Senator Gold: The position of the government is not to punish Canadians; it’s to protect Canadians. Governments, both at the federal level and, I assume, at provincial levels encourage Canadians to avail themselves of vaccines, whether it’s a third booster or a fourth, as I have the good fortune to have taken. The Government of Canada will continue to follow the guidance that it gets from Health Canada and other experts in the interests of protecting Canadians.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Pardon the interruption, Senator Carignan. Are you asking for five more minutes?

Senator Carignan: Certainly.

Senator Carignan: Yes.

Hon. Senators: Yes.

Senator Plett: No. 

Some Hon. Senators: Dispense.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is there an agreement on a bell?

An Hon. Senator: Do it, Don.

Senator LaBoucane-Benson: Yes.

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson: In your estimation, can we still give time and space to the study of a bill and start a pre‑study as well? Does one preclude the other? The government is asking us to study — without a time frame and without constraints around anything other than asking us to study. Can we do that and give time and space?

Some Hon. Senators: Suspend.

Senator LaBoucane-Benson: Would the honourable senator take another question?

Senator Plett: Only to answer that question.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted to answer the question?

Senator Tannas: Absolutely.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator Tannas, would you take a question?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, before calling upon the next senator, I should point out that we are debating Motion No. 42, the substance of which is whether or not there should be a pre-study of Bill C-11, not the substance of Bill C-11. We have a fair amount of leeway when it comes to speeches and questions and answers, but, please, we’re debating Motion No. 42.

(2040)

Senator Simons: Thank you very much, my friend. Yes, of course, I’m well aware of the excellent work that the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples did. Was it both the languages bill and the child welfare bill?