Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, on October 27, I asked your colleague Minister Alghabra a question on the backlog of complaints due to flight delays and cancellations at the Canadian Transportation Agency.

At the time your colleague said:

I have met with the chair of the CTA just recently, first, wanting to get briefed by her on the situation, the volume of complaints and the resources that are needed. Our government is now working with the CTA on making sure they have the resources they need.

And yet we are reading in Blacklock’s this morning that the number of complaints has now reached 30,000, and the minister is now saying that cabinet is “figuring out how we can improve the system.”

Senator Gold, your government is constantly working at a snail’s pace when it comes to providing services to Canadians. Can you please share with us what your government is doing in “figuring out how” to improve the system?

Senator Martin: Do you think that the government is open to potential amendments to this bill from our chamber based upon your conversations?

[Translation]

Senator Audette: In my heart, officially, yes, it must be open to that. If I agree to participate in an initiative, I don’t want to be someone who just rubber stamps everything. If we can improve things, or if we can disagree and still do so in this place, that has to be honoured, Senator Martin.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, senator. The government knows full well that the EI, or Employment Insurance, system which is needed for the 21st century is one that needs to be developed and that the current system needs to be modernized to that end.

The government remains committed to strengthening the rights for workers who were employed, for example, in digital platforms and to establishing new provisions to the Income Tax Act to ensure that their work counts towards EI and CPP — the Canada Pension Plan. Indeed, with Budget 2022, the government is investing $110 million to extend the existing seasonal pilot until October of 2023.

I also note that the government consulted widely with unions, workers, employers and other partners to build an EI system that meets the needs of Canadians going forward. As you referenced in your question, consultations have come to a close, and the government is in the process of analyzing the information that it received.

It is a serious business to modernize an EI system that serves millions of Canadians every year. The government looks forward to presenting its long-term plan for comprehensive EI modernization. It’s taking the time to get it right.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I don’t know the actual date, but I will remind this chamber that the minister welcomed Madam Justice Arbour’s final report in its entirety, welcomed all of her recommendations and committed to implementing 17 of them immediately.

I’ll make some inquiries. If I have an answer before we rise, I’d be happy to share it with this chamber.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada on Specific COVID-19 Benefits, pursuant to the Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19, S.C. 2021, c. 26, s. 19.1.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Professor Kelly Saunders, interns from the Manitoba Legislative Assembly Internship Program and interns from the Parliamentary Internship Program. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Osler.

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

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): I guess we will have to wait another 40 days, I will ask the question again and hopefully not get the same answer.

In a new report entitled Patrol and Persuade, Safeguard Defenders, a human rights organization based in Spain, found dozens of additional overseas Chinese police service centres around the world, including at least two right here in Canada.

Senator Gold, your government has told us that it is taking the matter seriously and investigating. Why then do we have to find out what is happening in our own country from an organization operating overseas? Had the government identified these additional stations prior to this report? If so, why was this information not shared with the public? Most importantly, why are these illegal police stations still operating on Canadian soil?

Hon. Marilou McPhedran: My question is to the Government Representative.

More than six months ago, the Honourable Louise Arbour, in her Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, made 48 recommendations on how to change the way military sexual misconduct allegations are reported and handled. Days after the Arbour report was released in May, Minister of National Defence Anita Anand promised to report to Parliament by year’s end on the government’s implementation plan.

Senator Gold, it is now December 6, a day to focus on the continuum of violence against women and girls. With less than 10 sitting days remaining on the parliamentary calendar, can you please advise this chamber on when we will receive Minister Anand’s promised report on implementation of the Arbour recommendations and, in particular, which recommendations are being declined by the government?

Senator Gold: The government takes its responsibilities to Indigenous peoples, and with regard to UNDRIP very seriously — so seriously that this government introduced legislation for which the majority in the Senate, though not members of your group, voted. This government does more than pay lip service; it has done more to work with Indigenous partners and communities to advance this country on a path towards reconciliation. The work is enormous and it will take generations. It is this government that has begun the work in a serious way.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): I have a few questions if Senator Audette will accept them.

Senator Audette: Of course.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, before we proceed, I would ask senators to rise and observe one minute of silence in memory of the victims of the tragedy that occurred 33 years ago on December 6, 1989, at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal.

(Honourable senators then stood in silent tribute.)

Hon. Pat Duncan: My question today is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, information provided to senators to support the Statutes Repeal Act motion states in part that, “Pursuant to Budget 2021, consultations were held to inform potential changes to the employment insurance EI program.” It further states that “Consultations have concluded and the plan to modernize the EI program is still under development.”

Senator Gold, will you please advise the chamber what “still under development” means?

Senator Martin: When this bill was studied at committee in the House of Commons, an amendment was put forward to reserve a seat on the council for a national organization that has experience with and is focused upon economic reconciliation, as was suggested by several witnesses during the study. Some witnesses called for this amendment specifically, while others spoke of its importance. For example, Karen Restoule, CEO of Shared Value Solutions and a member of Dokis First Nation, stated that:

Economic reconciliation is the vehicle forward in terms of setting our peoples or communities back on a path to prosperity . . .

Given the importance of economic reconciliation, do you know why this was not included in the bill and why it was rejected by Liberal and NDP MPs in the House of Commons committee?

This is a very important phrase that we have heard at committee: the “. . . path forward for economic reconciliation.”

Senator Audette: To be honest with you, Senator Martin, I didn’t ask that specific question but I did ask a member of the committee why and who decided and what the process was.

Right now, what I understand — and what is reassuring me — is that the board is something but the activity, the chantier — I do not know how to say that in English — the justice reconciliation, the human rights reconciliation and the economic reconciliation are all important.

I was told that it will be very animated or involved if the council is officially adopted and put in place.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report on COVID-19 Rapid Test Procurement and Distribution from the Minister of Health.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): My question is for the Government Leader in the Senate.

Last week, the Senate Banking Committee heard from Kevin Page, the former Parliamentary Budget Officer, who told the committee that an expected winter recession will hurt small businesses significantly. In fact, the combination of three factors will hurt small businesses, the backbone of the Canadian economy: a recession, high interest rates and inflation. Those mean higher costs for businesses and less money for consumers.

Mr. Page confirmed this, saying:

. . . That will hurt small businesses significantly because, with these higher interest rates, people will not want to use credit to go out and spend.

This recession will be caused by high interest rates, which are the direct result of the reckless spending by the Liberals. Leader, what is the government’s plan to help small businesses that will suffer in 2023?

Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, I have the honour to inform the Senate that pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on November 17, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on December 5, 2022, its ninth report, which deals with the subject matter of those elements contained in Subdivisions A and B of Division 3 of Part 4 of Bill C-32, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 3, 2022 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022, and I move that the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.

(On motion of Senator Francis, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

Hon Senators: Agreed.

(Debate postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.)

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, in his November 15 report, Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux identified $14.2 billion in new measures announced in the Fall Economic Statement for which no specific details were provided.

This spending represents 17% of all new measures in the Fall Economic Statement. As Mr. Giroux testified at the House of Commons Finance Committee, “This lack of transparency presents challenges for parliamentarians and the public in scrutinizing the Government’s spending plans.” He also said that “The government knows quite well the measures that are going to be funded, but is not disclosing them.”

Again, let me repeat: “The government knows quite well the measures that are going to be funded, but is not disclosing them.”

Senator Gold, why won’t your government come clean and tell Canadians what this $14.2 billion of new spending is for?

Senator Plett: It’s surprising how many things the government believes in but does not carry through with, and this would be another one.

At the core of the role of parliamentarians are the review and the approval of spending. Senator Gold, senators and members of Parliament cannot properly scrutinize the government’s spending plan if 17% of it remains secret.

Senator Gold, when will the government stop treating Parliament like a rubber stamp and provide parliamentarians with the information that they need to do their jobs?