Order Paper and Notice Paper
The Order Paper and Notice Paper is a document that guides the deliberations of the Senate and lists items of business currently before it. These items are listed in several different categories and in a priority according to an arrangement adopted by the Senate as stipulated in the rules. The majority of these items constitute the Orders of the Day which are called following Routine Proceedings. These items are themselves divided into two principal categories - government business and other business. Within each of these two categories are items for bills, motions, inquiries and reports of committees.
The Notice Paper contains the text of motions and inquiries not yet called for debate.
The Order Paper and Notice Paper is prepared every day in advance of the actual sitting.
Order of Business
(The following is an outline of a typical sitting day in the Senate. Variations are possible subject to the Rules and to the decisions of the Senate.)
Senators' Statements (15 minutes)
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS (30 minutes)
1. Tabling of Documents
2. Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
3. Government Notices of Motions
4. Government Notices of Inquiries
5. Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
6. Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
7. First Reading of Commons Public Bills
8. Reading of Petitions for Private Bills
9. Introduction and First Reading of Private Bills
10. Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations
11. Notices of Motions
12. Notices of Inquiries
13. Tabling of Petitions
Question Period (30 minutes)
Delayed Answers
ORDERS OF THE DAY
Government Business
• Bills — Messages from the House of Commons
• Bills — Third Reading
• Bills — Reports of Committees
• Bills — Second Reading
• Reports of Committees — Other
• Motions
• Inquiries
• Other
Other Business
• Bills — Messages from the House of Commons
• Senate Public Bills — Third Reading
• Commons Public Bills — Third Reading
• Private Bills — Third Reading
• Senate Public Bills — Reports of Committees
• Commons Public Bills — Reports of Committees
• Private Bills — Reports of Committees
• Senate Public Bills — Second Reading
• Commons Public Bills — Second Reading
• Private Bills — Second Reading
• Reports of Committees — Other
• Motions
• Inquiries
• Other
NOTICE PAPER
• Notices of Motions
• Notices of Inquiries
Orders Of The Day
Government Business
Bills – Messages from the House of Commons
Nil
Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Reports of Committees – Other
Nil
Motions
No. 1.
By the Honourable Senator Gagné:
September 23, 2020—Consideration of Her Excellency the Governor General’s Speech from the Throne at the opening of the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament.
Inquiries
Nil
Other
Nil
Other Business
Rule 4-15(2) states:
Except as otherwise ordered by the Senate, any item of Other Business on the Order Paper and any motion or inquiry on the Notice Paper that have not been proceeded with during 15 sitting days shall be dropped from the Order Paper and Notice Paper.
Consequently, the number appearing in parentheses indicates the number of sittings since the item was last proceeded with.
Bills – Messages from the House of Commons
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Commons Public Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Private Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Commons Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Private Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Commons Public Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Private Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Reports of Committees – Other
Nil
Motions
Nil
Inquiries
Nil
Other
Nil
Notice Paper
Motions
Nil
Inquiries
Nil
Written Questions
No. 1.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding 24 Sussex Drive:
In May 2016, Mélanie Joly, then Minister of Canadian Heritage, said a plan to renovate 24 Sussex was forthcoming. Four years later, could the Government answer the following questions:
1.What is the timeline for delivering a plan?
2.Which departments and agencies are working on the plan?
3.How much has been spent to date on developing a plan?
4.Are all options, including tearing down the building, being considered?
No. 2.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the potential privatization of Canadian airports:
In fall/winter 2016, the Government of Canada engaged Credit Suisse to provide financial advice regarding the privatization of Canadian airports.
1.How much did Credit Suisse receive under this contract, which ended on January 31, 2017?
2.In May 2017, the government revealed that the Credit Suisse report was titled “Project Eagle—Scoping Study”. Why has this Credit Suisse report never been publicly released? Who made this decision?
3.Did Credit Suisse give its report to the Minister of Transportation, the Minister of Finance, or any other cabinet minister? If so, which Minister(s) received the report, and when did they receive it?
4.Does the Government of Canada have any current plans to privatize Canadian airports? If so, what is the timeline associated with these plans? If no, why not?
No. 3.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding government appointments:
1.Currently, how many vacancies are there in Governor in Council (GIC) appointed positions?
2.Currently, what is the percentage of vacancies compared to the total number of GIC positions?
3.The Auditor General’s 2019 special examination of the Standards Council of Canada released in July 2020 stated: “There were 13 positions on the Governing Council, including 10 for members appointed by the Governor in Council. At the end of August 2018, 4 positions were vacant (1 since June 2017), and 3 positions were held by members after their terms had expired. The Audit Committee and the Corporate Governance Committee were at risk of losing quorum because of these vacancies. As permitted by the Financial Administration Act, members with expired terms agreed to continue their duties on the Governing Council until they were reappointed or replaced. The Governor in Council appoints members to these vacant and expired positions on the recommendation of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. Therefore, these appointments were outside of the Corporation’s control. Despite the Governing Council’s proactive approach to communicating its needs to the Minister, there was a risk that 7 of the 13 positions on the Governing Council could become vacant.”
(a)While the Standards Council agreed with the Auditor General’s recommendation to continue to engage the Minister on the need for timely appointments, what was the Minister’s response to this recommendation?
(b)Why did the Minister fail to recommend timely appointments to the Governing Council?
4.The Auditor General’s 2019 special examination of the Canadian Commercial Corporation released in July 2020 stated: “The Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors, which consists of the Chairperson and nine directors. The Governor in Council appoints the Chairperson, while the Minister of International Trade Diversification appoints the nine directors with the approval of the Governor in Council. The Governor in Council also appoints the Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer. At the start of the period covered by the audit, all nine director positions had expired. By the end of the period, the Minister had appointed six directors, including three who were reappointed to their positions.”
(a)Why did the Minister fail to make timely appointments to the Board of Directors?
(b)As the position of President is currently vacant, how is the government ensuring a timely appointment to fill this position?
No. 4.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the cultural sector:
On April 25, 2018, Mélanie Joly, then Minister of Canadian Heritage, and the Canada Council for the Arts announced changes to operational policies to ensure respectful workplaces in the cultural sector.
1.The press release from Minister Joly and the Canada Council for the Arts stated: “Now, when accepting grants, recipients must commit to fostering a workplace free from discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct. Failure to respect this commitment could result in the Council initiating a process to review and potentially reverse a grant decision where there are serious concerns about the recipient, the funded activities, or the soundness of the Council’s investment of public funds.”
(a)How many allegations of discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct have been brought forward against grant recipients since April 2018?
(b)What is the process by which allegations are reviewed, and how is this process initiated?
(c)Has the Council initiated any reviews since April 2018? If so, how many?
(d)Have any grants have been reversed since April 2018? If so, how many?
2.Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts announced close to $552,000 to the Cultural Human Resources Council “to support a series of initiatives to equip the cultural sector with the tools, practices and training for building and maintaining respectful workplaces under the title Respectful Workplaces in the Arts”.
(a)Has this funding been fully distributed?
(b)Which groups received this funding?
No. 5.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding infrastructure:
In its 2016 budget, the Government of Canada signaled its intention to: “Where it is in the public interest, engage public pension plans and other innovative sources of funding — such as demand management initiatives and asset recycling — to increase the long-term affordability and sustainability of infrastructure in Canada”.
1.Could the government please list the asset recycling projects that have been realized since Budget 2016?
2.Since Budget 2016, have any government departments or agencies studied asset recycling within their portfolios? If so, which ones and when?
3.Is the government still pursuing asset recycling? If so, what is currently being done on that front? If not, when and why was this idea abandoned?
No. 6.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the automotive sector:
In an interview with CBC Windsor on March 23, 2016, Minister Chrystia Freeland said with respect to a national auto strategy: “We’re going to take our time to build our strategy right and to do it carefully… I want Windsor to really understand we’re committed and we’re working on it. It will be a fully fleshed out and elaborate plan.”
1.What is the current status of the federal government’s national auto strategy? When is the strategy expected to be released?
2.Why hasn’t the national auto strategy been brought forward by the federal government to date?
3.How has the federal government worked to implement each of the recommendations of the January 2018 report Drive to Win from Mr. Ray Tanguay, the former Automotive Advisor to the federal Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development and the Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Growth?
(a)Were any recommendations rejected by the federal government, and if so, why?
4.Who is the current Automotive Advisor to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry? When was this person appointed, and how long is their term?
No. 7.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Black Entrepreneurship Program announced on September 9, 2020:
1.What are the eligibility criteria for the National Ecosystem Fund? How were the criteria developed? Were consultations involved in developing the criteria, and if so, with which groups/individuals?
2.If the eligibility criteria for the National Ecosystem Fund has not yet been determined, when is it expected to be in place?
3.Which partner organizations will work with Canada’s Regional Development Agencies to deliver the National Ecosystem Fund? How and when were they selected?
4.Who will determine the eligibility of applications to the National Ecosystem Fund?
5.What is the timeline for the development and delivery of the National Ecosystem Fund? When will the funding be distributed?
6.What are the eligibility criteria for the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund? How were the criteria developed? Were consultations involved, and if so, with which groups/individuals? Who will determine the eligibility of applications?
7.If the eligibility criteria for the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund has not yet been determined, when is it expected to be in place?
8.What is the timeline for the development and delivery of the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund? When will the funding be distributed?
9.The Black Entrepreneurship Program announcement also mentioned the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA). A survey of its members by the Black Business and Professional Association in Spring 2020 found that 80% of respondents couldn’t be helped by the CEWS and four out of five Black businesses didn’t believe they would qualify for the CEBA. Does the Government of Canada know how many Black businesses received the CEWS and the CEBA? If not, does the government have an estimate? How did the Government of Canada promote/advertise these programs with Black business associations? Were the views of Black businesses and business associations sought or taken into account when making changes to these programs?
No. 8.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Concerning Global Affairs Canada’s Private Sector Investment Champions Speaker’s Program:
In 2019, Mr. Kyle Kemper, brother of Prime Minister Trudeau, was awarded a $12,430 grant from the Government of Canada. The grant was to attend a conference in Switzerland on Blockchain technology. Mr. Kemper was quoted in the Globe and Mail as saying it was his extensive work in the field that led to his invitation to speak at the conference: “That’s my expertise and I’d love to talk to you all about how blockchain can radically transform Canada and bring about a golden age.” However, Mr. Kemper’s presentation, which was entitled Think Canada seemed decidedly out of place at a conference where the rest of the presentations were of the character of the one entitled: “The Importance of Multi-Signature, Time-Locked Bitcoin Transactions in Custody Solutions.”
Mr. Kemper was selected as part of Global Affairs Canada’s Private Sector Investment Champions Speaker’s Program (PSICSP). That program is run by the Trade Commissioner and involves identifying and recruiting senior executives from the private sector to be champion speakers at events organized by Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates in priority markets to promote Canada as an investment destination of choice.
1.Was the Canadian Embassy in Switzerland the organizer of the Crypto Valley Blockchain Technology Conference in Zug, Switzerland that Mr. Kemper spoke at on June 24, 2019? If not, why did he qualify for a PSICSP grant of $12,430 to participate in what was clearly a technical/scientific conference?
2.The Private Sector Investment Champions Initiative (PSICI), which the Champion Speaker’s Program is a part of, was created to attract foreign investment in key sectors in Canada, such as the satellite and telecommunications industry. When was blockchain identified as a key sector for foreign direct investment in Canada? Can you please provide the documentation that can substantiate this?
3.One of the management tools for the PSICI is a champions database. Could the government please provide the 2019 database that included champions for the blockchain sector in Canada?
4.The Champions Initiative includes regular training consisting of an orientation and coaching program for Champions to familiarize themselves with government policies and investment trends. On what dates did Mr. Kemper participate in orientation and coaching programs prior to his participation in the June 2019 conference?
5.How many Champions Speaking events took place in 2019, who were the champions speakers at each of them? What events/venues did they speak at, and what were the individual costs for each of those champion speakers that were covered by the PSICSP?
6.Where did the idea to have Mr. Kemper speak at the Crypto Valley Conference come from? Did it originate with the organizers of the conference? Did it originate with Global Affairs Canada? Or did it originate from Mr. Kemper? Was there PMO involvement? How did this all come about?
7.Besides Mr. Kemper, how many Champions has Global Affairs Canada engaged in the blockchain sector?
8.In the Crypto Valley Conference program, Mr. Kemper is identified as representing the Canadian Blockchain Association, however he was no longer the Executive Director of that Association. Why wasn’t Ms. Tanya Woods, the Executive Director of the Association, selected as the Champion Speaker for the Crypto Valley Conference? Were other experts considered, and if so, who were they?
9.Champions are paid nominal honoraria. What was the amount of honoraria that Mr. Kemper was paid?
10.Champions are expected to generate investment prospects. What investment prospects did Mr. Kemper generate as a result of his participation in the Crypto Valley Conference, and what is the value to Canada of those investments he generated?
11.Did Mr. Kemper participate in any other sector specific events either prior to or after the Crypto Valley conference, and if not why not?
12.In a recent video available on You Tube, Mr. Kemper is asked about the last protest he attended. His response is: “My life seems to be a constant protest against central banking.” In another video interview he argues that modern communication and the internet have made representative democracy as we know it obsolete. Given these statements, why was Mr. Kemper chosen by the government to represent Canada at an international conference to drum up foreign direct investment in this country?
No. 9.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA):
1.A Special Examination report by the Auditor General of Canada released in February 2016 recommended that the Corporation should “conduct information technology (IT) Threat and Risk Assessments on all critical systems and maintain action plans for each assessment.” How has CATSA made progress on this specific recommendation? How often are IT Threat and Risk Assessments conducted on critical systems? Please outline the specific actions taken by CATSA in response to the findings of IT Risk and Threat Assessments.
2.The Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1 transfers the responsibility for aviation security screening to a new not-for-profit organization. The original transfer date of March 31, 2020 was delayed. Has a new transfer date been set by the federal government? If so, what is that date?
3.CATSA’s 2019 Annual Report states: “As CATSA is playing a supporting role in this transition, there is a risk that the organization may not have direct access to the pertinent information required to enable a seamless transition to the new entity by the targeted deadline.” Is this risk related to the organization’s IT infrastructure? If so, how?
No. 10.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program:
1.How many small businesses in Canada have a federal government department, agency, Crown corporation, or any other federal entity as their landlord?
2.Does the Government of Canada know how many of these small businesses had their federal government landlord choose not to participate in the CECRA program? If so, how many? If not, does the Government of Canada have an estimate of this number?
3.Does the Government of Canada know if any small businesses with a federal government department, agency, Crown corporation or any other federal entity as their landlord have gone bankrupt since March 2020?
4.Since the CECRA program was launched, how much rent relief has been provided to small businesses which have a federal government department, agency, Crown corporation, or any other federal entity as their landlord?
5.Was any directive issued by the Government of Canada to its departments, agencies, Crown corporations or any other federal entity to require them to make use of the CECRA program if their small business tenants requested rent relief? If not, why not?
No. 11.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding registered charities:
1.Have any registered charities had their charitable status revoked since October 2019? If so, how many, and why is this information not contained in the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) online database as of September 2020?
2.Have any registered charities been sanctioned with a financial penalty from CRA since October 2019? If so, how many, and why is this information not contained in CRA’s online database as of September 2020?
3.Have any registered charities had their charitable status suspended since October 2019? If so, how many, and why is this information not contained in CRA’s online database as of September 2020?
4.How many CRA staff currently work on the auditing of registered charities? Since October 2019, how many of these staff have been made surplus, and how many have been moved to other CRA divisions? If staff have been moved to other CRA divisions, when did this occur, and why?
5.Have audits of registered charities continued to be conducted since October 2019? If so, how many audits are currently underway? Were any of these audits suspended or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
No. 12.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding app-based voting in the House of Commons:
1.How much money has been spent to date on the development of a smartphone app for voting by Members of Parliament in the House of Commons?
2.Since July 6, 2020, have any outside contracts been awarded in relation to the development or implementation of a smartphone app for voting by Members of Parliament in the House of Commons? If so, who received these contracts, and what is the total amount awarded? When were the contracts awarded, and what are their duration?
3.What has been the involvement of the Communications Security Establishment in the development and testing of this app? How many CSE personnel have been assigned to work on this project?
4.How does this app ensure the authentication of the Member voting? Is this verification biometrics-based, such as facial recognition or fingerprint?
No. 13.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the COVID Alert app:
1.How many times has the Government of Canada’s COVID Alert app been downloaded to date?
2.How many active users are there currently of the COVID Alert app?
3.What is the estimated percentage of all active phones which have downloaded this app?
4.What is estimated percentage of phones capable of downloading this app which have done so to date?
5.Is the number of people applying updates to the COVID Alert app tracked? If so, how many people have updated the app to the latest version?
6.How many exposure notifications have been sent to date?
7.How many people have entered one-time keys into the app after confirming their COVID-19 diagnosis?
8.How much has been spent to date on advertising to promote the use of the COVID Alert app, and what forms of advertising have been used?
9.Did the Government of Canada ask Bell, Telus, Rogers or any other carrier to send text messages inviting their customers to download the app? Were these messages bilingual? Did the Government of Canada ask carriers to ensure the text messages were bilingual?
No. 14.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding government consultations:
1.Which business groups and organizations did the Department of Finance or any other department consult with respect to each of the government’s new emergency programs in response to COVID-19? What form did these consultations take, and what process was followed?
2.What specific advice was accepted by the government, and why? What advice was rejected, and why?
3.Did the Department of Finance or any other government department consult with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business prior to the government’s two announcements on the wage subsidy program for small business, on March 18 and March 27, 2020, respectively? If yes, what form did that consultation take? If not, why not?
No. 15.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding flights in Canada containing COVID-positive passengers:
1.To date, how many flights in Canada have contained at least one passenger who tested positive for COVID-19?
2.How many of these flights were domestic, and how many were international?
3.How many passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 were arriving or in transit from international destinations?
4.Have public health authorities been able to contact all impacted fellow passengers to inform them of the positive case on their flight?
No. 16.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding COVID-19 vaccinations:
1.Has Health Canada or the Public Health Agency of Canada developed a protocol surrounding the order in which different groups in the Canadian population will receive a COVID-19 vaccination, when it becomes available? If so, what is it?
2.Are any other federal government departments or agencies involved in the decision-making surrounding the distribution amongst our population of a COVID-19 vaccine(s)? If so, which ones?
3.Are provincial health authorities responsible for developing such a protocol in their own jurisdictions, or will the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine follow national rules or guidelines?
4.The Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidance document Canadian Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Planning Guidance for the Health Sector was last updated in August 2018. Is it being updated? If so, when will the update be released, and will it be specific to the COVID-19 pandemic?
No. 17.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Global Affairs Canada:
1.Please indicate total imports from the People’s Republic of China during each of the past four years of the following health-related materials:
•Anthraquinone
•Steroidal hormones
•Azelaic acid
•Vitamin D
•Vitamin B6
•Vitamin B12
•Naphthols
•First-aid boxes
•Hydantoin
•Resorcinol
•Acetylsalicylic acid
•Lysine
•Choline
•Vitamin B1
•Coenzyme Q10
2.Please indicate total Canadian imports from the People’s Republic of China during each of the past four years of the following metals and industrial products:
•Manganese
•Scandium and yttrium
•Magnesium
•Alkali metals
•Tungsten
•Steel and iron grinding balls
•Shipping containers
•Piezoelectric quartz
•Iron and steel nails
•Carbon electrons
•Sodium metasilicates
•Magnets
•Hydraulic jacks
•Laptops
•Mobile phones
•Video recorders
•sound recorders
3.Please provide the total imports of each of the same materials during each of the past four years from other countries, and please provide total sourcing of the same materials from Canadian suppliers in each of the past four years.
4.Does Global Affairs or any other department or agency of the Government of Canada identify categories of goods deemed necessary for the support of critical national infrastructure in Canada? If so, please outline how those categories are determined and how critical national infrastructure — or the equivalent term used in government — is defined.
5.What measures or policies does the Government of Canada have in place to ensure that Canada’s critical national infrastructure has secure chains of supply?
No. 18.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Correctional Services Canada:
1.Please provide the numbers and percentage of all offenders currently incarcerated who were identified, either at intake or as part of another assessment, as unemployed prior to their incarceration.
2.Please provide the numbers and percentage of all offenders currently incarcerated who were convicted of trafficking, illegal drug importation or possession for the purpose of trafficking and who were identified, either at intake or as part of another assessment, as unemployed prior to their incarceration.
3.Please provide the numbers and percentage of all offenders currently incarcerated who were convicted of sexual interference or sexual assault and who were identified, either at intake or as part of another assessment, as unemployed prior to their incarceration.
4.Please provide the numbers and percentage of all offenders currently incarcerated who were identified, either at intake or as part of another assessment, as in receipt of any form of social assistance from any level of government prior to their incarceration.
5.Please provide the numbers and percentage of all offenders currently incarcerated who were convicted of trafficking, illegal drug importation or possession for the purpose of trafficking and who were identified, either at intake or as part of another assessment, as in receipt of any form of social assistance from any level of government prior to their incarceration.
6. Please provide the numbers and percentage of all offenders currently incarcerated who were convicted of sexual interference or sexual assault and who were identified, either at intake or as part of another assessment, as in receipt of any form of social assistance from any level of government prior to their incarceration.
No. 19.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Defence Capabilities Blueprint:
The mandate letter of the Minister of National Defence instructs the Minister to: “Ensure the Canadian Armed Forces have the capabilities and equipment required to uphold their responsibilities through continued implementation of Strong, Secure, Engaged, including new procurements and planned funding increases”. Under Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Defence Capabilities Blueprint (DCB) contains general project timelines for approximately 240 major capital information technology and infrastructure projects, and significant in-service support contracts.
1.Can the Minister explain how these projects are prioritized?
2.Can the Minister please provide timelines for initiating the request for proposal (RFP), letting a contract and completing delivery for each of these 240 projects?
3.Can the Minister identify the government’s twenty most important capability projects within the DCB, and the current timelines (initiating the RFP, letting a contract and completing delivery) for completing priority projects?
4.How many of the 240 major projects are currently funded?
No. 20.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Defence Procurement Canada:
The mandate letter for the Minister of National Defence instructs the Minister to: “Support the Minister of Public Services and Procurement to bring forward analyses and options for the creation of Defence Procurement Canada, to ensure that Canada’s biggest and most complex National Defence and Canadian Coast Guard procurement projects are delivered on time and with greater transparency to Parliament. This priority is to be developed concurrently with ongoing procurement projects and existing timelines”.
1.Can the Minister provide the currently envisaged timeline and key milestones for bringing forward “analyses and options for the creation of Defence Procurement Canada”?
2.Since December 2019, how many meetings has the Minister held with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement specifically concerning this matter?
No. 21.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Global Affairs Canada:
Could the government please list all Canadian diplomats who currently receive a remuneration higher than the official pay scale, and provide the position and salary range of these individuals?
No. 22.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—With respect to the Department of National Defence:
The mandate letter for the Minister of National Defence instructs the Minister to: “Continue to improve support for the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces and to ensure a workplace characterized by professionalism, inclusion and valuing diversity: Work with senior leaders of the Canadian Armed Forces to establish and maintain a workplace free from harassment and discrimination; Create a new $2,500 tax-free benefit every time a military family relocates, to help with retraining, recertification and other costs of finding new work; and Achieve the goal of 25 per cent of Canadian Armed Forces members being women by 2026”.
1.Can the Minister please outline the status of each of the components of this initiative?
2.What is the current percentage of women in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) at present? What are the targets for each year up to 2026?
3.Within the 25% overall target, have sub-targets been set for the employment of women in the various elements of the CAF, including the combat arms? What are those targets?
4.What measures are being taken to ensure that targets are being met on an annual basis?
5.Have training or operational standards, or practices, in any element of the CAF been adjusted in any way to facilitate meeting the set targets? If so, please explain the specific nature of the adjustments that have been made?
6.Could the Minister please outline each of the recruitment objectives for every designated group? What is the current level of designated group membership in the CAF at the present time? What are the targets for each year up to 2026?
7.How are the various designated group recruitment objectives balanced against urgent operational recruiting needs in the CAF that may arise?
8.When an urgent operational recruiting requirement related to a particular trade arises (for instance with respect to pilots in the RCAF), does such a requirement ever take any form of precedence, even temporarily, over designated group objectives?
9.What are the current manning requirements for each frigate in the RCN, each submarine and each MCDV? To what extent are these requirements being met?
10.How many RCN frigates, submarines and MCDVs are currently manned up to the full requirement?
11.What is the current authorized strength level for each CF-18, Aurora and Cyclone squadron in RCAF in terms of numbers of operational aircraft, pilots and personnel? How many CF-18, Aurora and Cyclone squadrons in the RCAF are currently manned up to their full requirement?
12.What is the current authorized strength level for each Regular Force armoured, infantry and artillery regiment/battalion in the Canadian Army? How many of these units are currently manned up to their full requirement?
No. 23.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding classified or protected documents:
1.Across the Government of Canada, from January 1, 2020 to date, how many documents have been handled or stored in a manner which did not meet the requirements of the document’s security level?
2.Which government departments or agencies have seen the most incidents of improperly handled or stored documents in 2020?
3.Have any security clearances been revoked in 2020 in relation to the treatment of these documents? If so, how many?
4.What guidance regarding the treatment of documents has been given to public servants working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
5.How do government agencies and departments conduct security checks to monitor the proper handling of documents remotely?
6.Have any “Protected C”, “Confidential”, “Secret”, and “Top Secret” documents been worked on from home during the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, how many, and from which departments or agencies?
No. 24.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Export Development Canada (EDC):
1.How has EDC worked to implement each of the recommendations contained in a 2018 report from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada?
2.The Auditor General found significant deficiencies concerning Board appointments. Does EDC have a plan to ensure timely appointments or reappointments to the Board?
3.How does EDC’s new Transparency and Disclosure Policy released in March 2020 address all the deficiencies identified in a 2019 review from Global Affairs Canada and International Financial Consulting Ltd.?
No. 25.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding fighter aircrafts:
The mandate letter of the Minister of National Defence instructs the Minister to: “Work with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement to manage the competitive process to select a supplier and enter into a contract to construct Canada’s fighter aircraft fleet”.
1.Can the Minister please explain how this process is being managed on a day-to-day basis?
2.Since December 2019, how many meetings has the Minister held with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement specifically concerning this project?
3.Can the Minister confirm that the plan is to sign a contract for a new fighter aircraft in 2022? Can the Minister outline the key milestones over the next two years in order to meet that objective?
4.Can the Minister confirm that all aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing, Saab and Lockheed Martin, are participating in this competitive process?
5.What is the currently estimated date of delivery for the first new fighter aircraft? What is the currently estimated date for the first front-line squadron to be operational? What is currently estimated date of delivery of the final aircraft?
6.Can the Minister confirm that it remains the intent of the Government of Canada to procure 88 new fighter aircraft in total?
No. 26.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Global Affairs Canada:
The mandate letter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs calls on the Minister to “Expand Canadian diplomacy on global issues and in international institutions. We must maximize the Canadian advantage of being a member of the world’s most vital multilateral institutions, continuing to be a strong voice for the rules-based order” and to “lead Canada’s United Nations Security Council campaign”.
Please outline:
•Funding and full-time equivalents (FTEs) allocated within Global Affairs Canada to support this initiative since March 2016;
•Total value of funding provided to date to “Security Council Report” to address thematic and country priorities of interest to Canada in its preparation for a seat on the council;
•A list of all contracts entered into by the Government of Canada or the Department with any organization related to the preparation of Canada’s bid for a Security Council seat;
•The individual value of each such contract;
•Number of meetings held by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs with foreign ambassadors/high commissioners or other senior foreign officials since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agenda;
•Number of meetings held by the Deputy Minister of International Trade with foreign ambassadors/high commissioners or other senior foreign officials since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agenda;
•Number of meetings held by the Deputy Minister of International Development with foreign ambassadors/high commissioners or other senior foreign officials since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agenda;
•Number of meetings held by the Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs with foreign ambassadors/high commissioners or other senior foreign officials since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agenda;
•Number of meetings held by the Minister of Foreign Affairs with other Foreign Ministers, foreign ambassadors/high commissioners or other senior foreign officials since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agenda;
•Number of meetings held by the Minister of International Development with other Foreign or Development Ministers, foreign ambassadors/high commissioners or other senior foreign officials since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agenda;
•Number of meetings held by the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade with other Foreign or Development Ministers, foreign ambassadors/high commissioners or other senior foreign officials since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agenda;
•Number of international visits undertaken by any Minister, Deputy Minister or Associate Deputy Minister from the Department of Global Affairs since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agendas.
•A list of countries visited by any Minister, Deputy Minister or Associate Deputy Minister from the Department of Global Affairs since March 2016 where this initiative was a principal issue on the proposed agendas.
•List, nature and value of individual funding commitments made by the Government of Canada to development, or other initiatives, in Barbados or any other member state in the Caribbean Community since March 2016;
•List, nature and value of individual funding commitments made by the Government of Canada to development, or other initiatives, in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia, Mauritius, Madagascar, Senegal or any other member state in the African Union since March 2016;
•List, nature and value of individual funding commitments made by the Government of Canada to development, or other initiatives, in any member state in the Organization of American States since March 2016.
No. 27.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the residences situated at Harrington Lake:
1.When was the “Caretaker’s House”, originally built in 1850, moved and renamed the “Farmhouse”?
2.Was the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Office and/or the Privy Council Office involved in the decision to move the Caretaker’s House?
3.What are the detailed costs of moving the Caretaker’s House and renovating the Farmhouse?
4.What is the budget for renovating the main cottage?
5.What is the timeline to complete the renovations?
No. 28.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding icebreakers:
The entire Coast Guard icebreaker fleet is to reach the limit of its anticipated life expectancy in the current decade. With respect to the Louis S. St-Laurent, that estimated life expectancy has already passed.
1. What is the current estimate for how long the Louis S. St-Laurent can be maintained in service? What is the estimated cost for maintaining the Louis S. St-Laurent through the 2020s? Does the Louis S. St-Laurent have a planned retirement date?
2.The Government has asked for an RFI from Canadian shipyards on their ability to build the Diefenbaker icebreaker as a replacement for the Louis S. St-Laurent. For what reason did the Government remove the Diefenbaker from the Seaspan yard in June 2019 only to issue an RFI, including Seaspan, eight months later? Why did it take the Government eight months to issue this RFI, after removing the Diefenbaker icebreaker from the Seaspan yard, when the project is clearly extremely urgent? What explains the fact that it has taken the Government four years, since taking office in November 2015, to issue this RFI related to the replacement of the Louis S. St-Laurent?
3.The Government has indicated that it wishes to see the Diefenbaker icebreaker enter service by December 2029. Please outline the critical path and milestones currently envisaged to ensure that this objective can be achieved. When is it anticipated that construction must begin in order to meet the December 2029 objective?
4.Please provide the current cost estimate for building the Diefenbaker icebreaker. Will the Government commit to building an icebreaker at the Polar 2 class level or, if not, what level of icebreaking capability is envisaged for the Diefenbaker?
5.Will the Government please provide the envisaged schedule for building six medium icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard to replace the vessels currently reaching their estimated maximum life expectancy? When is the first medium icebreaker anticipated to enter service and when will the sixth vessel enter service?
6.Does the Government remain on track to negotiate an umbrella agreement with Davie Shipbuilding this year? When will construction of the first medium icebreaker begin?
7.Can the Government confirm that the interim icebreakers currently entering service will be sufficient to provide icebreaking capability in the St. Lawrence river and in all Canadian waters through the 2020s and until the new medium icebreakers are in service? If not, how will these essential icebreaking requirements be met?
8.How many times has the Minister responsible for the Canadian Coast Guard met with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement since 2015 to discuss either the Polar icebreaker or medium icebreaker projects?
No. 29.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding immigration removals:
1.Report 1 of the Spring 2020 Auditor General’s report states: “In April 2019, we determined that there were about 50,000 individuals with enforceable removal orders. Two thirds of these — 34,700 cases in the wanted inventory — involved individuals whose whereabouts were unknown.” What is being done to determine the whereabouts of these 34,700 missing individuals?
2.As of September 2020, how many individuals were there with enforceable removal orders? How many of these are individuals whose whereabouts are unknown? How many of these involve individuals with criminality? How many have criminal convictions in Canada? How many have served sentences in provincial prisons? How many have served federal sentences? How many were released from correctional institutions with deportation orders whose whereabouts are now unknown?
3.The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) stopped carrying out immigration removals in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When does CBSA intend to resume removals? Does it anticipate doing so in the current calendar year?
4.What is the Government of Canada doing to improve the data quality issues across the immigration removals system, as identified in the Auditor General’s report? How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted CBSA’s plans during the current fiscal year to improve the input of information to support removals, through systems upgrades and additional training measures?
5.What is CBSA’s target for removals for the 2020-21 fiscal year? Has the target been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
No. 30.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Indian Act:
The mandate letter for the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations instructs the Minister to “continue to support Indigenous-led processes for rebuilding and reconstituting their historic nations, advancing self-determination and, for First Nations, transitioning away from the Indian Act.”
1.With which Indigenous Nations does the Government of Canada envisage engaging over the next two years on this mandate item? What resources — monetary and full-time equivalents (FTEs) — are allocated to supporting this initiative in the current fiscal year?
2.In relation to this mandate item, please indicate:
(a)From the perspective of the Government of Canada, what will full reconciliation and self-determination look like once it has been achieved?
(b)What does an end state of “transitioning away from the Indian Act” look like from the perspective of the federal government?
(c)Are there any limitations or boundaries for the Government of Canada with respect to the objective of “advancing self-determination”?
(d)Does the federal government have a definition of “self-determination” in the context of this mandate item?
(e)Does the Government of Canada have a timeline for achieving full reconciliation and self-determination?
No. 31.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Parliamentary Precinct:
The mandate letter for the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations instructs the Minister to “work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation leadership, with the support of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, to conclude the Government’s contribution to the space for Indigenous Peoples in the Parliamentary Precinct.”
In relation to this mandate item, please provide:
1. (a)Total spending (in dollar amount) by the federal government on this project since 2015, and a breakdown of all principal expenditures to date.
(b)Percentage of funding to date — capital and operating — provided by the federal government for the creation of this space.
(c) Percentage of funding to date — capital and operating — provided by First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation organizations for the creation of this space.
(d)Funds currently estimated to be required over the next five years to support this project. As well, please provide breakdown of projected capital and operating costs over the next five years.
2. Is there a current plan for making this space self-sustaining, with no contribution by federal taxpayers required? If so, please explain that plan.
No. 32.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding interprovincial trade:
1.What is the current annual cost to the Canadian economy of interprovincial trade barriers, in both dollar figures and as a percentage of GDP?
2.What are the concrete measures taken by the Government of Canada since 2016 to improve internal trade within the country?
3.Can the government identify specific barriers to trade between provinces that have been taken down within the last year?
4.Has the Government of Canada implemented any recommendations from the 2016 report Tear Down These Walls: Dismantling Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers from the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce? If so, which recommendations? If not, why not?
5.Which provinces allow interprovincial alcohol shipments under amendments to the Importation of Intoxicating Liquor Act in 2012 and 2014?
6.The Canadian Free Trade Agreement’s Regulatory and Reconciliation Cooperation Table had planned to complete work in 11 areas by the end of 2020. What is the current status of each of the identified areas below? If the work has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has a new timetable been set for each area?
Occupational Health and Safety
(a)Workplace First Aid Training
(b)Fall Protection
(c)Occupational Exposure Limits
Transportation
(d)Size and Weight Restrictions (Except Spring Weight Restrictions)
(e)Electronic Logging Devices
(f)Truck Driver Certification — Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) for Commercial Drivers
(g)Autonomous Vehicles Testing
Agriculture / Agri-Food / Aquaculture
(h)Food Inspection
(i)Meat Inspection
Registration Requirements
(j)Workers’ Compensation Board
Technical Safety
(k)Gasfitter/Gas Technician Licensing/Certification
No. 33.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF):
1.How many companies and industry associations have contacted Minister’s offices and/or departments identifying problems with/requesting changes to the LEEFF? In particular, how many have contacted the following Ministers and/or their offices/departments since the LEEFF was launched?
(a)Prime Minister
(b)Deputy Prime Minister
(c)Minister of Finance
(d)Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
(e)Minister of Transport
(f)Minister of Natural Resources
2.Could the government break down the number of companies and industry associations which contacted the Government of Canada regarding changes to the LEEF by each economic sector listed below?
(a)Aerospace
(b)Airlines
(c)Manufacturing
(d)Oil and Gas
(e)Retail
(f)Tourism/Hospitality
3.How many applications under the LEEFF program have been received since May 20, 2020?
4.How many applications under the LEEFF program have been approved since May 20, 2020?
No. 34.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding long-term care facilities for people with disabilities:
During Committee of the Whole in the Senate on May 1, 2020, Minister Carla Qualtrough was asked if she knew how many facilities for people with disabilities across Canada have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks, and if this is something the Minister was tracking. The Minister responded: “In terms of tracking, unfortunately, no, I couldn’t tell you with any certainty. I could tell you anecdotally, but there is no rigour attached to the numbers I would give you. I have heard some horrible stories.”
1.Has any Government of Canada department or agency tracked the number of outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities for people with disabilities across Canada? If so, how many have occurred, in total and by province?
2.How many COVID-19 cases are tied to outbreaks at long-term care facilities for people with disabilities, amongst staff and/or residents, in total and by province?
3.Which government department or agency is responsible for tracking these outbreaks? Is that information communicated to Employment and Social Development Canada?
No. 35.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding a December 18, 2017, Department of Justice contract awarded to McCarthy Tétrault:
1.What was the total amount paid under this contract?
2.Who authorized this contract?
3.What was the contract for?
4.In 2019, a Justice Department spokesperson said this contract was in relation to the department’s legal risk-assessment strategy. What work was provided? Could the department provide a copy of any reports or other work provided by McCarthy Tétrault in relation to this contract?
5.Why did the Department of Justice initially attempt to sole-source this contract? Why did the department later reverse course and allow other bids?
No. 36.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding International Trade:
The first round of formal negotiations on a free trade agreement between Canada and MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) was held in March 2018, and a seventh round of negotiations took place in August 2019.
1.What is the current status of negotiations of a free trade agreement with MERCOSUR?
2.Has the next round of negotiations been scheduled? If not, why not?
3.Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s 2020-21 Departmental Plan states the department “will continue advancing agricultural interests in trade negotiations in 2020–21, such as those currently taking place with MERCOSUR countries”. What does the department will believe would be the impact on our agricultural sector of a free trade agreement with MERCOSUR?
4.Does the Government of Canada agree with the findings of a report released by the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA) in July 2020 regarding the potential benefits for Brazil agricultural exports to Canada under a concluded Canada-MERCOSUR free trade agreement?
No. 37.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Canada’s missions abroad:
1.How has Global Affairs Canada responded to each of the recommendations in the November 2018 report of the Auditor General of Canada regarding security in Canada’s missions abroad?
(a)Have threat assessments been completed for all missions? If not, is there a plan in place to do so? By what date?
(b)How many threat assessments were scheduled to be updated in fiscal year 2019-2020, and how many were completed?
(c)Have vulnerability assessments been updated for all missions? If not, is there a plan in place to do so? By what date?
2.Has Global Affairs Canada provided personal protective equipment (PPE) for diplomatic staff working at Canada’s embassies, High Commissions, consulates, missions and trade offices abroad in response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, how much PPE has been provided?
No. 38.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls:
1.Since the release of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in June 2019, has the RCMP reopened any related cases? If, so how many? Have these reopened cases resulted in arrests or charges laid?
2.Has the RCMP reviewed any related investigations since the release of the final report?
3.Is the Government of Canada aware of any other related cases reopened by other police forces in Canada in the time since the release of the final report?
4.What is the Government of Canada’s response to the recommendation to all levels of government and all police forces to create a national task force of investigators to review, and if required, to reinvestigate related cases?
No. 39.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding defence capabilities in Canada’s North:
The mandate letter for the Minister of National Defence instructs the Minister to: “Work with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Northern Affairs and partners through the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework to develop better surveillance (including by renewing the North Warning System), defence and rapid-response capabilities in the North and in the maritime and air approaches to Canada, to strengthen continental defence, protect Canada’s rights and sovereignty and demonstrate international leadership with respect to the navigation of Arctic waters”.
1.Since December 2019, how many meetings has the Minister of National Defence held with the Ministers concerned on this matter?
2.What is the Government’s current timeline for renewing the North Warning System?
3.Have discussions been initiated with the United States on this matter?
4.What level of funding has been set aside by the Government of Canada to renew the North Warning System?
5.What does the Government assess as the most important military capabilities that will require renewal in: a) the next five years, b) the next ten years, and c) the next twenty years to ensure “better surveillance, defence and rapid-response capabilities in the North and in the maritime and air approaches to Canada”?
6.Please provide the currently envisaged timeline for each project that will be required to renew “surveillance and defence” capabilities in the North and in the maritime and air approaches to Canada, a description of each project and the level of funding set aside for that project.
7.Please provide the currently envisaged timeline for each project that will be required to renew “rapid-response” capabilities in the North and in the maritime and air approaches to Canada, a description of each project and the level of funding set aside for that project.
No. 40.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding government contracts:
In Spring 2019, the Privy Council Office gave two sole-sourced contracts to WE Charity.
Government contract reference number C-2018-2019-Q4-00145, from March 19th to March 31st, was for $17,050.34. The information in the government’s contracts database states that it was for “Other professional services not elsewhere specified” and “Honoraria”.
Government contract reference number C-2019-2020-Q1-00011 for “management consulting” was worth $24,996.00, just a few dollars under the threshold to advertise the contract for tendering. The contract ran from May 1st to May 3rd, 2019 and some of the only information about this contract in the database states: “conference/workshop services”.
1.Could the government please provide the following information on these two contracts:
(a)Who authorized these contracts?
(b)What were these contracts for?
(c)What work was provided?
(d)What was the location where the work was provided?
(e)Who received the money?
(f)Why were these contracts sole sourced instead of tendered?
2.With respect to PCO contract C-2018-2019-Q4-00145, no individual’s name was attached to this contract, as is the case with other “Honoraria” contracts in the government’s database. Why?
No. 41.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Privy Council Office (PCO):
In January 2016, Mr. Matthew Mendelsohn was appointed Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery) in the Privy Council Office. On March 4, 2020, the Prime Minister announced Mr. Mendelsohn had stepped down from his position.
1.What was Mr. Mendelsohn’s salary or salary range?
2.Did Mr. Mendelsohn receive severance pay or any amount after leaving his position?
3.Who replaced Mr. Mendelsohn as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery)?
4.How many PCO employees were assigned to Results and Delivery between January 2016 and March 2020?
5.What results were delivered by the Results and Delivery section of the Privy Council Office between January 2016 and March 2020?
No. 42.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Privy Council Office (PCO):
1.When did PCO’s Security Operations Division begin its investigation of the leak to former CBC journalist James Cudmore of Cabinet deliberations and decisions regarding the interim supply ships? When did PCO’s Security Operations Division end this investigation?
2.Were any outside investigators hired to assist in this PCO probe? If so, how many, and at what cost?
3.How many individuals were interviewed during the course of this investigation? Could a list of their names be provided?
4.Was a final report submitted from PCO’s Security Operations Division regarding this investigation? If so, when, and who received it? Did PCO’s Security Operations Division recommend asking the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to investigate the leak?
5.On what date was the RCMP asked to investigate the leak? How was the request made, and who made the request?
6.How many investigations into leaks from Cabinet or any other government leaks have been conducted by PCO’s Security Operations Division since 2016?
(a)Was it asked to investigate the leak surrounding the judicial selection process of the 2017 Supreme Court appointment?
(b)Was it asked to investigate the leak of Statistics Canada’s labour force survey for April 2020?
No. 43.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding human rights:
1.Did the Prime Minister raise China’s crackdown on human rights in Hong Kong during any of his telephone calls with over 40 world leaders in the run up to the United Nations Security Council seat vote? If so, which world leaders did the Prime Minister speak with about this issue?
2.Did the Prime Minister raise China’s unlawful detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor during any of his telephone calls with over 40 world leaders in the run up to the United Nations Security Council seat vote? If so, which world leaders did the Prime Minister speak with about this issue?
3.Did the Prime Minister raise China’s treatment of the Uyghurs during any of his telephone calls with over 40 world leaders in the run up to the United Nations Security Council seat vote? If so, which world leaders did the Prime Minister speak with about this issue?
4.Did the Prime Minister raise LGBTQ2 rights during any of his telephone calls with over 40 world leaders in the run up to the United Nations Security Council seat vote? If so, which world leaders did the Prime Minister speak with about this issue?
5.Did the Prime Minister raise gender equality during any of his telephone calls with over 40 world leaders in the run up to the United Nations Security Council seat vote? If so, which world leaders did the Prime Minister speak with about this issue?
6.The Prime Minister has said: “The tragic violence that Indigenous women and girls have experienced (in Canada) amounts to genocide”. Was this issue raised during any of the Prime Minister’s telephone calls with over 40 world leaders in the run up to the United Nations Security Council seat vote? If so, which world leaders did the Prime Minister speak with about this issue?
7.The Prime Minister has said: “Systemic racism is an issue right across the country, in all our institutions, including in all our police forces, including in the RCMP”. Was this issue raised during any of the Prime Minister’s telephone calls with over 40 world leaders in the run up to the United Nations Security Council seat vote? If so, which world leaders did the Prime Minister speak with about this issue?
No. 44.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding political fundraising:
1.How many political fundraising events in total have been attended by Cabinet Ministers since May 31, 2017?
2.Could the government list the number of political fundraising events attended by each Cabinet Minister since May 31, 2017, including former Ministers no longer serving in Cabinet?
No. 45.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the delivery of government programs:
1.Since 2016, how many programs worth $543 million or more have been delivered by departments or agencies of the Government of Canada?
2.Since 2016, how many Government of Canada programs have been run by outside administrators? Of these, how many of Government of Canada programs worth $543 million or more have been run by outside administrators?
3.Since 2016, how many Government of Canada programs were administered under a sole-source contract and did not go to tender? Of these, how many of Government of Canada programs worth $543 million or more were administered under a sole-source contract and did not go to tender?
No. 46.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding Canada’s public service employees:
In June 2016, former Clerk of the Privy Council stated at the APEX symposium: “We have now reached a point where almost 40 per cent of the public service are over the age of 50” and “Baby boomers, it’s time to go… myself included”.
1.What percentage of indeterminate employees currently in the public service is over the age of 50? How does this compare to 2016? How does this percentage compare to Canada’s current labour force overall?
2.What percentage of indeterminate employees currently in the public service is under the age of 35? How does this compare to 2016? How does this percentage compare to Canada’s current labour force overall?
3.How many current executive-level public servants are over the age of 55? What is this in terms of percentage of the executive-level public servants? How does this compare to 2016?
4.What is currently the average age of entry of new hires into the public service? How does this compare to 2016?
No. 47.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP):
1.For each RCMP division, how many RCMP officers received training to be drug recognition experts in 2018, 2019 and 2020 (to date)?
2.Does the RCMP have an estimate or a target for the number of drug recognition experts that will receive training in 2021?
No. 48.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Concerning the Canada Research Chairs program:
In 2019, the Canada Research Chairs Program Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat increased institutional targets within the program for four groups: 50.9% for women, 22% for visible minorities, 7.5% for persons with disabilities, and 4.9% for Indigenous peoples.
1.What is the current amount of Tier 1 chairs for each of these four groups, in both percentage and numbers?
2.What is the current amount of Tier 2 chairs for each of these four groups, in both percentage and numbers?
3.Universities were given until December 2019 to meet targets. Did any universities fail to do so? If so, how many? Has any Canada Research Chairs funding been withheld as a result of universities failing to meet targets?
No. 49.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Canada–United States Safe Third Country Agreement:
On April 22, 2020, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) revealed that refugee claimants eligible for exemptions under the Canada–United States Safe Third Country Agreement can enter Canada through designated land ports of entry.
1.How many claimants have applied for asylum in Canada since this directive was announced?
2.Have all claimants who have entered Canada since April 22 been tested for COVID-19? If so, how many have tested positive?
3.Why did the Government of Canada issue this directive, given that the Canadian border is closed and claimants at irregular border crossings are being returned to the United States?
4.Why did CBSA communicate information regarding this change from its French Twitter account only?
No. 50.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding appointments to the Supreme Court of Canada:
1.In March 2019, information regarding the judicial selection process of the 2017 Supreme Court appointment process was leaked to the media by government sources to deflect from the SNC-Lavalin scandal. The next scheduled retirement from the Supreme Court of Canada will occur in less than a year, when the Honourable Rosalie Abella retires on July 1, 2021. What enhanced security measures have already been taken to ensure the confidentiality of information and deliberations related to the selection of the next Supreme Court justice? Are any other security measures which have not yet been implemented under consideration?
2.On March 27, 2019, the Manitoba Bar Association released a statement which said in part: “It is vital that any deliberations leading up to any appointment remain confidential. The recent breaches of confidentiality where the suitability of other candidates are discussed is highly disconcerting. It demeans the entire selection process and is harmful to the privacy of individual applicants.” Will applicants under the next Supreme Court appointment process be expressly promised privacy of their personal information, along with confidentiality of the deliberations? If this privacy/confidentiality is violated, what penalties will be applied? If none, why not?
No. 51.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments:
On March 9, 2020, Order in Council 2020-0120 re-appointed “Vianne Timmons, O.C., of Regina, Saskatchewan, as a special adviser to the Prime Minister, to serve as an ad hoc provincial member of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, to hold office during pleasure for a term ending on April 30, 2020.”
1.Why did the government re-appoint Dr. Timmons as a Saskatchewan member of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments when the Board of Regents of Memorial University of Newfoundland announced in December 2019 that Dr. Timmons would become its president and vice-chancellor, effective April 1, 2020?
2.Are provincial members of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments required to be residents of the province they represent? If not, why not? How many other provincial members of the Advisory Board are not residents of the province they represent?
3.According to the government’s Senate appointments website, applications are only supposed to be retained for two years. Have there been instances where a list older than two years has been used to fill a Senate seat for any province? If so, how many? When was the last list for the province of Saskatchewan submitted?
No. 52.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding shipbuilding:
The mandate letter of the Minister of National Defence instructs the Minister to: “Work with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on the renewal of the Royal Canadian Navy Fleet, continuing the revitalization of the shipbuilding industry, creating middle class jobs and ensuring Canada’s Navy has the modern ships that it needs”.
1.Can the Minister please explain how this process is being managed on a day-to-day basis?
2.Since December 2019, how many meetings has the Minister held with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement specifically concerning the National Shipbuilding Strategy?
3.Can the Minister please confirm:
(a)The planned in-service dates for the two Joint Support ships under construction?
(b)The planned in-service dates for each of the six Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships?
(c)The planned date (year and month) for the start of construction of the future Canadian Surface Combatant?
No. 53.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Canada Student Loans Program:
1.Report 2 of the Auditor General’s Spring 2020 Report found that the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada repeatedly reached out to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to post its financial literacy tools for students on the web portal of the National Student Loans Service Centre. Why did ESDC fail to do this?
2.The Auditor General reported: “As of 31 March 2019, the value of outstanding student loans in default amounted to $2.4 billion.” What is the value of outstanding student loans in default as of September 2020?
3.The repayment suspension for Canada Student Loans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic ends September 30, 2020. Does ESDC or any other department have an estimate as to how many loans may go into default following the resumption of repayments? Does EDSC or any other department have an estimate as to how many borrowers may seek support from the Repayment Assistance Plan for Canada Student Loans after September 30, 2020?
No. 54.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding superclusters:
1.Could the government please provide the names of the businesses or organizations which have received funding under each of the following superclusters, including the amount awarded and the date?
(a)Ocean supercluster
(b)Scale AI supercluster
(c)Next Generation Manufacturing supercluster
(d)Protein Industries supercluster
(e)Digital Technology supercluster
2.In February 2018, the Government of Canada claimed the superclusters investment of $950 million “is expected to create more than 50,000 middle-class jobs and grow Canada’s economy by $50 billion over the next 10 years.” Does the government still stand by these claims? How many middle-class jobs have been created through the investments to date? How much economic growth have been generated to date, and how has that been determined?
3.Are businesses or organizations which receive funding under the supercluster initiative required by their funding agreements to demonstrate the number of jobs created and/or amount of economic activity generated? If not, why not?
4.Which companies or organizations have received funding dedicated in response to COVID-19 from the Digital Technology and Next Generation Manufacturing superclusters? What were the amounts awarded, and the dates?
No. 55.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the creation of a Director of Terrorism Prosecutions:
1.What is the timeline for the creation of this position? When is it expected to be operational?
2.What is the anticipated budget for the Director of Terrorism Prosecutions?
3.How many staff are anticipated to work in this office?
4.Will the Director of Terrorism Prosecutions be housed under the Attorney General of Canada, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, or another office?
5.How many times have the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness met to discuss the creation of this office?
No. 56.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project:
On June 3, 2018, the former Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau, told CTV’s Question Period: “We have investors who are already expressing interest.”
1.How many investors had expressed interest in purchasing Trans Mountain at the time the former Minister made this statement in June 2018? How many have since expressed interest to date?
2.What exactly did the former Minister mean by “expressing interest”? What form did this engagement take?
3.What is the current status of the federal government’s engagement with Indigenous-led groups regarding ownership of Trans Mountain either in whole or in part?
4.When does the federal government anticipate it will begin accepting formal offers from investors to purchase Trans Mountain?
No. 57.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the processing of disability benefits at Veterans Affairs Canada:
1.What is the current backlog in processing applications for disability benefits from Veterans? How many applications in the backlog are completed applications, and how many are incomplete applications?
2.Since March 15, 2020, have any applications for disability benefits been flagged for suspected fraud or abuse? If so, how many, and were those applications subject to further investigation?
3.How does Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) explain why Canada Emergency Response Benefit payments were automatically approved even when fraud is suspected, while applications for disability benefits for our Veterans remain backlogged by the tens of thousands?
4.How many claims have been placed on hold as a result of the inability of Veterans to access supporting documentation due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
5.Due to the closure to the public of in-person Service Canada offices, did the VAC call centre see an increase in call volume? If so, by how much?
(a)A 2019 report from the Office of the Auditor General found that the VAC call centre allowed all callers to speak with an agent — is that still the case?
(b)Is the average wait time for a caller still five minutes, as was reported by the Auditor General? If not, what is it? What percentage of calls are answered within the department’s timeliness target of two minutes?
6.In a September 2018 report, the Veterans Ombudsman found that francophone applicants waited longer for decisions than anglophone applicants, and women waited longer than men. What are the current wait times for each of these groups?
No. 58.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—With respect to Veterans Affairs Canada:
After years of delay, Veterans Affairs Canada has finally added the names of Canadian and First Nations fallen from the War of 1812 to its website. However, although these names are included in the War of 1812 Book of Remembrance located in Parliament’s Memorial Chamber, the names of the 1812 fallen appear to have been excluded from the department’s “Virtual Memorial” which honors all of Canada’s fallen on line.
Can Veterans Affairs Canada explain why the names of Canadian and First Nations fallen from the War of 1812 have been purposely segregated from the rest of Canada’s fallen online, even though they are all honoured together in the Books of Remembrance in the Memorial Chamber? Did the Department consult with First Nations representatives or other experts before taking this decision?
No. 59.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding ventilators:
1.As of September 24, 2020, how many ventilators are available for use in Canada?
2.How many ventilators are expected to be available for use in Canada as of December 31, 2020?
3.How many ventilators have been ordered by the Government of Canada since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic? How many have been delivered to date? How many contracts have been finalized with suppliers/manufacturers? What is the name of each supplier/manufacturer, and the cost of each contract? Are timelines for delivery built in to these contracts?
4.Are any of the ventilators ordered this year intended to replenish the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile? If so, how many?
No. 60.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
September 23, 2020—Regarding the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women:
1.Since the program was launched, how many women have applied for this grant?
2.Since the program was launched, how many women have received this grant?
3.How many women have received the maximum amount of $6,000 under this program?
4.What is the total amount expended under this program to date?
5.How has the government advertised or promoted this program, and how much has been spent to date to do so?
6.What percentage of Red Seal trade apprentices are women? How does this figure compare to when the program was launched?