Parker Paul Atkins. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Cotter.
On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!
[Translation]
Tribute to Senators Gerba and Coyle
Hon. René Cormier: Honourable senators, from May 21 to 28, I had the tremendous honour, as a vice-chair of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, of participating in a mission in Accra, Ghana, together with the new Senate co-chair of the association, our colleague, the Honourable Amina Gerba.
With the support of the amazing High Commission of Canada in Ghana, our delegation of two senators and two MPs met with many Ghanaian parliamentarians to discuss a number of issues of importance to Canada and this West African country. Governance, economic development, peace and security, arts and culture, and human rights — specifically women’s and LGBTQ2+ rights — were among the issues, some of them quite sensitive, that we discussed in a spirit of openness during meetings with various parliamentary committees.
Our delegation met with the Speaker of the Ghanaian parliament and the foreign affairs minister, as well as several civil society organizations, such as the African Development Bank, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Media Foundation for West Africa and the Institute for Democratic Governance. It was a rich and intense diplomatic mission that gave us insight into Ghana’s economic, political, cultural and social issues, its role in Africa’s economic integration and how Canada can become one of the country’s key partners.
Colleagues, one of the highlights of this mission was the moving tribute paid to Senator Amina Gerba by the Forum des diasporas africaines, an organization that aims to support the African Union in representing the African diaspora and its strategic engagement in Africa’s continued development. As a native of Cameroon and founder of the Forum Afrique Expansion, Canada’s largest platform for business partnerships between African and Canadian decision makers, Senator Gerba dedicated her professional life to promoting economic, trade and entrepreneurial ties between Canada and Africa prior to her recent appointment to the Senate.
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Her distinguished career and outstanding contribution to strengthening economic ties between the African continent and Canada were recognized last week as she was named an ambassador of the African diaspora, alongside famous personalities such as Barack Obama.
Thinking of this young Cameroonian woman, who at a very young age began helping to support her family, thinking of this immigrant who wholeheartedly embraced her new country by becoming a dynamic Canadian entrepreneur and, finally, thinking of her appointment to the Senate of Canada, we cannot help but share her delight in the distinction she was awarded last week.
Colleagues, we can be proud to call this inspiring citizen one of our own. She channelled her unique life experiences and immeasurable love for Africa into tangible actions that have helped strengthen ties between Canada and that continent. Congratulations, senator. You are a credit to the Senate of Canada.
Before I conclude, I would be remiss if I did not also congratulate our colleague, Senator Mary Coyle, another remarkable woman who was also on the African continent at the same time to receive an honorary doctorate from Meru University of Science and Technology in Kenya. Congratulations, Senator Coyle.
Colleagues, these two deeply committed women are both admirable senators whose contributions to Canada deserve our applause. Thank you.
Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.
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Visitors in the Gallery
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of staff from the Cardus think tank. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Plett.
On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!
The Late Bruce Gilchrist Duncan Campbell, O.C.
Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I wish to pay tribute to Bruce Gilchrist Duncan Campbell, who passed away on May 17, 2022. Born to Duncan and Kathleen Campbell, Bruce grew up on the family farm in Chater, Manitoba.
Bruce was a humble man who made significant contributions to our country, to my home province of Manitoba, to my community of Landmark, to the farming industry and to everyone who had the privilege of chatting or working with him.
He was a generous man who inspired so many people — a man who always had sensible words of encouragement supported by a tremendous depth of knowledge.
Bruce was a natural businessman and was gifted with a down-to-earth approach and an ability to build strong relationships with people, his staff and his community.
My remarks today are a true testament and demonstration of Bruce’s ability and vision to forge strong community bonds.
Bruce started his career as a sales rep who eventually seized the opportunity to purchase an interest in a small, rural feed business in Landmark, Manitoba, in 1968. Just nine years later, he successfully became the sole owner. In the 30 years that followed, Bruce built and turned Landmark Feeds Incorporated into an innovative, leading company that he profitably sold to Maple Leaf Foods in 1999.
Bruce had great success in leading partners and teams in agribusiness, but his legacy is much bigger than that alone. He was a visionary who put people at the forefront of all his endeavours.
His successes are well documented. The significance of his contributions in the agricultural industry in Western Canada speak for themselves. His fireplace mantel was filled with awards, recognitions and honourable mentions, the Order of Canada being one of them. But his best renown was his reputation of caring for individuals around him.
I wish to share a specific story that will give everyone a glimpse of what kind of person Bruce Campbell was.
In 1991, I helped fundraise for the construction of our new arena in Landmark. At the time, the project was one of about a million dollars. Bruce was our largest single financial contributor.
As the plans progressed, I recall sharing with him that the project was short $50,000 and that we were considering the option of not immediately going ahead with the ice plant. Well, Bruce didn’t think that was a good idea, so, he turned around and wrote us a cheque for $50,000. His additional donation made such a difference. Many would have said, “I’ve already given.” But not Bruce. Bruce encompassed his community with generosity.
In small communities, the arena is the centre of so many great memories. Bruce and his family not only ensured that Landmark was thriving, but, just like in business, he put the people at the forefront. The Landmark Arena is now named after him.
On behalf of Canada’s farming community, the people of Landmark, Manitoba, and myself personally, I wish to pass on my condolences to his wife, Lesley; his children Nancy and Brock; and their spouses, grandchildren and all family members and friends.
I pray that you find solace in knowing that Bruce has left us for a better place, while recognizing that he left our community a better place.
Thank you.
Visitor in the Gallery
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Odelia Quewezance. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Pate.
On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!
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ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Auditor General
2022 Spring Reports Tabled
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2022 Spring Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada, pursuant to the Auditor General Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-17,sbs. 7(5).
Adjournment
Notice of Motion
Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:
That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at 2 p.m.
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QUESTION PERIOD
Justice
Parole Eligibility
Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question, again, is for the government leader in the Senate.
Leader, a Supreme Court of Canada ruling last week, which struck down life without parole for mass murderers, means that the man who killed six people in a Quebec mosque in 2017 may be eligible to apply for parole. His lawyer called the court decision a glimmer of hope, yet the families of his victims live each and every day with the pain and loss of their loved ones.
On Friday, the Minister of Justice released a statement that read, “. . . we will respect the court’s decision and carefully review its implications and path forward.”
Leader, what does that mean? Why has the NDP-Liberal government completely ruled out a legislative response? What is your path forward? To just move on and let the victims fall by the wayside once again?
Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, Senator Plett. First, the government wants to acknowledge the hurt and the anger that this decision may rekindle amongst all the victims of the horrific attack in Quebec City.
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As you mentioned in your question, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Criminal Code provision that allows judges to order consecutive periods of parole ineligibility in cases of multiple murders is unconstitutional.
The government’s position was and is clear. The government supported a sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility where appropriate. However, the government will respect the court’s decision and is, as the minister said, carefully reviewing the implications and what the path forward may be.
Senator Plett: Leader, the end of Minister Lametti’s statement in response to the Supreme Court ruling said, “We will continue to stand with those affected by this terrible crime and support them.”
Leader, how does leaving the position of Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime vacant since October 1 of last year show support for victims and their families? And how does letting the review of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights go two years overdue show support for victims and their families?
Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. The government is engaged on both of these issues. When decisions are made with regard to the position and the bill of rights to which you referred, they will be communicated.
Health
Funding for Primary Health Care
Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader. I’m going to return to the issue that I didn’t get to fully articulate yesterday regarding the government’s broken promise to provide $3.2 billion to the provinces and territories for the hiring of 7,500 new family doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners.
According to the B.C. College of Family Physicians, almost one million people in my province alone do not have a family doctor and are unable to get one — one million. Earlier this month, the Canadian Medical Association said the lack of access to family doctors is a growing crisis, and it urged all levels of government to address the issues that are “decimating primary care across the country.”
Leader, I will try again to ask, why did the NDP-Liberal budget fail to include this specific promise to fund 7,500 new doctors and nurses starting this fiscal year?
Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I don’t have a specific answer to your question and I won’t repeat the more general answer that I gave. We must remember not only that health is a provincial jurisdiction, but the federal government has played a critical role in financing and helping provinces develop and fund their own health care systems.
It is up to a province to organize how it wants to use the resources from its own taxpayers and as provided by Canada, and to prioritize within the medical schools and the licencing organizations how that will work. There are market forces also at play in terms of the penury of family physicians. It is not only in your province; it’s a problem in my own and everywhere. Provincial governments have done good and not-so-good jobs in rationalizing their resources with consequences sometimes unforeseen.
I will make inquiries about your particular question, but it remains the case that the Government of Canada remains a strong financial partner to all provinces to help them shoulder the increasing costs and challenges of health care.
Senator Martin: As I’m sure you know, some Canadians who don’t have access to a family doctor will ultimately seek care at a hospital emergency room. This past weekend, three hospitals that serve smaller communities in different parts of B.C. closed their emergency rooms due to staff shortages. These types of closures are becoming a common occurrence.
On Monday, the mayor of Clearwater told CTV that their local hospital emergency room has been closed so many times in recent months that he can’t even keep track of the number of times this has happened.
Leader, does the NDP-Liberal government have any timeline for when it intends to fulfill its promise of 7,500 new doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners in Canada? And how did you determine that 7,500 was an adequate number?
Senator Gold: Again, I don’t have the answer to the specific question and I will make inquiries. Most provinces, in their demands for additional support for financing, insist that it be done with no conditions whatsoever. We know from reviewing the ongoing discussions between the provinces and federal government, whether it is in the area of funding for physical or mental health, that there is an ongoing tension between the Government of Canada’s desire to target the money to address pressing needs that we can all identify, whether long-term care homes or mental health support, and the province’s desire is to say, “This is our jurisdiction, give us the money and we’ll spend it as we wish.”
Without speculating as to why agreements have not yet been reached — in this particular case, between your province and the federal government — I assure this chamber that I will make inquiries, but I think we all must remain sensible and sensitive to the actual realities of federal-provincial financial negotiations around health care.
National Defence
Independent External Comprehensive Review
Hon. Mary Coyle: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, in April of last year, the government announced that former Justice Louise Arbour would lead a review looking into sexual misconduct and sexual harassment in the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.
This week, the final report of this review was released. A key recommendation from Justice Arbour’s report is that civilian authorities have exclusive jurisdiction over Criminal Code sexual offences against Canadian Armed Forces members. This recommendation was built on former Justice Fish’s and former Justice Deschamps’s reports’ findings and recommendations in 2021 and 2015, respectively, where they both recommended sexual offences be referred to civilian authorities.
Senator Gold, we know that the military justice system has been ineffective in dealing with matters related to sexual misconduct and sexual harassment. Senator Gold, I’m sure you will agree that all Canadians deserve equal access to justice, be they civilian or military.
Senator Gold, will the government commit to implementing these centrally important recommendations?
Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, senator. I am advised that Minister Anand released and accepted Justice Arbour’s report in its entirety. She welcomed all of the recommendations and committed to implementing 17 of them immediately.
With regard to your specific question, as you would know, in the last year, the government has been laying the foundation for meaningful cultural change, including by implementing Madam Justice Arbour’s interim recommendation for transferring the investigation and prosecution of Criminal Code sexual offences from the military justice system to the civilian justice system. This work continues in earnest.
As you mentioned in your question, the fifth recommendation in Justice Arbour’s report is that sexual offences should be entirely removed from the jurisdiction of the military justice system, and they should be prosecuted in civilian criminal courts. This is a thoughtful and system-transforming recommendation. The minister is examining it in earnest. I am advised that the minister will be writing to her provincial and territorial justice partners in the coming days and she will be consulting with survivors and victims’ groups to determine the best path forward.
To smooth the case transfer process, Department of National Defence officials will collaborate even more closely with provincial and territorial authorities. The government is making plans to establish a formal intergovernmental table to build durable transfer processes that will serve Canadian Armed Forces members well in the long term.
Senator Coyle: Thank you, Senator Gold. I look forward to hearing further updates on that process, as you have described it.
Senator Gold, another important recommendation made by former Justice Arbour was that the civilian human rights organizations have adequate access and resources to assess and address these complaints from military personnel.
Senator Gold, will the government take action on this recommendation as well?
Senator Gold: Thank you for your question, again. With respect to recommendations numbers 7 to 9 to which you made reference, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal is a body outside the chain of command, and I have been advised that the government is examining this and is consulting across governments and with stakeholders to determine the path forward in the coming months.
I’m also advised that this is a rather complex recommendation. It requires some detailed analysis, and the government is committed to undertake the study required to develop an appropriate response.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
National Housing Strategy
Hon. Rosemary Moodie: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, on May 18 and May 19, Canada underwent a review by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. During the review, Canada was asked about what it is doing to protect children from homelessness and housing insecurity. In response, our delegation spoke about the National Housing Strategy. However, stakeholders such as UNICEF and the Women’s National Housing & Homelessness Network have pointed to concerning gaps that exist within this program. Specifically, the National Housing Strategy has a target of 25% of its resources to be designated for women and children, a target that is perplexing as it is seen to be out of sync with the demonstrated data that we already have, data that has established that women, gender-diverse people and children make up a larger portion than 25%.
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My question is this: What equity targets are embedded in the National Housing Strategy to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to protect children experiencing eviction and homelessness in Canada? Can you share the details of how these targets are being monitored?
Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you. It is an important question on an important issue. I don’t have the answer, but I will seek to get it and share it with the chamber as soon as I can.
This government, more than any other government, dare I say, is committed to addressing the gaps and the inequalities that we have come to recognize plague our country with regard to those — whether women, Indigenous communities, children and others — who find themselves in vulnerable positions. The government will continue to use its efforts to redress these inequalities in this area as in others.
Senator Moodie: I’m wondering, Senator Gold, does the government have a plan to review targets and measures for significant social policies as they move forward in making progress on revamping our data collection processes?
Senator Gold: Again, senator, I cannot give you the specific answer to your question. As this chamber will know, this government has taken major steps to disaggregate data and ensure that the impact of programs — we saw this in the context of the pandemic — that it goes beyond that and to understand the real-world and disparate impacts that will inevitably be the case to some degree in the implementation of social programs. Again, I will seek the answers to your question and endeavour to have an answer as quickly as I can.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Business of the Committee
Hon. Patricia Bovey: Honourable senators, this question is for the chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Senator Boehm, in June 2019 the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee tabled its report Cultural Diplomacy at the Front Stage of Canada’s Foreign Policy. We rose, and there was an election before it was voted on. However, I’m well aware that staff in Global Affairs and Canada Council for the Arts have taken it on and both have established departments for its implementation. I’m also aware that a year ago Canadian Heritage was finishing their report, an update on it. I am not aware of anything since.
Has the Senate’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee received those updates, implementation strategies and actions? If not, when are you expecting them? And will the committee meet with the ministers involved to move these recommendations along?
Hon. Peter M. Boehm: Thank you, Senator Bovey, for the question and indeed for notifying me in advance that you would be asking it. I think I’m among many in this chamber who recognize your devotion and interest in cultural diplomacy and certainly its facility abroad. I know this from my own experience in my previous career having attempted to practise cultural diplomacy in various postings.
I was delighted to participate in the committee’s study under the leadership of former chair Senator Andreychuk, which also featured important contributions from you. My interest in particular at that time was to recommend that Canadian studies programs in particular be reinstated in one form or another.
With respect to updates from Global Affairs Canada, Heritage Canada and the Canadian Council for the Arts that you mentioned in your question, the committee has yet to receive any formal notifications and is currently not expecting any. However, as chair I did receive some assurances that work was under way from discussions between deputy ministers on the margins of the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2021, where Canada was the guest of honour.
I suspect the pandemic has slowed things down in many departments, as it has for our own committee and others being reduced to one meeting per week. Of course, there have been other major preoccupations over at Global Affairs Canada in terms of their leadership as well, most recently, the war in Ukraine.
I have informally raised the issue of the importance of cultural diplomacy programming with both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Canadian Heritage. I’m hopeful that their respective departments are working together to advance this particular file.
Senator Bovey: Senator Boehm, Global Affairs Canada is about to launch a diplomatic modernization exercise, the first since 1980. Do you have confidence that cultural diplomacy will be reinstated as one of the four pillars of our foreign policy, especially now, given the world’s crises, where the need, I believe, to understand cultures and each other is becoming ever more apparent?
Senator Boehm: Senator Bovey, the announcement on Monday by Minister Joly with respect to the launch of the internal modernization exercise was encouraging. I don’t know if it was stimulated by our push from this place or not. Like the “fit for purpose” study of Canada’s foreign service and the modernization of Global Affairs, which the committee is currently working on, I think it’s too early to say how much cultural diplomacy will factor into the deliberation. We’ve just started the study and we are moving along.
For Global Affairs Canada’s own review specifically, I want to point out that from what I have seen, much of its focus will be on internal processes such as hiring and staffing. That said — and I, of course, can’t speak for that department — as you know, senator, I have very similar views to your own. In fact, we have been dealing with the cultural and arts community in Canada for some time on this question. I would want to assure you that as chair of the committee I will look at all ways and means in the future of our work to support these common objectives and especially the bolstering of cultural diplomacy.
Veterans Affairs
Business of the Subcommittee
Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, as you know, on Wednesdays, the Canadian Senators Group directs our question to committee chairs. It’s great to see another group doing that.
As we approach the seventy-eighth anniversary of D-Day with our minds on the many veterans who have supported Canadians through peace and conflict, my question today is for my honourable colleague Senator Richards in his role as Chair of the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs.
Senator Richards, yesterday the Auditor General of Canada released Report 2 — Processing Disability Benefits for Veterans. The audit found that despite Veterans Affairs Canada initiatives to speed up processing times, veterans from the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP are waiting far too long to receive compensation for injuries sustained in their service to Canada.
More specifically, the audit found that veterans applying for disability benefits for the first time waited almost 10 months for a decision, compared to their service standard of 4 months.
Honourable colleague, I believe you and all my colleagues here in this chamber would agree that this is absolutely unacceptable.
Senator Richards, as Chair of the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, can you please share what your committee has been working on, what you have been hearing from witnesses and veterans across the country, and how your committee can help the government to better reach these vulnerable veterans in an expeditious manner?
The Hon. the Speaker: Before calling upon Senator Richards, I should point out to honourable colleagues that pursuant to rule 4-8(1), questions can be asked of chairs of committees but not of chairs of subcommittees. There have been a number of rulings in the past with respect to that. Since the question has been asked, I’ll leave it to Senator Richards whether or not he wants to answer it for now, but I would ask colleagues to bear that in mind in the future.
Hon. David Richards: I’ll answer very quickly. I’m glad for the Auditor General’s report. We have been saying the same thing since I went into Veterans Affairs five years ago. The problems of wait times can kill a veteran in one way or another. The problems of homelessness and the dependence on drugs are also real.
I think there should be programs in every province to alleviate wait times. Also, I think there should be occupational training and psychiatric availability long before they leave the service. Our Canadian public should be aware of this. If we do not think our men and women in uniform are important, try doing without them.
(1450)
Senator, you mentioned our veterans in the First and Second World Wars. I, as a young boy, used to see the First World War veterans drinking themselves to death on the banks of my river. They had no one except us kids of eight and nine who were their friends. We used to pick up their hats, get them to their feet and try to take them home.
I wrote a poem about that a long time ago called For Such Men Who Fought in Battles when I described how our country had neglected them. I hope we don’t fall into the same morass.
I think the Auditor General’s report on the disinterest of our government is not disheartening if our government finally takes it to heart. I’ll leave it at that, senator.
The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Black, since we have started, we’ll go along with a supplementary question.
Senator Black: I apologize for not knowing that rule.
The Hon. the Speaker: That’s fine, Senator Black. No need to apologize.
[Translation]
Public Safety
Public Inquiry into Portapique Shooting
Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Last week, we learned that the families of victims of the Portapique shooting are boycotting the public inquiry because the commissioners are refusing to allow the victims’ lawyers to cross-examine two RCMP officers who were on duty at the time of the tragedy. Those two officers were in charge of the operation to find the killer.
I would remind you that the public inquiry was established specifically to probe the police response and to inform the families, as required by the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. It is not right for these officers to be questioned remotely behind closed doors when they are key witnesses, and for the victims’ lawyers not to be able to question or cross-examine them.
The commission provided no reason for allowing in camera interviews or denying cross-examination. The order-in-council adopted by the government makes it a party to the inquiry, so it can’t use its independence as an excuse for not intervening.
Why isn’t Minister Mendicino stepping up to publicly denounce this injustice toward the victims’ families?
Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for this question, honourable colleague.
The tragedy in Nova Scotia devastated families, friends and the community and left many unanswered questions. With the public hearings now under way, our thoughts are with the community of Portapique.
All Canadians should know that this will be an in-depth and impartial inquiry that will be conducted with compassion. I don’t know why the minister has not intervened publicly, but I will follow up and attempt to get an answer.
Senator Boisvenu: I would like to go back to a question I asked on May 5, 2022.
An interim report from the public inquiry mentioned that the victims’ families and the broader Portapique community have not received any mental health or financial support from the federal government.
Over the past two years, the federal government has done nothing to help victims’ families and the community deal with their post-traumatic stress. I’m sure you can imagine how the murders of 22 people would scar a community.
You didn’t answer my question, and I haven’t received any information from you about this. Will the Prime Minister honour the promise he made at the start of the public inquiry and support the victims and the community?
Senator Gold: Thank you for the question and for following up.
The government is aware of your question, but I haven’t gotten a response, unfortunately. I will try again to get an answer and will get back to you soon.
[English]
Environment and Climate Change
Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change
Hon. Larry W. Smith: Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold.
In 2016, then-minister of the environment Catherine McKenna committed that government operations, including military bases, would be fully powered by renewable energy by 2025. In a recent response to an Order Paper question on this very topic, the government reiterated its commitment to purchase 100% clean electricity by 2025 to power government facilities. In the same response, the government conceded variances across provinces with respect to clean-energy use on Department of National Defence bases and facilities. For example, less than 28% of electricity on three DND facilities in Nova Scotia comes from clean energy, and less than 9% of electricity powering four DND facilities in Nunavut comes from clean energy.
Senator Gold, is the government on track to maintain this commitment by year 2025? If so, what plans are in place for jurisdictions where military bases are operating well below 100% renewable energy?
Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I will have to make inquiries; I won’t speculate.
We can all appreciate the differences between providing clean energy in our home provinces, blessed as we are with abundant hydro power, and those in the North whose lives revolve around diesel delivered by barges and tankers once or twice a year.
So I’ll make inquiries and try to report back.
Senator Smith: I would appreciate that information.
The government also maintains its commitment to transition its fleet of light-duty vehicles to 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2030. As of March 31, 2022, the government’s light-duty fleet contained approximately 18,000 vehicles but less than 3% accounted for zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs for short.
Senator Gold, given market constraints for electric vehicles, including the fact that, in many cases, there are no suitable vehicles that meet the operational requirements of the government, is this commitment feasible?
Senator Gold: I’ll certainly add those to the inquiries I will make.
[Translation]
Privy Council Office
Adoption of Secret Orders-in-Council
Hon. Claude Carignan: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate, because the government is accountable to this chamber. My question has to do with transparency.
This morning, CBC reported that this government has adopted 72 secret orders-in-council since 2015. That is a record number, significantly surpassing the number adopted by all prime ministers of Canada. How does the government explain these 72 secret orders-in-council?
Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The government has consistently stressed the importance of being transparent with Canadians and has made that a priority. The government also ensures that its activities are in keeping with national security needs.
As you know, honourable senator, despite the number that you mentioned, this really is nothing new. The government is required, often by law, as is the case with the Investment Canada Act, to protect information on certain subjects, such as national security and the confidentiality of investments.
I cannot presume the exact reasons, but I want to reassure this chamber that the government takes its responsibilities seriously when it comes to striking a balance between transparency, the protection of national security and other relevant issues.
Delayed Answers to Oral Questions
(For text of Delayed Answers, see Appendix.)
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[English]
ORDERS OF THE DAY
The Estimates, 2022-23
National Finance Committee Authorized to Study Supplementary Estimates (A)
Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate), pursuant to notice of May 31, 2022, moved:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine and report upon the expenditures set out in the Supplementary Estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023;
That, for the purpose of this study, the committee have the power to meet, even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, and that rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) be suspended in relation thereto; and
That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.
The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to.)
(At 3:01 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on May 5, 2022, the Senate adjourned until 2 p.m., tomorrow.)
APPENDIX
DELAYED ANSWERS TO ORAL QUESTIONS
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Afghan Refugees
(Response to question raised by the Honourable Ratna Omidvar on February 8, 2022)
Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and other implicated government departments and agencies have collectively implemented a whole-of-government response, meeting regularly to ensure we are working collaboratively and proactively responding to issues. Since August 21, 2021, our collaboration has resulted in the arrival of over 8,000 Afghans to Canada, and more arrive every week.
The majority of Afghans wanting to resettle in Canada, and meeting the criteria of the Special Immigration Measures, are still located in Afghanistan. As a result of the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan, its status as a terrorist organization and the safety concerns for both clients and employees, IRCC does not have a physical presence in Afghanistan. For Afghans seeking to come to Canada, leaving Afghanistan can be extremely dangerous and difficult. The preponderance of issues impeding their immigration to Canada relate to securing safe transit out of Afghanistan.
IRCC is working with partners and neighbouring countries on how best to facilitate the safe movement of Afghan nationals out of Afghanistan so that the processing of their applications can continue. You may rest assured that the Government of Canada is working tirelessly and devoting the necessary resources to resettle these vulnerable persons safely to Canada as quickly as possible.
Afghan Refugees
(Response to question raised by the Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer on February 21, 2022)
Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:
Canada is working to bring as many vulnerable Afghans as possible to safety in Canada, as quickly as is practicable. IRCC has already brought 8,580 new Afghans to Canada as of March 1, 2022, as part of the government’s multi-year commitment to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals. As of February 21, 2022, IRCC has approved over 10,000 applications for Afghan nationals who assisted the Government of Canada (e.g., locally engaged staff, interpreters), along with their family members. Of these, 4,880 Afghans have since begun their new lives in Canada. Another 3,700 have been resettled to Canada through our humanitarian program, which focuses on women, LGBTQ2 people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities.
IRCC has streamlined the application process for Afghan applicants, and continues to prioritize and process these cases as quickly as possible for those inside and outside of Afghanistan. Depending on an individual’s circumstances, however, every step of the process can bring unique challenges. Full admissibility assessments, including security screening, must be completed before a decision can be reached on any application. Some cases are complex, and thus the screening aspect of the process can take additional time to ensure rigorous assessment.
Foreign Affairs
Ukraine—Russia’s Actions
(Response to question raised by the Honourable Marilou McPhedran on February 24, 2022)
Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
All international assistance provided by Global Affairs Canada in response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine, including $245 million in humanitarian assistance, is guided by Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and requires gender-based analysis.
Canada is providing assistance through United Nations organizations, the Red Cross Movement and to non‑governmental organizations to address the needs of women and girls related to gender-based violence. This includes lifesaving services such as crisis rooms; counselling; distribution of cash and dignity kits; and access to sexual and reproductive health services.
Other support includes programming provided through UN Women and Justice Rapid Response for assessments of the needs of women and girls in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, as well as the deployment of specialized investigators with sexual violence and criminal investigation expertise. Canada is contributing to the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund to support women’s organizations to provide protection and psychological support, while ensuring that women are supported to work towards conflict resolution.
Canada is also pursuing accountability through the International Criminal Court, whose statute expressly proscribes various forms of sexual violence as underlying acts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Ukrainian Refugees
(Response to question raised by the Honourable Ratna Omidvar on March 1, 2022)
Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:
The Government of Canada is committed to helping Ukrainians and has announced a number of new measures to help people affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. When consulting with the Ukrainian community, we heard that a number of Ukrainians may want to come to Canada temporarily and then return home when it is safe to do so. Therefore, a new temporary residence pathway was needed to urgently bring Ukrainians seeking temporary refuge into Canada. Having the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) available, in addition to permanent residence pathways (including family sponsorship), will allow Canada to welcome more Ukrainians fleeing violence.
The CUAET is open to an unlimited number of Ukrainians. These measures allow clients to stay for up to three years, with the option to work or study while here. This is the fastest, safest and most efficient way for Ukrainians and their immediate family members to come to Canada and eliminates many of the normal visa requirements. IRCC has already received more than 50,000 applications under this program. Further, in recognition that many Canadians and permanent residents have family in Ukraine, IRCC is quickly implementing a special family reunification sponsorship pathway.
Justice
Conversion Therapy
(Response to question raised by the Honourable Mary Coyle on March 22, 2022)
Department of Justice
Department of Justice officials continue to monitor both Canadian and international developments on conversion therapy, as well as any relevant jurisprudence, and will continue to work through existing federal, provincial and territorial fora to facilitate collaboration and monitor their experiences with conversion therapy cases. Additionally, Statistics Canada tracks police-reported incidents of crime, as well as charges laid and convictions entered under Criminal Code offences.
As a general rule, Canadian courts have jurisdiction over crimes committed within Canada. However, Canadian courts also have jurisdiction to prosecute where there is a real and substantial link between Canada and the offence. Such a link may be established in cases where conversion therapy is provided online to Canadians by persons residing in another country.
To enhance our understanding of the impact of conversion therapy on those subjected to it, the Department of Justice has contracted with the Community-Based Research Centre Society to undertake qualitative, in-depth interviews with survivors of conversion therapy from across the country. Also, in January 2022, the Department of Justice made $1 million available through the Victims Fund to support the development of public legal education and information (PLEI) resources and materials regarding the new conversion therapy-related offences.
Foreign Affairs
General Assembly of the United Nations
(Response to question raised by the Honourable Marilou McPhedran on March 22, 2022)
Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
Canada is coordinating efforts with allies and partners to support Ukraine and to pressure Russia to end its war on Ukraine. Canada calls on Russia to immediately cease all hostile and provocative actions against Ukraine, withdraw all military and proxy forces from the country and turn to good-faith diplomacy. Canada also supports ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Canada played a key role in the eleventh emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly and the adoption of resolutions on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, humanitarian consequences and suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council.
Canada continues to work at the United Nations on options to support Ukraine and promote international peace and security.
Veterans Affairs
Settlement of Claims
(Response to question raised by the Honourable Donald Neil Plett on May 18, 2022)
Veterans Affairs Canada
Veterans Affairs Canada is subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act related to the disclosure of personal information and, as such, cannot respond to questions about individual clients.
Veterans Affairs Canada acknowledges the significant contributions that veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members have made, and continue to make, in protecting Canadians and their peace and security at home and around the world. These men and women deserve the greatest recognition and respect for their service. Veterans Affairs Canada maintains an open-door policy for communication and collaboration on their issues and priorities.
This case deals with issues that are being addressed by Veterans Affairs Canada.