Hon. Percy Mockler, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, presented the following report:

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance has the honour to present its

SIXTH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-19, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022 and other measures, has, in obedience to the order of reference of June 14, 2022, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment.

Respectfully submitted,

PERCY MOCKLER

Chair

(For text of observations, see today’s Journals of the Senate, p. 771.)

He said: Honourable senators, I would like to thank the members of the steering committee of the Committee on National Finance, namely Senators Forest, Gignac and Richards.

[English]

I also want to thank the members of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance for their cooperation, teamwork and dedication to ensuring the committee met that tight deadline. I would also like to thank the other six committees that conducted the pre-study of this bill.

Your Honour, our committee is supported by amazing staff, such as clerks, analysts, interpreters, communications staff and our office staff, who have worked hard to support the committee and its responsibilities.

[Translation]

Thanks to this group of people, the committee is able to focus on four core principles: transparency, accountability, reliability and predictability of the Canadian budget for all Canadians.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association concerning the Joint Meeting of the Defence and Security, Economics and Security, and Political Committees, held in Brussels, Belgium, from February 17 to 19, 2020.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association concerning the Sixty-sixth Annual Session, held by video conference from November 18 to 23, 2020.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association concerning the Spring Session, held by video conference from May 14 to 17, 2021.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate. Senator Gold, on Monday morning, police were once again called to the Service Canada office in Montreal, in the suburb of Laval. Hundreds of Canadians who had lined up to receive a passport were told to leave. Many of them had been there since Saturday, leader.

Yesterday, leader, you told us the government’s focus is on ensuring anyone who has travel planned within 25 business days is given priority for service. Last Friday, Minister Gould’s parliamentary secretary said Service Canada agents were going through the lines to accommodate those with immediate travel within two business days, leader. Yesterday morning in Laval, people were told they would be helped if they had travel booked within 24 hours, despite a sign on the office door saying they could be helped if their departure was planned in the next 24 to 48 hours.

There are three or four different times there, leader. Which information is correct?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The short answer is, Senator Plett — and thank you for your question — there clearly is inconsistent information being provided both, as you described, at the site in Laval and, perhaps, elsewhere. The information I have was the answer that I gave you the other day, and that’s the only information I have.

It is a deplorable situation. I will try to find out, to the best of my ability, what’s happening in that particular centre. It is a busy one, but it is not the only one that is plagued with problems. I’ll do my best to sort it out if I can.

Senator Plett: Hopefully, the minister can give you the correct information.

Our passport system, leader, is in utter chaos. No one in the Trudeau government knows how to fix it, and each day it seems to get worse. I hate to think what will happen next week when most schools close for the summer and more families start travelling. As I said yesterday, over 18,000 Service Canada employees who process passports still work from home as a pandemic precaution.

The insistence of this Trudeau government to prolong the pandemic as long as possible while the rest of Canada, and indeed the rest of the world, has moved on means the government can’t keep pace with its citizens.

Fewer than 48,000 passports were issued last week, leader. The average before the pandemic was more than 90,000 passports per week — almost double.

Leader, a written answer tabled in the House of Commons states that as of May 12, 2022, 249 Service Canada employees were on leave in relation to the vaccine requirement.

How many of these workers process passports, Senator Gold, and are they now back at their jobs?

Senator Dasko: Do you have any explanation that somebody might have offered as to why this bill didn’t go to committee in the Senate?

Senator Dawson: You could put the question to somebody who would be in authority to give an answer. I’m not in authority to give an answer to that.

[Translation]

Hon. Dan Christmas: Honourable senators, I rise to speak in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day, celebrated each year on this day. While it’s a day on which we recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, it’s also a perfect opportunity for recognizing innovations and best practices across national institutions seeking to play their part in achieving reconciliation between Canada and Indigenous peoples.

I’d like to share one such example with you and spotlight the incredible progress being made by a federal institution that’s been around since Confederation — Canada Post. Weeks ago, in early May, Canada Post opened a new community hub post office in my home community of Membertou, only the second of its kind in Canada.

The new Membertou location includes meeting rooms available to rent, along with a parcel packaging area and secure printing and shredding services. There’s also a space for public, wireless internet service, with computers and video conferencing capabilities. There’s even a soundproof podcast room. The new post office includes electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle racks, water bottle refilling stations, accessible parking and automatic doors. The hub’s signage is in Mi’kmaq, French and English, and the space showcases local artwork. As our Chief Terry Paul affirmed, “This is more than just a post office, it is a meeting and gathering place.”

This is all part and parcel of Canada Post’s national strategy to renew its long-standing relationship with First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, as well as with Northern communities. The Indigenous reconciliation strategy reflects Canada Post’s commitment to undertake shared partnerships with Indigenous people and Northern communities, and to make real, sustained progress throughout Canada. It features four key pillars: Improving postal services to Indigenous and Northern communities; developing and implementing an Indigenous procurement strategy; improving Indigenous employment and retention; and supporting the viability, wellness and safety of Indigenous communities. The elements of this strategy are great examples of where reconciliation and retail commerce wonderfully collide with Indigenous culture, community health and sustainable economic development.

As if that weren’t enough, in commemoration of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Canada Post is releasing three new stamps today honouring past Indigenous leaders Harry Daniels, Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier and Jose Kusugak in recognition for their commitment and contributions to the Métis, First Nations and Inuit communities they served.

Canada Post is to be highly commended for manifesting such a game-changing policy undertaking that makes Indigenous reconciliation a key item of the corporation’s business. It seems highly appropriate that we shine a light on these very best practices on National Indigenous Peoples Day. Canada Post has indeed delivered a wonderful parcel of initiatives which all Canadians should be both proud of and thankful for. This is true reconciliACTION at work. Wela’lioq. Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, senator. The government does recognize that these longstanding issues have been causing stress and hardship for employees and their families. The government is committed to fixing this. I’m advised that the government has recently seen an increase in new transactions received at the pay centre, though the majority are processed within service standards. Pay teams prioritize cases with financial implications for employees.

The government has taken significant steps to help stabilize the Phoenix pay system and continues to work with all stakeholders, including unions and employees, on the way forward. To be sure, there is still work to do. However, the government continues to progress toward pay stabilization to ensure that federal employees across the country are paid accurately and on time. The government continues to focus on addressing outstanding transactions while also working toward processing new transactions within service standards 95% of the time.

Finally, the government is also working toward the implementation of the next-generation pay system. This includes running pilot projects and tests to ensure the new system will provide pay to public servants accurately and on time, which is their right and due. This will take time, and Minister Tassi is focused on moving it forward.

Senator M. Deacon: Thank you for that response.

Regarding the last part to do with the new system and implementation, piloting, testing and starting, could you please elaborate? I think I heard most of what you said, but I believe the new system is running in parallel while finishing off the old system. Do you have a sense of, with fair training and pilot time, how long it might be before the new system is running independently of the old?

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: Senator Gold, if I may, I would like to return to the issue of the passport crisis, particularly in Montreal.

A colleague from Montreal told me a rather incredible story. He wanted to submit his passport application at the Service Canada office on Décarie Street in Montreal, six weeks before he was supposed to leave on a trip with his children. The clerk told him, “No, don’t do that, get in line now.” That means that some people in these lineups are leaving in six weeks and have been told that the system is so lousy that it is better to wait in line now than to submit their application. By doing this, by giving this kind of advice, is the government making the crisis worse?

Senator Miville-Dechêne: I’m still a little perplexed, Senator Gold, because when the pandemic first hit, the federal government managed to get CERB out in record time, which clearly shows that bureaucratic obstacles can be overcome. However, this appears to be impossible today, even for passport services, which are essential. Why have officials not rearranged the employees’ work schedules in order to open passport offices on weekends?

Senator Gold: I don’t have an answer to your question. I will add it to my list of questions for the government.

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson: Honourable senators, my friends, today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, and there is so much to celebrate!

First, I am so grateful for the economic self-determination of Indigenous peoples, especially in my province of Alberta. I want to congratulate the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce for creating an Elder in Residence position. I can think of no better inaugural Elder in Residence than my friend Irene Morin of the Enoch Cree Nation. Her body of work is considerable. She was a powerful advocate for social justice in her work at Native Counselling Services of Alberta, and she was an effective and popular political staffer for the late, great Senator Thelma Chalifoux. There is no doubt in my mind that Irene will assist the chamber in forging new and stronger relationships with Indigenous communities surrounding Edmonton, as well as connect members with the Indigenous leaders, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers in the area. Believe me, Irene knows everyone.

This innovation towards reconciliation should not surprise us. The Alberta Treasury Branch recently published a report on the economic contributions of the 313,000 Indigenous people who reside in what is now known as Alberta. The report found that:

The Indigenous economy in Alberta generated $6.74 billion of GDP in 2019 . . . which is equal to the GDP generated by Alberta’s agricultural sector.

Honourable senators, economic self-determination is a cornerstone of reconciliation and of miyo-pimâtisiwin — the ability to live the good life — and I am celebrating all of the Indigenous-owned businesses across Turtle Island who are contributing to their communities and to our country in meaningful ways.

On a personal note, I am also celebrating the profound importance of our traditional ceremonies. This weekend, I had the honour to Sun Dance — to be part of one of the most sacred Nehiyaw ceremonies that is grounded in the principles of interconnectedness and sacrifice for the healing and well-being of the people. I have immense gratitude for Elder and Sun Dance Chief Fred Campiou and Melanie Campiou for their tireless dedication to this ceremony and for the kisewâtisiwin — the loving kindness — that guides their work.

Honourable senators, ceremonies are where Indigenous languages thrive. All weekend long, I was immersed in the nêhiyawêwin language, listening to stories, jokes and teachings. The preservation of Indigenous languages is indeed bound to the survival of these beautiful ceremonies.

And so, dear colleagues, I hope you have time this week to join me in celebrating Indigenous resilience, self-determination and healing.

Hiy hiy.

Hon. Marty Klyne: Honourable senators, I rise to share two stories in celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day.

First, I wish to pay tribute to the late Harry Daniels, a proud Métis. Harry was recently honoured by Canada Post with a commemorative stamp that highlights his contributions to Indigenous history.

He was, perhaps, most well known for his part in the constitutional negotiations that defined Canadian politics in the 1980s. Daniels was a fierce advocate for the rights of the Métis, and he fought to ensure that Métis were included in the constitutional definition of “aboriginal peoples.”

This was no small task. He clashed with then justice minister Jean Chrétien, who at first refused Daniels’ demands. But Harry’s fierce advocacy and persistent nature eventually persuaded Chrétien and then Prime Minister Trudeau to include the Métis. That decision changed the relationship between the Métis and the federal government.

I want to express my appreciation to Canada Post for honouring Harry with this tribute and for asking me to speak at last week’s ceremony in Regina. This was a significant event for Regina Beach and our extended family. Harry was my mother’s cousin, and because he was 17 years my senior, he was, and always will be, Uncle Harry to me.

These commemorative stamps tell stories, and I think that connects Canada Post with Indigenous peoples, as it is our tradition to connect generations by passing down our knowledge through storytelling.

I’d like to share another story, one that highlights another fight for justice. I recently watched a film called I’m Not An Indian, directed by R. J. Maloney in partnership with Jake Dockstator, a creator on the film.

The documentary tells the story of the late Chief Orville Smoke, leader of the Dakota Plains First Nation. It’s a powerful story of uncomfortable truths and tragic and dreadful consequences, but there are also elements of hope.

The documentary is available on Crave, and although the subject matter deals with sorrowful and tragic events, I challenge my colleagues in this chamber to watch it this summer before September 30, 2022, when Canada marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Chief Smoke and Harry Daniels fought hard to better the lives of Indigenous peoples. Their legacies are not just their accomplishments but also the path they paved for future generations. We must remember their stories, and we must tell their stories so they are not forgotten.

Thank you. Hiy kitatamîhin.

Hon. Victor Oh: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak on the Canadian Naval Tribute Project, cofounded by Sean Livingston and Mark Phillips. This project seeks to recognize 14 unsung heroes of the Royal Canadian Navy, heroes who endured racial and gender prejudice but never wavered in the face of combat.

Among the 14 officers honoured, we find a remarkable Lieutenant-Commander William Lore. Lore was born in Victoria, B.C., in 1909 and was a Chinese-Canadian pioneer in many ways. At the onset of World War II, Lore, then a public servant, was denied entry into the Royal Canadian Navy three times because of his ethnicity. He was not granted admittance until a personal request from the Chief of the Naval Staff was received.

With this acceptance, Lore became the first person of Chinese descent to become an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, including all other Commonwealth navies.

Lieutenant-Commander Lore served in the U.K. and in Southeast Asia, where he was instrumental in planning the Alliance attack on Rangoon, Burma. In recognition of his service and sacrifice in the liberation of Hong Kong, Lore was selected to command the first party of Royal Marines into the city and became the first Allied officer to officially enter the liberated region.

Lore’s remarkable story continued past VE Day. Upon his retirement from the navy in 1948, the Lieutenant-Commander went on to graduate with a law degree from the University of Oxford at the age of 51.

Colleagues, William Lore’s exceptional service is just one example of equally impressive Canadian heroes being honoured by the Canadian Naval Tribute Project. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Livingston and Mr. Phillips for their efforts in preserving Canada’s diverse military history.

Thank you. Xie xie.

Hon. Judith G. Seidman: Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.

In the fall of 2020, an expert advisory group was established to provide advice on the development of a pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy. The purpose of the strategy is to support the effective creation, exchange and use of health data. A year ago I asked a question in this chamber about the steps that the federal government has taken to develop the strategy and to address the serious gaps found in Canada’s current health data system. To this day, I have not yet received a response on this matter.

Senator Gold, the Pan-Canadian Health Strategy Expert Advisory Group published its third and final report on May 3, 2022, which includes ten recommendations to strengthen Canada’s health data system. How will the federal government implement these recommendations to advance the strategy?

Senator Seidman: Of course, the reason that I am asking is because the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the inequities that exist in Canada’s health data system. The absence of national standards for the collection and sharing of health data hindered Canada’s ability to successfully measure the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, track the emergence of new variants and assess long-term complications from COVID-19.

In a Globe and Mail article published on June 4, 2022, health experts warned that the lack of data collection could hinder our ability to understand and find therapeutic options for long COVID.

Senator Gold, the need for a robust national health data system is evident. What steps will the federal government take to address the barriers that impact Canada’s ability to collect, share and analyze health data?