Hon. Gudie Hutchings, P.C., M.P., Minister of Rural Economic Development: Thank you, all. It was my first visit to the beautiful Red Chamber. Thank you for the work you do, and I look forward to our paths crossing. If I don’t see you all again, from my family to yours, happy holidays.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Thank you very much for being here with us today, minister.

My question has to do with the increasingly limited transportation options for rural Canadians. Commuter air routes, regional bus lines and even national bus companies are reducing services or stopping altogether, and rail services are limited or non-existent in rural areas. The pandemic has accelerated the shrinking of these services, but the fact is that these services were disappearing long before the pandemic.

Minister, what are you doing to ensure that rural Canadians have convenient, affordable and reliable access to what are essential services?

The Hon. the Speaker informed the Senate that a message had been received from the House of Commons with Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation.

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Just a couple of notes. Senator, we are told that it is urgent to pass this bill. You alluded to that today. But, senator, are you aware that on the day this bill passes into law not a single roadside zoo will be closed because of it? Every animal currently in a roadside zoo is grandfathered — or any zoo is grandfathered — and indeed will be left to die under the deplorable conditions that people are referring to.

But while it will be doing nothing for the animals in roadside zoos today, the bill will do immediate harm to the great conservation work done by 18 zoos that are fully accredited by Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums by restricting their ability to breed and creating a chill over possibly losing their animals. You and others have alluded to elephants and other animals needing social activities. They will be left to die in the places where they are. They will not be allowed to breed. To do something to prevent a social animal’s breeding is a whole lot crueller than having them there.

I’m not suggesting it not go to committee, but can you explain to me what the rush is when it will do nothing to prevent any of these zoos from having the animals they already have?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(At 4:33 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 2 p.m.)

Appendix—Senators List

Senator Clement: Senator, I very much appreciated your reminder of all the historical steps that led to this unique characteristic of our legal system. In your circles, how are civil law practitioners reacting to this harmonization work in general? Are they reacting favourably, or should we expect something else?

Hon. Gudie Hutchings, P.C., M.P., Minister of Rural Economic Development: Thank you, Senator Marshall. It is wonderful to be here today. I am a true and proud Newfoundlander and Labradorian.

I will agree to disagree with the province on the price on pollution, because I saw first-hand the cost of not acting on pollution when we all saw Hurricane Fiona hit Atlantic Canada and Îles de la Madeleine. As you know, my riding is the southern part of the province that was devastated by that.

When you talk to people about the price of not acting on pollution and the carbon footprint, people in my riding will say, “Please, we have to do more.”

The price on pollution that we will put through now will see the average Newfoundlander and Labradorian family of four receive over $1,300, and they will pay in about $700, so they will be better off in the long run.

We have had many other programs, as well: We have increased the Guaranteed Income Supplement, or GIS, and we have the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Grant for people wanting to transition off of oil heat. We have now come out with $10-a-day daycare. We are doing so much to help people in these challenging times.

I will not sugar-coat it: These are challenging times for folks. We have come out of a pandemic that has been devastating to people, and that has affected supply chains. We’re impacted by the war in Ukraine.

Again, though, people look at their day-to-day lives, and it is having an impact, but I can tell you that Canada’s foundation is strong. We will get through this together.

Hon. Robert Black: In the last Parliament, I met with representatives for the former minister of infrastructure and communities to discuss the fact that rural communities do not have the same access to public transit as their urban counterparts. In that meeting, I highlighted several initiatives in my home province of Ontario, including Wellington County’s RIDE WELL and Simcoe County’s LINX.

Minister, I think that you will agree that the lack of viable transportation options makes it difficult for youth and adults alike to take advantage of many opportunities. Transportation services are not only imperative for rural communities to thrive, but they also support the mobile labour force. Through your ministerial mandate letter, the Prime Minister asks that you contribute to the development of rural transit solutions.

With that in mind, could you please advise what this government has done and will do to ensure that Canadians living in rural communities have access to reliable and affordable transportation options?

Hon. Gudie Hutchings, P.C., M.P., Minister of Rural Economic Development: Thank you for that question, senator.

Since this is the week of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and LGBTQ2S+ people, it’s a fitting question. As a matter of fact, this morning I did an announcement on behalf of Minister Ien, who is responsible for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and it was on Indigenous programs for women in rural areas.

The housing issue is succinct, and it is terrible everywhere in rural Canada, especially for Indigenous peoples. I can tell you that there is money set aside under Minister Hussen’s housing initiative for Indigenous peoples, and we need to get that done. We especially need more safe houses in rural and remote and Indigenous communities.

Everything is impacted, including transit — if somebody is in an abusive relationship, how they can get out. It’s connectivity as well. I was blessed to visit in the spring the Highway of Tears, which is that section of road in British Columbia where so many Indigenous girls have gone missing. That was a collaboration between federal, provincial governments and Rogers Communications. They saw that this area was known. It was targeted for Indigenous women and girls, and we partnered together to make sure that that section of road now has cell service. It was a terrible thing.

Partnerships will work. Partnerships will work on housing. Partnerships work on addressing this terrible issue that we all have to address.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): According to your mandate letter from the Prime Minister, you must contribute to the development of infrastructure, “in line with the Government’s broader infrastructure strategy.” One goal of your government’s infrastructure strategy is:

Support major nation-building projects that will benefit people across various regions, connect our country and improve quality of life, including the Newfoundland-Labrador fixed transportation link.

Minister, could you tell Canadians and, in particular, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, where this project is? Do you have any idea of the level of expenses involved in this project and how much the federal government will be called upon to finance it?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, there have been consultations and there is an agreement to allow a photographer in the Senate Chamber to photograph the introduction of a new senator.

Is it agreed, honourable senators?

Hon. Gudie Hutchings, P.C., M.P., Minister of Rural Economic Development: Senator Wallin, thank you for that. Many in this Senate house probably don’t realize that I own a firearm acquisition licence. I started to hunt when I was a young gal with my dad, and I continue to do so, but I don’t have as much time now.

I can tell you that when you get into the details of Bill C-21, yes, there are some firearms found there. But there are many that do not impact hunters and farmers and those who use firearms for sustenance hunting.

We need to get this in place once and for all so that the topic is dealt with. We have invested billions of dollars at the border, and that’s having great success. The other fact that we don’t talk about enough is that a lot of firearms are used for suicides. So we need to make sure that the regulations are in place for safe storage and making sure that trigger locks are imposed.

I live in rural Canada, and we all can do a better job of making sure we have safe storage. I will fully support Bill C-21. This is not against fishers, farmers or hunters — this is to make our country safer. We all have to do our part, so I will be supporting that bill.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Marcia Kran, newly invested Officer of the Order of Canada, and her spouse, Luis Molina. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator McPhedran.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Plett, did you want to ask a question? There are 40 seconds left. In order to have time to answer, Senator Kutcher would have to ask for five minutes.

Are you asking for five minutes to answer questions, Senator Kutcher?

Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: Welcome to the Senate, minister.

[English]

In your mandate letter, you were invited to support the Minister of Public Services in ensuring that Canada Post better reach Canadians in rural and remote areas. As you may know, it is reported that, for fentanyl sellers, Canada Post is the shipping method of choice, and often the only one available to ship these illegal products into rural and remote communities.

Minister, are you ready to consider proposals such as Bill S-256 to remove from the Canada Post Corporation Act restrictions that impede the police from seizing illegal drugs and other illegal items shipped through mailed envelopes?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill, as amended, be read the third time?

(On motion of Senator Miville-Dechêne, bill, as amended, placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting of the Senate.)

(1610)

[Translation]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, for the second reading of Bill S-221, An Act to amend the Governor General’s Act (retiring annuity and other benefits).

Hon. Gudie Hutchings, P.C., M.P., Minister of Rural Economic Development: Thank you for that question, senator. It seems to be a theme here. Look, I agree 100%.

I think when we do see the increased access to high-speed affordable broadband, you are seeing the increase of telehealth and mental health in rural communities. That’s working in many areas. I know it’s working well in parts of rural Newfoundland and Labrador, where I have seen it used first-hand.

But that is not all that we have to do. As I said earlier, I’m working with Minister Bennett on what we can actually do. How can we target farmers and get into the areas that really need help? As I said, one of the round tables I did was with agricultural farmers, and this came up at that round table.

I worked with the minister, and I will continue to work with her so that we can come up with specific solutions for this field.

They have been through a trying time. By golly, the world is in an upheaval, as I said earlier. Farmers have been experiencing drought, flood, temperature changes and then farmers also feel the desire to produce the grains, produce and products that we need as Canadians and that we export to the world.

So I will be there to work with Minister Bennett every step of the way.

[Translation]

Hon. Colin Deacon: Welcome to the Senate, minister. You know that 40% of Canadians live in places with fewer than 100,000 people, and rural communities are too often underserved by our financial system. I will build on Senator Moncion’s question.

This is an especially alarming problem because banks continue to close branches in small and remote communities, restricting the ability of people to continue to live and operate their businesses. Finance Canada is in the process of designing and implementing an open banking regime. I have to believe that this can provide hope to our underserved rural communities. To what extent is open banking being considered as a complimentary tool to help address this worrying problem that is undermining livelihoods and economic potential in rural Canada?

Hon. Gudie Hutchings, P.C., M.P., Minister of Rural Economic Development: Senator, that’s a wonderful question. I don’t have that number, but I will get it for you.

I have had conversations with my counterparts as we explore how we do the rural hubs better. I just had a conversation this week in an area where the local bank had pulled out. Sadly, we have seen some of the big-name banks — the major four or five — pull out of rural communities.

Their concept was, in the Canada Post hub, to put in a credit union. So they’re working with the credit union on how to make this a bigger service centre.

I think we will see Canada Post come up with a variety of these different hub models. It can’t be one-size-fits-all, and it has to be from the ground up. Maybe in some communities it is a bank. Maybe in other communities they need a little business centre. Maybe in other communities they need a service centre for Service Canada to deliver things.

I think we will look at the model of what we can do and how that can serve rural, remote and Indigenous communities better. I promise you that I’ll get a number on that. I’ll be curious to see that number too. I’ll report back to you, sir.