Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, in last week’s ministerial Question Period with Minister Marc Miller, I asked a question regarding the inherent problems with Canada’s revolving-door justice system, which too often lets violent offenders roam free, as was the case of Myles Sanderson, who prior to committing the horrific attacks in Saskatchewan had 59 former convictions.

Your colleague’s answer was:

There are systemic natures to the violence and the response needs to be a systemic one that cannot be limited to policing our way out of the problem or locking people in jail and throwing away the key.

Leader, I found this answer troubling. While I can appreciate that not every case is the same, it is certainly up to our justice system to exercise good judgment to determine which cases put the safety of Canadians at risk. We sadly saw what the consequences are of failing to properly do so earlier this month in Saskatchewan.

Leader, unlike your colleague, do you believe that there are any circumstances in which an individual should be incarcerated for a certain period of time? Aren’t 59 convictions enough?

Hon. Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia: Honourable senators, I rise today to recognize Easter Seals’ one-hundredth year of operations in this country.

Easter Seals is Canada’s largest local provider of programs and services for persons with disabilities. Since 1922, the organization and its 10 provincial members have been working to create a more inclusive and accessible society that honours the contributions of Canadians of all abilities.

For 100 years now, Easter Seals organizations have been serving a broad range of individuals — both children and adults — with varying physical, intellectual, sensory and learning disabilities to help to ensure that every person has access to the equipment, programs, services and support that they need to make the most of their abilities and live their lives to the fullest.

Easter Seals provides a wide range of services and supports, including access to assistive and adaptive technologies, specialized education and job training programs and services, sport, recreation and leisure programs, rehabilitative and occupational therapy, residential and respite programs, day and overnight camps.

For 100 years, Easter Seals has represented the best values of our country by working to build a more inclusive and more welcoming Canada — a Canada where every person can thrive, contribute and live the life they choose with independence and dignity.

I had the pleasure of meeting with the Easter Seals delegation this morning in my office, and I’d like to welcome them and thank them for coming to Ottawa to share in this momentous occasion. In particular, I welcome our youth ambassadors.

I have no doubt that for the next 100 years, Easter Seals will continue to honour and support the needs and aspirations of Canadians living with disabilities and their families by providing vital services and promoting access, inclusion, opportunity and community.

Please join me in thanking Easter Seals for their century of service. With all that has already been accomplished, I am eager to see what the next century of achievement will bring.

The Easter Seals’ one-hundredth anniversary celebrations will continue tonight at the Métropolitan Brasserie. I hope to see you there. Thank you, meegwetch.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I share your concern and all Canadians’ concerns for the quality and efficacy of our criminal justice system. I agree with the minister that there are many aspects that need to be addressed, including our correctional system and the criminal justice system. But there are broader social determinants of crime and delinquency that also have to be considered. If your question is whether I believe in mandatory minimum sentences, I think the evidence is compelling that they fail to deliver on their promise. In that regard, the government is very pleased to have brought forward Bill C-5, which is currently being studied in committee and, I hope, has the support of all senators.

Senator Plett: Senator Gold, I’m sure you can appreciate that it is not very reassuring to Canadians to hear a minister of the government, or indeed the leader of the government in this chamber, say the solution is not to lock people in jail and throw away the key. Nor does it offer any comfort to the families who have lost loved ones in the Saskatchewan tragedy. I guess Canadians will just have to lock their doors because the only answer the Liberals have to offer is ideology.

Leader, how many more tragedies need to occur for this Liberal government to understand that their soft-on-crime approach only puts Canadians at risk?

Senator Gold: Senator Plett, this government is not soft on crime. It is being serious about crime and its causes and effects. The tragedies that happened are tragedies, and, with the greatest of respect, this is not something that should be used to gain ideological points just because the party you represent has a different position on how to address crime than others. This government believes it is on the right track and it is firm, resolute and responsible in response to the real causes and consequences of crime.

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Honourable senators, I rise today to strongly condemn the actions of the so-called morality police in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini. I wish to echo the rage of my sisters in Iran who, as we speak, face violence and death for upholding their rights.

I cannot hide my anger at the pointlessness of Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody two weeks ago. The 22-year-old woman was detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely. I want to stress that women’s bodies have been policed in Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when authorities imposed a dress code requiring all women to wear a headscarf and loose-fitting clothing that disguises their figures in public.

As a practising Muslim woman, I am angry to see men justify this oppression under the guise of religion. The Quran clearly states that “there is no compulsion in religion, the right direction is clearly distinguished from the wrong.”

Yet, the Iranian morality police, or the Gasht-e Ershad, have the authority to stop women and assess their appearance. Women who do not respect authorities’ interpretation of proper clothing may be fined, imprisoned or even flogged. This goes against the very basis of the religion they pretend to uphold. Muslims learn from a young age that God is the only judge.

How dare these men condemn women for how they dress in public. This obsession with controlling women’s bodies must cease.

Across Iran, protesters have been chanting “woman, life, freedom” while facing brutal retaliation from police. I want to highlight the resilience and courage of women who continue to push back against discriminatory laws across the country. I cannot stay silent while my sisters risk their lives by cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in the streets. At least 57 women have died during the protests, and the death toll will surely continue to rise.

It is shocking that some Iranians in the midst of such violence are calling for protesters to be silenced.

Honourable colleagues, I stand in solidarity with the Muslim women forced to wear, or to remove, their hijab. Women have a right to agency over their own bodies, and no man should ever tell a woman what to wear. Thank you.

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at 2 p.m.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to.)

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, Senator Klyne. It underlines an important issue.

I will have to make inquiries to your specific question. But, as many senators know, there is a bill that is working its way through Parliament to set up a national commission on historic places and sites. I imagine that our discussion about that will also touch upon this important issue.

I will get back to the chamber with an answer as soon as I have received it.

Hon. Leo Housakos: Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.

According to reports published this week, there are several satellite police stations operating in Canada on behalf of the communist regime of China. It has been reported that there are at least three of them operating in Toronto under the guise of assisting Chinese expats in Canada with administrative tasks back in their homeland of China. That sounds like something for consular staff to look at, not the Fuzhou Public Security Bureau, a police force active in the Chinese metropolis of Fuzhou.

Senator Gold, the real function of these service centres is clear. The communist regime of China is freely operating on Canadian soil to intimidate Canadians and others whose security should be assured while in this country. Senator Gold, what is your government doing to put a stop to these operations? Have these centres been closed down by Canadian authorities? And if they haven’t been, why not?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Well, thank you for your question and for bringing this matter to my attention. I will certainly make inquiries and report back.

Senator Housakos: Senator Gold, these stories have been highlighted by the National Post, The Globe and Mail and, it seems, everybody under the sun, except it hasn’t come to the attention of your government or our authorities in this country.

I believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg. If there has ever been a call or a need for a foreign registry act and action to be taken with laws that have consequences for those who come to this country and try to influence the democracy of our country, it is now.

In the past, you and Minister Mendicino have shown tacit support for Bill S-237, which, of course, calls for a registry of foreign influence. Will you concretely support that act? Will you support it going to committee for study? Will you support it becoming law to deal with this pressing issue?

Senator Gold: Well, thank you. It is an important issue, of course. The government that I represent in this chamber is always keen to see bills properly studied, and I look forward to that study at committee.

Hon. Tony Loffreda: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. I would like to address the issue of Canada’s labour shortages and how immigration, and specifically international students, could help address this issue.

According to a recent economic report, international students are now a key talent pipeline for Canada, representing almost 40% of new economic-class immigrants. We also know that international students could help fill labour shortages in trades, services, health care and much more. In health care alone, the projected labour shortfall is nearly 111,000 by 2028.

I strongly believe Canada needs to do a better job at tapping into our diverse and highly qualified pool of international students to help fill labour shortages and contribute to our economic growth.

What new measures is the government taking to ensure international students can easily shift from the classroom to citizenship to the workplace in a timely and efficient manner?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for your question. The government recognizes that international students represent a very promising pool of skilled and talented individuals in the Canadian labour market. It is my understanding that, as permanent residents, former international students have some advantages in the labour market and that the share of international students who worked while studying or after graduation has been increasing.

The government is committed to improving the experience for its clients, including students from abroad, and modernizing our immigration system. I’m advised that the government is also focused on ensuring that our immigration plans support our economic resurgence and post-pandemic growth.

With regard to any new measures or those already in place, I will have to make inquiries of the government. I hope to have an answer in a timely manner, but I will say this: The government remains committed to helping students enter the workforce as quickly as possible so that we can utilize their talents and skills.

Senator Loffreda: One statistic suggests that 50% of international students do not file a tax return post graduation, so that means we’re not retaining 50% of the students. What policies or targeted measures have the government implemented to recruit the best young talent from abroad, including international students?

I think we should monitor and keep track of the international students who are leaving Canada. We’re not doing that. I did make mention of that recently.

There are some concerns. Canada is struggling to keep this international pool of talent, and I think we should make a huge effort to try to retain this talent in Canada. Is there a specific strategy or strategies that you know of or have spoken to the government about or that you will speak to the government about to retain this talent?

Senator Gold: Thank you, Senator Martin, for your question. On behalf of the government, I can say that I do not accept the premise of your question. This government is serious. Our credit rating, our job creation rate, the strength of our economy in various sectors and our ability to have recovered are thanks in no small measure to the investments that the federal government, as well as provincial governments, made, and the efforts of all Canadians.

This government is convinced that it is on the right course to position Canada to take advantage of the opportunities in this challenging world.

Senator Gold: I can certainly answer yes to one of the last questions. I will certainly make inquiries. I’m not aware of specific programs, but I will say this: The amount of study permit holders in Canada has increased significantly, from 122,000 in 2000 to 642,000 in 2019. There is a large pool that we can hope to retain for the benefit of our country.

Moving forward, the government plans to address labour shortages by welcoming talented workers to Canada, including support for their training, youth employment programs and addressing the specific needs of the evolving sectors. Indeed, I’m advised that the government’s Immigration Levels Plan for 2022-24 aspires to continue to welcome immigrants at a historic rate.

I will make inquiries about the specific programs that may exist for retention and get back to you as quickly as I can.

[Translation]

Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. According to an article by investigative journalist Brigitte Bureau published on CBC this morning, one in four migrants, including children, ends up in prison.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International put out a report in June 2021 that looks into the detention of migrants in Canada and documents serious human rights violations. The report also makes the following six recommendations to the government:

Gradually abolish immigration detention.

End the use of solitary confinement in immigration detention.

Establish an independent body responsible for overseeing and investigating CBSA . . . .

Sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment . . . .

Conduct a national independent review of the immigration detention system . . . .

Withdraw Canada’s declaration and reservation to Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Does the government plan to implement the six recommendations made last year, and what timeline has it set to follow through on its commitments? If not, why not? Thank you.