Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question.

The government is committed to using that $20 billion for the long-term reform of First Nations Child and Family Services and, with Jordan’s Principle, continues to work with the Assembly of First Nations and other partners to that end.

The government is disappointed in the decision of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Although it recognizes the importance and significance of the historic $20-billion agreement, it is disappointing — primarily and fundamentally for First Nations individuals and partners who are eagerly seeking compensation to which they’re entitled. The government is working with them to make that happen.

An Hon. Senator: Fifteen minutes.

Senator Pate: Would you take a question, Senator Plett?

Hon. Senators: Question.

Hon. René Cormier: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, which deals with the subject matter of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts, 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 Cormier, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, Senator Francis, for raising that troubling issue. I’m going to have to look into it, and I will provide a response as soon as I can get one.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. This is an important initiative that the government has been working on with its partners for a long time. I don’t think it is back to square one. The government is continuing to work with the AFN, Moushoom and Trout counsel — and is grateful for the work they have all done to date — and will continue to work with those partners to find a solution.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, a few weeks ago, the Minister of Transport appeared before the Senate during Question Period and answered a number of questions related to his portfolio. When asked whether he had approved the Georgina Aerodrome in Ontario, the minister responded:

The minister him or herself needs to wait for officials — independent, non-partisan officials — to do the assessment and submit a recommendation to the minister, which I have not yet seen.

Those were his words.

However, it has come to my attention that, in fact, Transport Canada has already completed their regulatory review of the proposal, meaning the minister had already approved the aerodrome as for the CAR-307 regulations.

Senator Gold, will Minister Alghabra correct his statement and apologize to the residents of Georgina, and the Senate, for his lack of transparency on and attentiveness to the issues surrounding the Georgina aerodrome?

Senator Mégie: Thank you for that information. However, I also wanted to remind you that the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology conducted a study on artificial intelligence a few years ago. Representatives of the Canadian Association of Radiologists spoke about the need for artificial intelligence for both operations and diagnostics to help radiologists triage urgent cases and identify common results by automating the standard measures and reporting models.

Does the federal government plan to increase the percentage of health care funding allocated to the innovative project that links artificial intelligence and health research through investments in the Canadian institutes of health research specific to artificial intelligence?

Hon. Robert Black: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. As you may know, the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, also known as CAFE, held their Fair Day on the Hill yesterday. I had the pleasure of meeting with their representatives yesterday afternoon to discuss the challenges facing the 743 fairs and exhibitions and their organizations that they represent across Canada. They highlighted that the organization continues to be bounced from department to department at the federal level as they seek a home base for support and services. This is an ongoing issue that I had previously raised with many federal ministers since being appointed in 2018. Every response I received pointed me in a different direction and to a different department.

In July 2021, I wrote again to the Ministers of Heritage, Finance, Rural Economic Development and Agriculture and Agri-Food urging them to work together to determine which department CAFE should be primarily working with. To date, I’ve only received one response from Minister Bibeau.

Honourable colleagues, fairs and exhibitions and the volunteers involved are community builders. The fairs have existed for over a century, and play an integral role in connecting rural, urban and agricultural communities. It’s unthinkable that no federal department will claim the portfolio to help these heritage-billed events that strengthen the economies of countless rural and agriculture communities.

Senator Gold, can you tell me which department CAFE should be working with to ensure these fairs and exhibitions will be around for generations to come?

Senator Gold: I know this is Question Period, and I do my best to answer, but it’s very hard to find an appropriate answer to a question that assumes bad faith on the part of a minister of the Crown. I think that will be sufficient for my answer.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Given that the proceedings involving Mr. Wang are under way, it would be inappropriate for me to comment. All I can say, Senator Housakos, is that the government takes very seriously the interference of any country, including China, in our institutions and democratic process. We will continue to defend the interests of Canadians in that regard.

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:

RIDEAU HALL

November 17, 2022

Mr. Speaker,

I have the honour to inform you that on behalf and at the request of the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General of Canada, Christine MacIntyre, Deputy to the Governor General, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 17^th day of November, 2022, at 7:36 p.m.

Yours sincerely,

Ryan McAdam

Director, Office of the Secretary to the Governor General

The Honourable

The Speaker of the Senate

Ottawa

Bills Assented to Thursday, November 17, 2022:

An Act respecting cost of living relief measures related to dental care and rental housing (Bill C-31, Chapter 14, 2022)

An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Bill C-5, Chapter 15, 2022)

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 5-5(j), I move:

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at 2 p.m.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. First, the government thanks the Office of the Auditor General for their report on the surveillance of Arctic waters. The government accepts the findings and the recommendations of the report and will continue to work with partners to address the gaps in Arctic maritime domain awareness.

For Canada, our maritime domain awareness in the Arctic is critical to ensuring we can manage the risks and respond to incidents that would have an impact on our security, environment and economy. I have, on a number of occasions, cited the investments the government has made, both to modernize NORAD, our space capabilities, our remotely piloted aircraft systems, our offshore patrol ships and the enhancement of our surveillance. I’ll not repeat those; they are on the record. It will continue to make investments and do what it needs to do to defend our North.

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate, and notwithstanding rule 5-5(j), I move:

That the sitting be suspended to await the announcement of Royal Assent, to reassemble at the call of the chair with a ten-minute bell.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Ovide Mercredi, Gerry Daly, Danielle Mercredi and Jason Taylor. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Pate.

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

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, my question today will touch upon what I asked you on Tuesday, which is the issue of foreign interference in our democracy, as confirmed by reports that the Prime Minister had been briefed in January that there was, in fact, interference by Beijing in the 2019 federal election. In particular, I want to ask you about a very stark contrast in your government’s policy approach.

On the one hand, your government is demonstrating total inaction on the issue of foreign interference. On the other hand, your government loudly proclaimed that foreign interference justified the invocation of the Emergencies Act earlier this year, even though CSIS clearly informed the government that the “Freedom Convoy” did not pose a national security threat and that it wasn’t supported by foreign state interference. Senator Gold, you will understand the resulting confusion.

Can you clarify what threshold your government adheres to when it comes to judging whether foreign interference constitutes a national security threat?

Senator Plett: Clearly I wasn’t asking you for an opinion on the convoy. I was asking what threshold your government adheres to. It has nothing to do with the inquiry or Justice Rouleau making a decision on this; it has to do with what standards are being used.

Senator Gold, let’s be clear: The two situations I just raised don’t give Canadians much clarity on what your government considers a risk and/or a priority. What has your government done when it was informed of a sophisticated campaign by the Chinese Communist regime to subvert Canadian democracy, and was this matter referred to Elections Canada?