The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Ms. Carole Drolet and Mr. Claude Texier. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Dagenais.

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

Hon. Claude Carignan: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Yesterday, I asked you a question about the outrageous witch hunt the federal government is waging against public servants to find out who dared to speak out against its decision to appoint a unilingual anglophone American as the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Museum of History.

The government searched public servants’ emails and telephone records. No stone was left unturned. That is unacceptable in a democratic, law-based society like Canada. In 2017, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates tabled a report entitled Strengthening the Protection of the Public Interest within the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. The committee made 35 recommendations to protect public servants who disclose wrongdoing. Essentially, these recommendations sought to strengthen public servants’ ability to speak out against the misuse of public funds or public assets and questionable practices. In light of the federal government’s witch hunt against its public servants, I would like to know what your government has done to follow up on the 2017 report on whistle-blowers.

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Justin Trudeau’s government has been rethinking its national defence priorities. The government has earmarked $8 billion in the current budget for modernizing the military. Despite that, we will not reach the 2% that our NATO partners are demanding. According to several experts, this delay is very worrisome in terms of modernizing our military equipment, especially for our navy and air force.

Why has the Trudeau government waited for a military conflict to break out in Europe in order to finally take care of the Canadian Armed Forces?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Alanis Obomsawin. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Francis.

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

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The report and recommendations are very important. I don’t have a specific answer as to what follow-up has been done, but I will try to find out.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Louise Bernice Halfe — Sky Dancer, our ninth Parliamentary Poet Laureate. She is accompanied by family and friends, and Dr. Heather Lank, Parliamentary Librarian and former Principal Clerk of the Senate.

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

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. Canadians should have confidence in the processes that the Emergencies Act has put into place. The situation, as we all experienced it here, was fluid. Information was being processed in real time and answers were given in good faith throughout the process. I’m confident that will be the conclusion that will be reached as well by the commission.

Senator Plett: Well, I wish we could all be as confident. Surely, Senator Gold, you must agree that the information divulged by CSIS and the Prime Minister’s public comments are serious contradictions and they are on a collision course.

Senator Gold, two of the most powerful offices are saying two different things. They cannot both be right. Keeping Canadians’ trust in their institutions cannot be taken for granted, Senator Gold. Such paradoxical versions of the truth will have a devastating effect on the already eroded confidence of the citizens of our country.

Senator Gold, does your government not understand the serious impediment of diminishing public confidence on issues of national security and the use of the Emergencies Act? Where did the 50% number of foreign funds advanced by the Prime Minister come from?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for highlighting a part of our history that unfortunately is not that well known. The effects of this problem are still felt today.

The government is committed to supporting the Canadian survivors of thalidomide to help them live out their days in dignity. The Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program, or CTSSP, uses a three-step medical assessment process based on probability and international best practices.

People who consider themselves to be survivors of thalidomide are encouraged to submit an application to the CTSSP before the deadline on June 3, 2024. Applicants who are missing information or whose application has been denied at one of the three steps of the assessment process can submit additional information to the program administrator in support of their application. Pursuant to a Federal Court decision in August 2022, all applicants whose application was previously denied can now seek reconsideration.

I also want to point out that in 2017, the government changed the program to make it more flexible and to make it easier to demonstrate proof. Before 2017, claimants had to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that their disability had been caused by their mother’s use of thalidomide. Today, thanks to the government, claimants must submit concrete evidence to demonstrate that their disability was likely caused by thalidomide.

Once again, as a result of an August 2022 Federal Court decision, all previously denied applicants may now apply for reconsideration.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. I do not have the answer, but I will ask the government and try to get an answer as soon as possible.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, I want to follow up on my questions from yesterday on the extravagant $400,000 invoice that Canadian taxpayers are having to pay for hotel rooms in London for Canada’s delegation to Her late Majesty the Queen’s funeral.

Senator Gold, yesterday you defended the cost of a $6,000‑per‑night hotel room in London — I think you said hotel rooms in London are expensive — while also claiming you didn’t have enough information about the number of people and the length of their stay.

Senator Gold, Brian Lilley had an article in the Toronto Sun a few days ago. I’m surprised you had not been informed of this, as you represent the government in this chamber.

Global Affairs indicated through an access to information request that the Canadian delegation stayed at one of the top luxury hotels in Central London. Canadians are on the hook for rooms as of September 11, with the bulk of the delegation arriving on September 16 and staying until September 19 or 20.

Canada’s official delegation was led by the Governor General and her husband; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife; and it included diplomats, top bureaucrats, former prime ministers and governors general and celebrities.

Senator Gold, will you continue to defend this undefendable invoice not only to this chamber but to Canadian taxpayers?

Hon. Marty Deacon: Honourable senators, it is an honour to rise today to celebrate Dr. Rohinton Medhora’s incredible decade of leadership as President of the Centre for International Governance Innovation, or CIGI, in Waterloo. Dr. Medhora retired from this role on September 2, 2022.

CIGI is located in Waterloo and is a fantastic hub of innovation and global thinking.

Through Dr. Medhora’s leadership, CIGI’s research has evolved from its early focus on broad concepts, such as international relations and global economy, to a crosscut of topics related to big data, platform governance, digital standards, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Jim Balsillie, CIGI’s founder and chair of the board of directors, stated:

Rohinton has been an extraordinary leader for CIGI, who has ably guided the organization through its second decade to its current status as a go-to think tank at the intersection of technology and governance.

Personally, I have enjoyed meeting with Dr. Medhora on numerous occasions. He has helped me, and others, synthesize several global challenges, with his knack for building trust and his willingness to give his time to others in order to share his wisdom.

Under Dr. Medhora’s leadership, CIGI is now ranked thirtieth worldwide among more than 8,000 think tanks. It also holds the distinction of ranking twelfth globally in the category of science and technology policy.

As a result of CIGI surging in these global rankings, our peers, internationally, are beginning to recognize that Canadian think tanks have much to offer on the international stage. The backroom work, programming and foundation building — via the work of Dr. Medhora in making this happen — cannot be overstated.

CIGI recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary, which means that Dr. Medhora has guided this institution for half its existence, and he leaves it in excellent shape to succeed in the future, as it is left in the capable hands of the new president, Paul Samson, who lives in Ottawa.

We are excited about CIGI’s relevance and growth, and, despite all of his contributions, I suspect the best from Dr. Medhora is yet to come. He is far from done.

Thank you, Dr. Medhora, for your incredible leadership and contributions locally and globally. Thank you. Meegwetch.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. As I said yesterday, I think it was totally appropriate for the Governor General and her husband to lead a diverse and proper delegation to pay tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I have every confidence that the measures taken to take care of that delegation were appropriate under the circumstances.

Senator Plett: Of course, nobody is questioning that a delegation attend. We’re questioning the expenses, Senator Gold. Again, you’re refusing to even touch on the question.

Senator Gold, in contrast to what our Canadian delegation did, U.S. President Joe Biden and his entourage incurred zero dollars for their costs there — zero dollars for taxpayers.

Senator Gold, the Prime Minister’s ultimate lack of respect for our public funds and his tradition of contempt for accountability are truly beneath the conduct of a prime minister.

The aggravation continues, as Prime Minister Trudeau also managed to keep up with another one of his traditions on this trip, which is to embarrass Canada during international visits. I’m sure nobody needs to be reminded of the unfortunate video of the Prime Minister singing the night away just days before the Queen’s funeral.

I know that this Prime Minister aspires to be a superstar, but was there no one there to remind him that such expenses would be infuriating for Canadian taxpayers?

Senator Gold, how can your government justify $6,000 per night on a hotel room when the Prime Minister himself was critical of a former Conservative minister for invoicing a $16 glass of orange juice? Is your government subject to the same standards as others?

Senator Gold: The appropriateness of expenditures varies with the context and circumstances. I repeat that I think it was appropriate for the Canadian delegation to be in London and to be accommodated in the appropriate circumstances.

Senator Plett: I heard “appropriate to spend $6,000 a night.” That’s what I heard.

Hon. Jean-Guy Dagenais: Honourable senators, I want to take a few minutes today to tell you about the background of my two visitors, Carole Drolet and Claude Texier. They are retirees from Blainville, where I live, and they are both passionate about politics. However, they both have an unconventional background that I want to share with you.

First, let me introduce Claude Texier, who was born in France, but who, since 2008, has defined himself as a proud Quebecer and Canadian, since this is where he has chosen to spend his retirement. Before meeting Ms. Drolet, whom I will speak about in a few moments, Claude Texier, who has a background in international law, chose to work in the business world. Mr. Texier spent most of his career working for a large French company called Hutchinson Mapa, a subsidiary of the TotalEnergies group.

As an aside, Hutchinson Mapa has been in the business of manufacturing rubber products for over 150 years after acquiring patents from the Goodyear company. In the beginning, the company focused on manufacturing bicycle tires.

I would be remiss if I left out the fact that our visitor completed his French military service in the Paris fire department, where he taught mathematics to officers.

A keen traveller for both work and recreation, Mr. Texier met his partner, Carole Drolet, during his travels.

The two of them had a lot in common. Ms. Drolet has been a member of the Barreau du Québec since 1987, but interestingly she chose the industrial world for her career — although not in rubber.

Ms. Drolet was the owner of a carbonated drink business in Quebec known as Kik Cola Denis, a fierce competitor of Coke and Pepsi, at one time. My guest today was also the vice‑president of the RE/MAX real estate brokerage and president of the tool rental company LOU-TEC. Before retiring in 2016, Ms. Drolet was president of operations at Loto-Québec for nine years.

We have two examples among us today of professionals who chose the industrial world to apply their skills, and they did so brilliantly.

After such a rich and productive professional life, my two guests chose to retire here in Canada, primarily in Quebec, when they had plenty of opportunities in other countries.

I am especially proud to count them among my constituents in Blainville. Today, I am pleased to give them a glimpse of the workings of Canadian politics on Parliament Hill, here in Ottawa, because there can never be too many people who are interested in what we do here.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): My question again is for the government leader. I want to expand on a question that Senator Martin posed last week.

The Emergencies Act inquiry has been providing Canadians more information about what was going on behind the scenes in the decision-making process at the government level. Amongst other issues, we have learned that CSIS informed senior government officials that no evidence was found in terms of foreign actors or states financing the convoy protest in the week prior to the Emergencies Act being invoked.

The director of CSIS said, “There is not a lot of energy and support from the USA to Canada,” adding that, “CSIS has also not seen any foreign money coming from other states to support this.”

Yet, leader, on February 11, when Prime Minister Trudeau was asked by Marieke Walsh for more details on the percentage of financing coming from the U.S., he said:

Those aren’t details that I have right in front of me. I have heard that, on certain platforms, the number of U.S. donations are approaching 50%.

Senator Gold, such a contradiction between the Prime Minister and CSIS will have serious consequences for the confidence of Canadians.

Leader, I know your government tries to say Canadians should have confidence in the process under way with the Emergencies Act inquiry. But we have a serious issue here: Who should Canadians believe — CSIS or the Prime Minister?