Hon. Claude Carignan: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Leader, La Presse says it submitted an access to information request to Justice Canada and was informed a response would be forthcoming within 295 days. My team also submitted an access to information request to Justice Canada on February 3, 2022, almost nine months ago, and the department has yet to produce an answer.

We also submitted an access to information request to Environment and Climate Change Canada. In its response, the department asked us to be more specific about the information we were seeking so as to require less research. We provided those specifics. We were told it could take 150 days. The access to information request we submitted to Canadian Heritage has yielded no response so far.

What’s going on with access to information services? Were the civil servants responsible for access to information all trained by Passport Canada?

Senator Quinn: Senator Gold, while I understand that you’re saying that it’s not a large impact, I’m going to respectfully disagree. In some cases, it’s a seven-figure number, and that would be in a medium-sized brewery, such as Moosehead Breweries in Saint John. For certainty and as part of their business planning, if the government is unable to respond in a favourable way, would it not be reasonable to at least convey my concerns to the Minister of Finance that the increase of the alcohol excise tax tied to the inflationary rate will have an unintended consequence that will seriously impact the competitiveness of Canadian businesses and lead to job losses throughout the supply chain?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The government knows and understands that the global ocean plays a vital role in regulating the earth’s climate and absorbing carbon. We must keep that in mind as we develop and implement our adaptation measures. If we are to create a truly climate-resilient Canada for future generations, we must ensure that our oceans remain healthy and resilient.

I’m advised that the government has been in conversations with the Ocean Frontier Institute on this issue and looks forward to continuing these discussions to better understand how the government can expand its work to maximize the ocean’s contribution to carbon sequestration.

Hon. Mary Coyle: Senator Gold, on November 8, I attended a COP 27 panel at the Canada Pavilion on the importance of deep blue carbon. We know that the ocean is the most significant global storage depot of carbon on earth. It holds 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere, soaking up more emissions than all the world’s rainforests combined and that the North Atlantic is the most intense carbon sink on the planet. Of carbon, 90% is deep blue carbon, and the panel identified this as the “deep blue hole” in the Paris Agreement — a problematic gap.

Senator Gold, Canada’s Ocean Frontier Institute, led by Dr. Anya Waite, is spearheading an international initiative to observe, understand and predict the ocean carbon system in order to make more fully informed climate decisions. Other nations are aligning with this vision, and international conversations at COP 27 supported the creation of a North Atlantic carbon observatory.

Senator Gold, as Mark Carney and others have said, we cannot mitigate what we cannot measure. Will Canada take a leadership role in supporting this critically important climate initiative?

Senator Gold: Well, I admire, Senator Plett, your devotion to your leader and your willingness to pass on his messages.

Canadians are in good hands with this government. It is providing needed support to Canadians in a difficult time. It has managed the pandemic and the emergence from the pandemic masterfully. Our inflation rate is lower than most G7 countries. Our credit rating has been solidly reaffirmed, and this government will continue on its prudent and balanced approach to helping Canadians.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That the Standing Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to examine and report on foreign influence in the electoral process in Canada; and

That the committee submit its final report no later than June 30, 2023.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Rachel Huntsman. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Dalphond.

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

Senator Ravalia: Thank you for the question. In my discussion with the President of Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador, this is an ongoing question. The issue within my province is that many small communities have struggled with the concept of regionalization. They are so independent and wish to maintain their local identity, and the thought of sharing services, et cetera, with other communities is quite foreign to them.

There have, obviously, been discussions between the municipalities, the provincial government and federal advisers as to how a process like this can move forward, but, in my province, it remains very much at a relatively early phase. However, we are hoping that examples from other provinces may give us ideas that would allow us to form a robust regionalization program that will enhance our communities. Thank you.

(On motion of Senator Cormier, debate adjourned.)

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Coyle, calling the attention of the Senate to the importance of finding solutions to transition Canada’s society, economy and resource use in pursuit of a fair, prosperous, sustainable and peaceful net-zero emissions future for our country and the planet.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The government is not prepared to make such a commitment, senator. The government believes that the excise tax on alcohol products is an appropriate one. It’s a modest one, as I said on another occasion recently in this chamber. The increase represents less than a fifth of one cent for a can of beer. In that regard, it is the position of the government that it does not materially add to the inflation pressures that are otherwise on our economy.

Indeed, this summer, the government eliminated the excise duty on low-alcohol beer, which brings the tax treatment of low‑alcohol beer in line with the treatment of wines and spirits with the same alcohol content and brings our practices in line with those in other G7 countries.

Senator Coyle: Senator Gold, this important opportunity for Canada to take a leadership role in establishing the North Atlantic carbon observatory and moving ocean observations into real climate action along with our international counterparts is urgent and will require significant and creative cooperation among government departments, including Environment and Climate Change Canada as well as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Senator Gold, could you tell us how the government would go about ensuring interdepartmental cooperation so that we don’t miss out on leading this critical ocean climate observation effort?

Senator Gold: The answer to that question is no. The reports of attempts to interfere with our democratic institutions, whether from China or from other countries, are well-known. Indeed, the annual report of NSICOP made the point that the question of Chinese interference is a long-standing concern and preoccupation that is well-known. That is a separate and distinct issue from whether the Prime Minister was briefed on the specific allegations about specific candidates in a specific election.

[Translation]

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

(On motion of Senator Ataullahjan, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan introduced Bill S-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief).

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. René Cormier: Honourable senators, some human beings possess such an intense passion for their people and their culture that it becomes their lifelong pursuit.

My Acadian compatriot, Benoît Duguay, who passed away recently at the age of 81, was one such human being. Acadia was saddened to learn of the death of one of its own, a deeply committed journalist, activist and strong advocate for the French language.

Benoît Duguay was a selfless activist who studied journalism and then began his career in journalism at Radio-Canada Acadie’s Moncton station in 1970. Over the course of his impressive career, he was the first parliamentary correspondent in Fredericton, hosted a number of public affairs programs on radio and television, and anchored “Le Ce soir,” a news program now known as “Téléjournal Acadie.”

He was the founding president of the Acadian section of the Union internationale des journalistes et de la presse de langue française and the organization’s international VP for the Americas.

President Chirac made him a knight of France’s Legion of Honour during the 1999 Francophonie Summit in Moncton.

A tireless citizen, Mr. Duguay was involved in several organizations after a 30-year career in journalism. He contributed to the Salon du livre de Dieppe, the Association des universités du troisième âge du Nouveau-Brunswick and the magnificent event called Lire et faire lire Acadie. He was the former chair of the New Brunswick Arts Board and spent several years as president of the Association des boursières et boursiers France-Acadie, ABBFA, which offers post-secondary scholarships to young students from France who want to study in Acadia at the Université de Moncton or the Université Sainte-Anne. Benoît Duguay had an unwavering love for the French language, the francophonie and France, as mentioned by his friend and colleague, Louise Imbeault, former director of Radio-Canada Acadie, who said, and I quote:

I think it goes without saying that Benoît was enthusiastic about Acadia, about the francophonie. He was a man who put so much of his energy into defending the French language.

Indeed, Benoît Duguay leaves behind a legacy of enthusiasm, energy, passion, authentic activism and immeasurable love for the magnificent French language, a language that must be protected, defended and promoted more than ever in our country. He had so many qualities that will continue to inspire us for a long time.

All my gratitude, dear Benoît. Rest in peace.

Thank you, meegwetch.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, on November 7 reports surfaced of Chinese interference in our 2019 election, alleging that the Prime Minister had been briefed by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, or CSIS, in January 2020 that 11 federal candidates had been targets of the Chinese Communist Party’s, or CCP’s, interference campaign.

Following these reports, the Prime Minister allowed the world to believe that he raised the issue of Chinese interference with President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit. Now, weeks after the original report surfaced, the Prime Minister claims that he had not been briefed on any federal candidates receiving any money from China.

Senator Gold, the Prime Minister’s incoherence is completely unbefitting of the magnitude of the issue and, indeed, his office. Can you give us some clarity on what the Prime Minister knew and when he knew about it?

Senator Boisvenu: Senator Gold, while legal immigrants are waiting up to 10 years to receive a positive response from the government, the RCMP has said that, between January and October 2022, nearly 31,000 migrants were intercepted in Quebec. I don’t know how many of them are criminals, but we do know that, in 2021, 469 criminals crossed into Canada at Roxham Road.

According to Mr. Duheme, the RCMP is mobilizing significant material and human resources to manage this massive flow of asylum seekers, which includes many criminals, when these resources could be used to manage crime throughout Canada.

Do you have an answer to the question I asked on October 20 about why the Canada Border Services Agency hasn’t investigated the 469 criminals who entered Canada illegally?

Also, do you know how many foreign criminals have been deported from Canada since 2020?

Senator Gold: Thank you. The government’s approach to addressing environmental and climate change issues is necessarily a cross-government approach. Indeed, it is one that also engages provincial and territorial governments as well. It’s important, as climate change continues to have an impact on our oceans, that we advance adaptation measures and nature-based solutions to support long-term climate resilience for Canada and our communities.

The government is committed to continuing to work across government to address the impacts of climate change. This is evidenced, for example, by the recently announced National Adaptation Strategy.

[Translation]

Hon. Scott Tannas: Therefore, honourable senators, in amendment, I move:

That the motion be not now adopted, but that it be amended by replacing all the words after the word “That,” by the following:

“in the opinion of the Senate, Her Excellency the Governor General should take the necessary steps to revoke the honorific style and title of “Honourable” from:

(a)any former senator having been convicted of a criminal offence proceeded with by way of indictment; and

(b)former senator Don Meredith, in light of the reports of the Senate Ethics Officer dated March 9, 2017, and June 28, 2019, concerning the breaches by the former senator of the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators, as well as the statement made in the Senate on June 25, 2020, by the chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration expressing regrets to the victims of Mr. Meredith’s misconduct.”.

Senator Gold: I thank the honourable senator for the question. As the former Leader of the Government in the Senate, you’re well versed in the steps and processes within the government. This isn’t a question of access to information. As soon as I’m asked a question to which I don’t have the answer, I make the request and my team takes care of it. I’m sorry that it took so long. I’ll follow up and try to get an answer as soon as possible.

[English]