Senator Gold: We have important relations with many countries, including Haiti, because there’s a large diaspora in Canada. I’m very confident in the work that Minister Joly is doing and will continue to do, not just for the well-being of Canadians, but also for our interests elsewhere.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you for the supplementary question. I do not have an answer for that. I will endeavour to seek answers from the government and I hope to report back to the chamber in a timely fashion.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: The government is aware of the risk and realizes that lives are at stake. The government is, in fact, doing everything that it can. It has just not been possible. It remains incredibly challenging to get everyone out not only as quickly as we would hope but also as quickly as they would hope. Efforts continue and shall continue.

Senator Gold: If your question is whether I agree with your proposed solution, the answer is no.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Well, honourable senators, I cannot comment on specific cases, even if I had the information.

This government is working very hard and under extraordinarily difficult circumstances to bring home those who have assisted us and those who were seeking refuge in Canada. To date, we’ve helped airlift over 3,700 people, dating from August 2021.

The challenges are well known in this chamber. I will not repeat them. I understand that the logistical challenges of identifying and providing an ability for them to provide safe passage out of the country have been exacerbated in no small measure by the insistence of the Taliban that they have certain travel documents. We can all well understand how reluctant someone might be to present themselves at a Taliban-run station to explain why they want to leave the country.

The government is working as hard as it can with its partners and will continue to do so.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. It is an important question, but I respectfully don’t agree with the premise.

We all know that we have to find the right balance between real measures and effective measures to combat climate change — not only for our sake but for the sake of future generations — while still developing our country, our economy and our resources, including the energy sector, in a responsible and sustainable way.

In that regard, the Government of Canada is pleased to have Indigenous partners and Indigenous communities participating to a growing degree in resource projects. That is a good thing for the country and for those communities.

The government is pleased that Indigenous communities are our partners in developing new strategies for combatting climate change, benefiting from Indigenous knowledge and practices so that we can have a strong, robust economy, including an energy sector, which is in transition — the corporate world and capital investment sometimes speak louder than we can in this chamber — and do so in a way that works for the benefit of all Canadians.

Senator Gold: I thank the honourable senator for this supplementary question.

Since coming to power in 2015, the government has made record investments to support our OLMCs. In May, the government launched a consultation process on the next action plan for official languages, which will help it continue with the necessary work of protecting and promoting French across the country while supporting our OLMCs.

I am told that the government received more than 6,000 submissions and it wants to ensure that the action plan includes measures designed to address the issues and challenges raised by OLMCs, including all francophone organizations and all Canadians.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for the question. The government remains horrified by Iran’s violence toward its citizens and their blatant disregard for human rights. The government has imposed new sanctions and will continue to impose sanctions upon the regime.

The new sanctions framework that the government has put in place is targeting the core leadership of the Iranian regime. I’m assured that the government is looking at using all the tools at its disposal to hold the regime to account and that it has placed all options on the table.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. No, I do not agree. This is an important bill for the artistic community, for content producers and, indeed, for all Canadians. It is the subject of robust study and a fair bit of over-the-top rhetoric.

This bill is currently being pre-studied by the committee. I hope that all speakers who are scheduled — or intend — to speak on second reading will do so quickly so that the committee can turn to its study, properly seized with the bill, and conclude the study in a timely and effective fashion so that we have the opportunity for a full and fulsome debate in this chamber.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. It is an important one. Indeed, our Armed Forces are an important institution upon which we all rely.

The government knows that our success as a country — in defending ourselves and our interests — comes down to having a military with the right numbers, the right training and the right resources to sustain our regular operations and to step up during times of crisis. That is why the government is looking at both short-term and long-term ways to increase recruitment.

To answer your question, in the short term, the government has been maximizing staffing of recruitment centres and training schools, as well as temporarily shortening basic training. In the longer term, the government is continuing to work on building an institution where everyone feels safe, protected and respected in order to reach their full potential.

In this regard, the work that has been done — to expose and address the military’s problems and toxic culture — is of fundamental importance in making the Canadian Armed Forces an attractive option for all Canadians.

I have also been advised and assured that recruitment to our Armed Forces is a priority for Minister Anand — as it is, of course, a priority for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Senator Gold: Of course, as more information becomes available, I will certainly share it with this chamber, either proactively or in response to questions.

I would also encourage us in this chamber to perhaps take advantage of ministerial Question Period and invite Minister Anand, at the appropriate time — and our office would be happy to facilitate this — so that you can ask her questions directly. That said, I will make my own inquiries.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for the question.

The brief published by the FCFA identifies a number of challenges, and I am told that the minister had a chance to review the brief during the recent Canada-wide consultations on official languages.

As part of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-23, the government increased funding for official language minority community organizations, or OLMCs, by 20%. However, it’s clear that several issues remain.

As you pointed out, the government is currently working on a new action plan for official languages to support OLMCs, implement our language reform, and protect and promote French across the country, including in Quebec.

The government is grateful for the contributions made by community members and advocates in the discussions on the action plan. It intends to respond to the challenges raised, which are described in the brief and which you mentioned. It will respond in greater detail in the action plan to be announced shortly.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I sometimes pause, and perhaps my body language betrays me, because I am trying to ensure that my answer is factual, responsible, that it isn’t misleading and certainly doesn’t contain assumptions which I regularly have to remind you I do not accept.

I do not accept that this government cannot count. I do not accept what I think is a rather irresponsible allegation of deliberately trying to deceive Canadians.

The ArriveCAN app was designed and implemented to protect Canadians, to make sure that we had the best tools available in as quick a time as possible to be aware of and track cases of people infected with COVID coming into Canada.

As is the case with so many measures that were introduced quickly — both by the government and, in some cases, through legislation that we passed quickly in this house — it was imperfect. There is no question that this will be true of this app and many other apps.

The government still believes that it played a useful purpose, and the money invested in it was money invested for the safety of Canadians.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for the question.

Not every home is a safe home. The pandemic has only intensified this very sad and altogether too often tragic truth.

That is why the government took swift action to support women and children fleeing violence by providing $100 million to women’s shelters, sexual assault centres and other gender-based violence support organizations across the country.

As well, the importance of transitional housing cannot be overstated. The government has made sure, through the National Housing Strategy, that 25% of this 10-year, $70-billion plan is being dedicated to women and children. That means at least 7,000 spaces will be created or repaired for survivors of family violence. In March of this year, $30 million was announced to build 160 new affordable housing units in Regina, 39 specifically designated for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Half of those 39 are second-stage transitional housing.

The government will continue to evaluate emerging needs in terms of financing.

Senator Gold: All of the government’s work in this area takes into account the diversity of needs and the diversity of profiles of those in need of this. That said, through the government’s initiative entitled Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, the government is supporting the most vulnerable Canadians in maintaining safe, stable and affordable housing, and also, of course, to try to reduce chronic homelessness.

The government acknowledges that homelessness has an impact in every community in Canada. It affects individuals, families, women fleeing domestic violence, youth, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities. No one escapes.

The Reaching Home initiative continues to support efforts to increase the understanding of homelessness in Canada and to ensure that communities have the information and tools they need to prevent and reduce homelessness, and this is a first step toward raising the issue, not only at the federal level but at all levels of society.