Senator Dalphond: In the case of the two you deleted, I understand that you agree with the government that they need to be removed?

Hon. Senators: Question.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Are honourable senators ready for the question?

Some Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Hon. Senators: Question.

Senator Boisvenu: I have another question. The last three or four rulings of the Supreme Court in matters of domestic violence, and those of the Quebec Court of Appeal in particular, found that judges need to impose harsher sentences. We need to send Canadian society a clear message. Does Bill C-5 send a tough message regarding domestic violence?

[English]

Senator Simons: Yes, if you like.

Senator Gold: Without further context, in the year 2012, Prime Minister Harper took two trips, leading a delegation. He went to Davos in 2012. That cost $566,000. Adjusted for inflation, that is $709,000 representing Canada. In the same year, Prime Minister Harper went to China, and was accompanied by a delegation of 30 Canadian chief executive officers. That trip cost $972,000. The Canadian government under Prime Minister Harper covered the expenses of those 30 Canadian chief executive officers. That’s frugality.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of our former colleague the Honourable Grant Mitchell.

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

Hon. Jean-Guy Dagenais: My question is for the government leader, who certainly won’t dare question my preamble, as I’ll be quoting figures from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, or CMHC.

To counter the current housing crisis, the CMHC estimates that Canada will need 3,5 million new housing units by 2030; that is staggering. Quebec will need 1.3 million new housing units by 2030 to establish some sort of normalcy.

The CMHC states that 84% of immigrants entering Canada begin as renters, and it’s clear to everyone that the majority of immigrants choose to settle in big cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

When the Minister of Immigration, Mr. Fraser, says he wants to increase the number of immigrants that Canada will welcome by 2025 to 500,000, can you tell us what he saw in his crystal ball as options for housing all these newcomers, when Canadians are already having a tough time finding a suitable place to live at a reasonable price for their family?

Will the minister’s lack of compassion force newcomers to stay in a hotel for 12 to 18 months at the taxpayer’s expense?

Senator Batters: Senator Simons, what you referred to would probably be indecent exposure. For many of these offences, if it’s not appropriate to charge with the more serious offence, as some of these are listed here, the police, the prosecutors and the courts would deal with them on the appropriate sort of charging basis.

In regard to the other offence that you referred to earlier — being unlawfully in a dwelling-house — maybe you would recall that sort of offence can often be used when an ex-spouse is stalking and potentially going to harm their spouse. There have been very significant cases that deal with that.

I think Senator Boisvenu has actually tried to make sure that the type of charges that he’s dealt with here are the ones that are the most serious — potentially dealing with domestic violence. Wouldn’t you agree that is the sort of thing that we should be worried about, especially when dealing with conditional sentencing, where we could have those offenders back in the community to hurt those people?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today in advance of Veterans’ Week and Remembrance Day to pay tribute to those men and women who donned the uniform of this great nation, and at Her command went forth to defend those who could no longer defend themselves and to fight for the very freedoms that we enjoy today.

Recently, I was struck by a very powerful image: That of the lone regimental banner of The Royal Canadian Regiment, or RCR, standing, torn and dusty on Hill 355, on the morning of October 23, 1952. B Company of the RCR had just spent the night being pummelled by Chinese artillery and probed by assault troops. So chaotic was the engagement that the Canadians were forced to regroup into small units, cut off from their comrades.

That regimental banner, like the heroes of Hill 355, was battered and torn but not broken. It stood as a reminder of the commitment and resolve of our men and women in uniform who stood tall in the face of adversity, said “Not today” and, through grit and determination, won through.

The image of that banner is a haunting symbol of not only the sacrifices and tribulations our veterans faced in such places as the ridge at Vimy, the ruins of Passchendaele, the beaches in Normandy, the valley and hills at Gapyeong or the grape fields of Kandahar — but also a symbol of the people they came to save and protect.

Like that fluttering and tarnished banner, the South Korean people, too, were worn out, sullied, alone and without hope when nations like Canada answered. Over 26,000 would volunteer to serve in the Korean War, and they, along with their UN allies, ensured that South Koreans, like my family, would have a future free of Communist oppression.

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We can never repay the debt we owe to our veterans. All we can do is dedicate our lives to living in their example, and honour their sacrifices through participating in and protecting those precious rights and freedoms won through their actions. Honourable senators, we will remember them.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Mr. Otto Edward Makmot, former member of the National Parliament of Uganda. He is the guest of the Honourable Senator McPhedran.

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

Senator Batters: Minister Oda also repaid her infamous $16 orange juice bill. I am curious, Senator Gold: Was a complimentary breakfast included in that $7,300-per-night price tag for Prime Minister Trudeau’s luxury River Suite? If not, how much are Canadian taxpayers on the hook for that orange juice?

Senator McPhedran: Thank you for the reminder, Your Honour.

Senator Gold, Canadian MPs led by the Honourable Judy Sgro visited Taiwan a few weeks ago, joining lawmakers there who have publicly called on Canada to declare support for this self‑governing democracy in the event of an attack or blockade by China as a way to deter any such aggression. What is the government response to this clear and pressing request on behalf of Taiwan?

Hon. Marty Klyne: Senator Gold, in September and October, this chamber heard from Minister Miller and Minister Lametti on the government’s work to prepare and implement an action plan by June of next year to uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, known as UNDRIP. We heard that funds have been dispersed to support capacity in consultations. We also heard that the government is looking to Indigenous leadership groups to inform the mechanics of the consultation process.

Senator Gold, is the government confident on delivering a thoughtful and effective action plan on time next year, and is there anything the Senate as a collective can do to support this work?

Senator Gold: I’m not sure I can answer the specific question, but I can underline the government’s interest in and ongoing consideration of expanding relationships with Taiwan in the trade area. The government has agreed to begin these exploratory discussions on a foreign investment and protection arrangement with Taiwan and will continue to do so.

Senator Gold: The evidence and testimony at committee, in my respectful opinion, demonstrated that this bill would make a real difference, even if it didn’t go as far as others would want, and even if it — as no bill could — went so far as to eliminate systemic discrimination and racism in our system. In fact, there are so many social causes and determinants that are beyond the reach of any piece of legislation.

The government has made significant investments in providing and empowering Indigenous communities to take greater control of their justice processes, including policing but not limited to that, and working with communities to fund and support pilot projects in a number of areas.

The fundamental point — and let’s return to Bill C-5 — is that this bill addresses a real problem, provides a real solution, and I underline it’s not only with regard to mandatory minimums, but also with regard to the diversion away from drug offences. This is especially important for people to not be caught up in the justice system at an early age. Rarely does it do anybody any good to be caught up in the justice system, often provincial to start with, and removed from their families and their ability to maintain proper social ties.

This bill will make a difference. It’s a step in the right direction. It’s the product of a long-standing effort by this government, along with other parties in Parliament, to finally begin to reverse the failed policies of a previous government in the matter of criminal justice, and it’s worthy of our support.

[Translation]

Hon. Mary Coyle: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, last week, the United Nations Environment Programme released its Emissions Gap Report for 2022. This report highlights inadequate action by a number of countries on the global climate crisis. The report shows that, given its existing policies, Canada is not projected to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution, or NDC, to the Paris Agreement — the national target of 40 to 45% greenhouse gas emissions reduction below 2005 levels by 2030.

This serious gap was identified by independent studies. Analysis by Climate Action Network Canada and Ecojustice Canada supports that conclusion. With COP 27 just around the corner, Senator Gold, could you tell us how and when the government plans to strengthen its climate plan in order to get us on track to meet those crucial 2030 targets?