Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question.

I was not aware that the committee, which operates independently, had decided that it had sufficient input to complete its reflections or to inform its reflections on this issue, but it is for the committee to decide how it wants to proceed, and, indeed, it is for the committee to decide how frequently it wants to meet.

We passed a resolution here, as did our counterparts in the other place, to extend the deadline for the report, and I have every confidence that the committee will do what it needs to do to provide the recommendations, to which we all look forward to receiving.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, senator.

The government is monitoring the situation of flooding in Manitoba, and elsewhere, very carefully. The government has been advised that Minister Blair has been in touch with his provincial counterpart. The government stands ready to provide federal support if required and is committed to supporting Manitobans.

The issue affects many communities, as you know — First Nations and others — and the government is working with its partners to provide as much help as is needed.

Senator Gold: I will certainly add those questions to my inquiry and I will get back to you as soon as I get an answer.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: I will certainly pass that on to the government.

Senator Gold: Good work it is, indeed. Thank you for the question.

I am advised there is no cap on the CUAET. The government has provided new funding of $111 million over five years, with $6 million in future years, to implement these new immigration measures. This funding will help to set up the new immigration pathways, expedite the processing of applications and provide support to Ukrainians once they arrive in Canada.

The government continues to engage with our partners in the settlement sector on how to best support Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s war.

Hon. Marilou McPhedran: Honourable senators, it is Manitoba Day. It has been mentioned already, and I have a question to Senator Gold.

Could you explain to us, please, the significance of Chief Peguis for Manitoba?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, Senator Boisvenu. The veterans’ situation is troubling. I will inquire with the government and try to provide an answer as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I do not have any information on the subject at this time.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): With respect, of course they can be, and I will explain why. The government consults with and takes advice from the situation on the ground from all relevant sources, and being informed by what is on the ground is different than responding to a request.

I am aware, of course, of what the commissioner said in response to our colleague’s question. I am also familiar, as colleagues are, with her statement on a previous occasion that it was absolutely necessary to allow them to do what needed to be done to remove the illegal protest from Ottawa.

They are both correct, and the government acted as it responsibly should, because they are answering different questions, as I am trying to do to the best of my ability here.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question, Senator Boisvenu. I will add this to the inquiries I will make with the government.

[English]

Senator Wells: Thank you, Senator Gold. Will the government provide some permanent solution to the constant flooding in the area?

Senator Gold: Again, the government is working with its partners and with the First Nations community. I’m advised that the Red Cross has been activated. It’s coordinating the evacuation of community members affected by severe flooding, and Indigenous Services Canada is providing funding to the First Nations for emergency flood response.

I do not have information about what measures might be taken or could be taken to provide a more permanent solution to this problem, which is a recurring one. I will certainly make inquiries and respond back.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): With pleasure. Thank you, senator.

Chief Peguis was one of five chiefs who signed an 1817 treaty with Lord Selkirk. This was the first land treaty signed in Western Canada. The largest First Nation in Manitoba is the Peguis First Nation, named in honour of Chief Peguis. This is the same community, unfortunately, currently facing the crisis of flooding in Manitoba, which was referred to in Senator Wells’ question.

(For text of Delayed Answers, see Appendix.)

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. I will try to be brief.

The government introduced back-to-work legislation because it was persuaded that the immediate and long-term impact on the Canadian economy caused by the prolongation of this strike in the Port of Montreal was sufficiently serious to justify the legislation. The government took great care in the legislation to make sure that it complied with the highest jurisprudential standards as set out by our courts to find the right balance between the right to strike, which is a constitutionally respected right, and the processes for resolving disputes.

That’s why the legislation included what is called in the business an “escalator clause,” which is mediation, arbitration and the like. So it is not that the government believed it was a Charter-free exercise but rather that it was a Charter-compliant exercise. Here in the chamber, we came to that conclusion after appropriate debate. As I said, the courts are there to review our decision, and we await those results.

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold.

Since Canada launched the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program, over 200,000 displaced Ukrainians have applied for entry to Canada, about 90,000 applications have been approved and about 500 arrive daily. I am concerned that post-arrival success for those who are making their way here may be jeopardized by inadequate support provided to them after they arrive.

Specifically, I am concerned about three issues. First, the cost of medical examinations is about $450 per adult, quite the amount for a person fleeing their home with not much more than they can carry. Without this examination, they cannot apply for a work permit. Second, currently, displaced Ukrainians arriving with children do not have immediate access to the Canada Child Benefit, which is available to other refugee populations. And finally, it is still unclear what the federal income support that the Prime Minister announced on April 9, 2022, will actually be, both in amount and duration.

What is the federal government doing to address these time-sensitive financial issues, and when will they be doing this?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for the question.

I have been advised that with regard to medical examinations, they are required in limited circumstances and are specific to the professions that are higher risk, such as in health care and those that require close contact with the public.

As senators know, the resettlement efforts to welcome Ukrainians differ from refugee resettlement efforts. Refugee resettlements are best suited for protracted situations where there is an agency infrastructure set up, and where no other durable, long-term solutions for safety and a return home exist.

The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, or CUAET, was designed to respond quickly, and it provides for targeted support and response to the needs communicated, notably, by the Ukrainian nationals, who are not ready to make long-term decisions about their futures.

Recently, I’ve been advised that the minister announced a series of measures to make it easier to support Ukrainians, such as providing short-term income support to ensure basic needs are met, and I am advised that details will be provided shortly.

Working with its provincial and territorial partners, with the Ukrainian-Canadian community, the business community and settlement organizations across the country, the government will make sure that everyone arriving under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program has access to the services that they need.