Senator Gold: I will certainly make inquiries as to the specific question with which you ended your comments.

Again, I will repeat: This is an unacceptable situation. The government is doing what it can. It is devoting the resources it has to resolve it. One hopes that the situation will improve such that Canadians can travel abroad, or receive their passports for whatever purposes they need them, as quickly as possible.

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?

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?

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Honourable senators, I rise to remember a sombre day in our history, June 23. On this day in 1985, a bomb downed Air India Flight 182 over the coast of Ireland. All 329 passengers on board were murdered, including 82 children, 6 babies and 29 entire families. This was and remains the single largest terrorist attack on Canadians. In a sense, it was our own 9/11.

In the 37 years since, much has changed in Canada. We have progressed as a nation that is more inclusive. We have learned some lessons from the past, and we have taken action. Our policies, protocols and legislation have evolved, but most importantly, I believe, it is our hearts and minds that have changed. We now mark June 23 every year as the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism. But lest we forget, I take this opportunity to once again bring Air India into our national memory.

I am heartened by the progress we’ve made, embracing immigrants as our people and not just as people with half-ties to Canada. When Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 from Tehran crashed in 2020, it took the lives of 138 individuals destined for Canada. This time around, we did not repeat the mistakes of the past. We didn’t brush off the victims as lesser Canadians and, therefore, less valuable to us. We demonstrated, this time around, that “hyphenated Canadians” are not lesser Canadians.

None of this, of course, provides much comfort to the families who were robbed of a future, whose lives were changed forever, who will not live to see their children grow up, whose parents will not show up for their graduations, birthdays, weddings or the birth of a child or grandchild. They won’t celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Family Day. For them, I wish and hope that the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism counts.

Let’s continue to fight as a nation against terrorism, hate and intolerance. Thank you.

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

(On motion of Senator Kutcher, bill, as amended, placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting of the Senate.)

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, for the second reading of Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Hon. Diane Bellemare: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. It’s nearly time to look back and take stock of our parliamentary record for this session. Since the beginning of this new Parliament, the government has decided to introduce several of its bills in the Senate. Since December, a total of 10 government bills have been introduced. By way of comparison, the Trudeau government introduced six in the Forty‑second Parliament, which lasted four years. Of course, it is the government’s prerogative to proceed in this way.

Prime Minister Harper’s Conservative government also had a habit of doing that. In the first session of the Forty-first Parliament, it introduced 17 bills, and in the second session of the Forty-first Parliament, it introduced seven bills.

Personally, I have no problem with this. On the contrary, I think it can allow the Senate to do its job of providing sober second thought, especially if the bills are introduced in February, March or April.

What do you think of this practice? Will this trend continue? Do you appreciate and encourage this approach?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for the question. I’m not sure that I would agree with you — although you are certainly more of an expert in this area than I — that our agricultural sector is underperforming. I think many factors have conspired to affect the industry over the last number of years. This includes the usual suspects these days, if you will: COVID-19, but also floods and drought.

However, the agricultural sector has demonstrated great resiliency. The government has always been there and will continue to be there to support our producers and processors in times of need.

Budget 2022 says the following:

Federal, provincial, and territorial governments will work together over the coming year to renew the programs under the next agricultural policy framework that begins in 2023.

Colleagues, there is strong political will to renew the partnership and to position the agricultural sector for continued success over the next five years.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, the Halifax Examiner just published an article entitled, “RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki tried to ’jeopardize’ mass murder investigation to advance Trudeau’s gun control efforts.”

In the article, we learn that Brenda Lucki made a promise to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and the Prime Minister’s Office to leverage the mass murders of April 18 and 19, 2020, in Nova Scotia to get gun-control law passed.

Here is a quote, Senator Gold, from the notes of one of the RCMP officers who participated in the meetings with the commissioner:

The Commissioner said she had promised the Minister of Public Safety and the Prime Minister’s Office that the RCMP (we) would release this information. . . .

Senator Gold, is this true? Did the RCMP commissioner promise to use the mass murders in Nova Scotia to advance Liberal government policies?

Senator Plett: Senator Gold, the accusation is made in the Halifax Examiner, not by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. I ask that you investigate this, Senator Gold, and report back to us.

Senator Gold, if this report is true, do you believe that Commissioner Lucki can remain the head of the RCMP?

Hon. Victor Oh: Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate. It is regarding the Health Canada proposal for the front-of-package labelling for ground beef and pork which would require ground beef and pork sold at retail to carry a “high-in-saturated-fat” warning label.

As Senator Plett noted yesterday, this small label stands to have a significant negative impact on the Canadian beef and pork industries. As most other single-ingredient foods are exempt from this labelling, such as milk and eggs, it seems unfair to target ground beef.

In addition, we must remember that this discouraging people from ground beef consumption may have other negative consequences given that, one, ground beef contributes iron, zinc and other important nutrients that are vital for a balanced diet; two, with current food supply chain issues and high inflation and food costs, ground beef offers consumers these nutrients at a more cost-conscious way than more expensive cuts of beef.

Leader, yesterday you said Canadians would continue to purchase ground beef. Does the government understand that the cost of changing the labelling will be passed down to consumers, making ground beef more expensive at a time when families cannot afford to pay more? Thank you.