Hon. Clément Gignac: Senator Galvez, I echo Senator Miville-Dechêne in congratulating you on your excellent work. As the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England said, the energy transition will neither materialize nor succeed without a significant contribution from the financial sector.

You mentioned the three committees that could be interested. I have reviewed the procedures of this chamber, and my understanding is that the leaders will decide. Don’t you think this item should be sent to the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce? I’m suggesting this quite neutrally because it is my privilege to be a member of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce and the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources.

You’re talking about amending the Financial Institutions and Deposit Insurance System Amendment Act. A number of bills governing the financial sector were mentioned. Do you have an opinion about this with respect to the committees, given that we know it’s the leaders who will make the decisions and decide which committees should study your bill?

Senator Galvez: I don’t know whether you follow budget news, but the issue of sustainable finance is one aspect of the budget. That’s good, and I would point out that in the last election, several of the political parties’ platforms included sustainable finance elements to develop, so that’s very good.

Ultimately, it is true that this bill may be of interest to the three committees I mentioned, but obviously, as you said yourself, it is not my decision to make. Everyone will speak with their facilitators or leaders and ultimately they will be the ones to decide, but certainly the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce and the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance are the two committees . . .

The other reason I can say this is because our bill is agnostic when it comes to technology. It does not say whether or not to use a certain technology. We are asking the entities to show us the efforts they are making to align their activities with Canada’s domestic and international climate commitments. So long as they are doing just that, we have nothing to say about the technology they use. I would say that the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce and the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance are the two committees that I would favour.

(On motion of Senator Moncion, debate adjourned.)

[English]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Marwah, seconded by the Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia), for the adoption of the second report of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, entitled Senate Budget 2022-23, presented in the Senate on February 24, 2022.

Hon Senators: Agreed.

(Notice of motion withdrawn.)

(At 6:20 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at 2 p.m.)

Hon. Margaret Dawn Anderson: Drin Gwiinzii, honourable senators.

It is my privilege to rise today to congratulate the Gwich’in of Aklavik, Inuvik, Teetl’it Zheh and Tsiigehtchic on the thirtieth anniversary of the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement.

The agreement, signed on April 22, 1992, granted the Gwich’in ownership of 22,330 square kilometres of land in the Northwest Territories and 1,554 square kilometres of land in the Yukon, including the subsurface rights to 6,158 square kilometres of land in the Northwest Territories. The agreement also secured the Gwich’in economic benefits, the exclusive rights to be licensed to conduct commercial wildlife activities on Gwich’in lands and formalized Gwich’in participation in land‑use planning and the management of renewable resources, land, water and heritage resources. This included a commitment to negotiate self-government.

Since receiving the original $75 million of capital transfers between 1992 and 2007 secured through the land claim agreement, the Gwich’in have increased these funds to over $165 million while supporting their people and communities.

The recognition and affirmation of Gwich’in rights secured through the land claim agreement have also supported Gwich’in initiatives around conservation and sustainability. For example, the Gwich’in have been able to maintain the Porcupine Caribou Herd as one of the largest and healthiest international barren-land caribou herds in the world — a critical and vital resource for the Gwich’in.

Over the last 30 years, the Gwich’in have, through their Department of Cultural Heritage, been working to preserve culture, language and traditional knowledge for future generations as well as develop programs appropriate for Gwich’in needs. Some examples of their work include recording the life stories of many Gwich’in elders and collaborating on second-language curriculum for kindergarten to Grade 12 students in the Beaufort Delta Region.

Finally, the move toward Dinjii Zhuh government will ensure the Gwich’in can continue to undertake occupancy and harvesting activities for generations to come while blending their historic leadership structures with contemporary forms of governance.

I wish to congratulate the Gwich’in and their communities and organizations on their achievements over the past 30 years. I know the Gwich’in Tribal Council will continue to prioritize their people, communities, culture, spirituality, language and values as they move toward Dinjii Zhuh government. It is indeed time to define “Your future, your way.”

Mahsi’cho, quyannaini. Thank you

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, senator. I’m not yet privy to the budget, so we’ll have to wait one more day to find out what the government is proposing.

The comparison with the Canada Infrastructure Bank is an interesting one. Despite the fact that the projects are not yet completed, there are 35 projects under way, as I think I mentioned at another time, and they are important projects, Senator Plett. They include the Manitoba Fibre broadband project that will bring broadband services to nearly 50,000 households in rural Manitoba, an issue that our colleague Senator Patterson has underlined on more than one occasion. It also includes work to advance the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, which will provide a vital energy and communications link between Manitoba and Nunavut.

Every dollar that Canadians are being asked to spend through the government on those infrastructure projects is creating jobs, attracting investment, fighting climate change, promoting social equity and building the economy of the future.

Hon. Denise Batters: Honourable senators, we have all seen the horrific images broadcast from Ukraine, the record of a people under siege. Reports speak daily of thousands killed and thousands more wounded, the bombing of schools and of a children’s cancer hospital, apartments and other buildings obliterated while hundreds of Ukrainians are trapped in bunkers beneath and of unspeakable horrors on the streets of Bucha.

After seeing these images and after President Zelenskyy’s heartfelt address to our Parliament, it is impossible not to be moved. We all want to help, and we all feel helpless. In this kind of chaotic emergency, medical assistance is badly needed.

That is why a group of Canadian MPs and senators — including Senator Larry Campbell and I — have paired up with Health Partners International of Canada, or HPIC, a Canadian charity licensed by Health Canada that handles and distributes medical supplies into crisis zones like this one.

Supplied by major medical and pharmaceutical partners, HPIC is working in partnership with Canadian Medical Assistance Teams to deliver their Humanitarian Medical Kits into needed regions in and around Ukraine. For a sponsorship cost of $600, each medical kit contains about 600 treatments — a value of about $6,000 per box. The current medical kits to Ukraine contain supplies like antibiotics, antihypertensives, anti‑inflammatories, analgesics and products to treat dermal infections, asthma, heart conditions and first aid. HPIC has set a goal to mobilize 400 medical kits for Ukraine and refugee camps in neighbouring countries in the next few weeks with a donation target of $240,000.

Many of you have charities you support generously, but we ask you to consider this one. If many senators and MPs donated to this cause, we could make a huge impact.

Honourable senators, it is an extraordinary privilege for us to sit in this chamber of democracy. Recently, five Ukrainian members of parliament travelled here to Parliament to show Canada how critical it is that Ukraine receives more help. I was able to meet them. They were all moms who had to leave their kids behind in Ukraine to travel to Canada. One MP received an air raid siren notification on her cell phone during her Parliament Hill meetings, notifying her that her child would not be going to school that day but, instead, to a bomb shelter. It’s unimaginable.

Honourable senators, let us, as Canadian parliamentarians, join hands to help ease the pain of the Ukrainian people at this dire time when they need it the most. If you are able, please donate a medical kit at hpicanada.ca or by contacting Senator Campbell or me. It’s a great way to make a meaningful contribution to the people of Ukraine.

Hon. Denise Batters: Senator Gold, as Senator Plett mentioned, it is being reported today that members of the NDP were briefed earlier this week on measures that will be found in this afternoon’s federal budget. It has also reported that the NDP briefing came before members of the Liberal caucus received their briefing on the contents of this “NDP budget.”

Senator Gold, you are the Liberal government’s representative in the Senate, so could you tell us if you have received a budget briefing yet? If so, did it take place before or after the third place opposition party in the House of Commons received theirs?

Hon. Mary Jane McCallum: Honourable senators, I thank the Canadian Senators Group for giving me space to speak today.

When I was in residential school, I began to disbelieve this Catholic God that the nuns and priests spoke of. How could a good and just God see me as a savage when he made me? When I went to confession at the age of 12, the priest asked if I let boys do bad things to me. I rarely entered the church after that and never went back to confession, thinking, “Why should I confess to another sinner?”

Over the decades, I didn’t believe I needed an apology, but, in listening to the words of the Pope on Friday, I was shocked when I burst into tears. Unexpectedly, it brought me peace and relief. Through this acknowledgment of past harms, people can finally accept that something life-changing and devastating happened to us at the hands of Church representatives. We are no longer burdened with the task of trying to convince others.

Do I forgive the Church? Not at this moment, and I’m okay with that. It took me 62 years to forgive the nun who had caused me immense and violent trauma at residential school. After going through a ceremony two months ago, I was finally able to let go of that violent energy I carried with me most of my life. I believe this is why I was able to embrace the Pope’s apology in the way that I did.

Now, I and other former students need the space to sit with his words, free from perspectives, dissecting it from a place of colonial thinking. In speaking to many former students, we are all at different stages of understanding the apology’s impact. There is discussion of whether it was needed and whether it is accepted. Despite our shared experience, we all have our own interpretations and lingering impacts.

I have had hate directed at me over my lifetime due to narratives thrust upon me simply because I am Cree. These narratives still exist in Canada today. However, I echo intergenerational Cree knowledge keeper Deborah Young, who states:

Despite all these atrocities and genocide that our people have endured and survived, my heart remains full of love and hopefulness because if I lose hope or love, there is nothing.

Kinanâskomitin. Thank you.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question and for your concern about the respect with which I am held. But your facts are wrong. I remain a member of the Operations Committee, I attended most recently on Monday. I can’t explain the website. I have other things to do than look for myself on the web.

I repeat, senator, with respect, my understanding is that there was a conversation, there was no formal briefing. Neither I nor my team nor anybody else — unless we attended the budget lock‑up which we organized for all senators, I gather, one senator attended. But apart from that, no, I did not receive any briefing, as none of us would have. Thank you.

Hon. Mary Coyle: Honourable senators, my question is for the representative of the government in the Senate.

Senator Gold, we know that Russia has been spreading false propaganda about its brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine, and that it and other non-state actors are using social media to amplify these messages as well as other messages which specifically target Canadian domestic issues as well.

Overall, we’re seeing a rampant uptick in the spread of misinformation, intentional disinformation and what some experts are calling malinformation — all very dangerous to our democracy and global stability.

Our colleague, Senator Simons, spoke to the many emails we have been receiving around Bill S-233, An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income and the impact those disinformation campaigns are having on misleading Canadians.

In my climate solutions inquiry, I highlighted my concerns about the dangers of disinformation as it relates to undermining public confidence in scientific, evidence-based climate data, climate policy and climate actions.

In response to Senator Housakos’s recent question regarding Russian propaganda, you noted that the Communications Security Establishment, CSIS and the RCMP and others are working with the government and partners to ensure that we remain safe.

Senator Gold, given the very real consequences of a rise in this type of disinformation, what else is the Government of Canada doing to counter these well-orchestrated campaigns and what concrete actions are being taken to promote awareness of these dangers amongst Canadians active on social media platforms? Thank you.

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to a victim of crime and to her family, who have been struggling for years to ensure that her memory is honoured.

In October 2007, Francesca Savoie, who was only 17 years old, died suddenly and tragically in a car accident in Bas‑Caraquet, New Brunswick. The accident was caused by an impaired driver.

Since that tragic day, Francesca’s mother has had lingering questions about the circumstances surrounding her beloved daughter’s accident. For 15 years now, she has been fighting to obtain information from the RCMP investigation file in order to gain a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s death, so she can finally grieve in peace as she deserves.

At this point, there are still some unknowns about what happened on that night. Francesca’s mother just wants to be told the truth about her daughter’s death. Her legitimate and entirely understandable efforts have been blocked by the RCMP, which denied her request on the grounds that the victim’s personal information is protected under the Access to Information Act, and that disclosing it would be an unreasonable invasion of the deceased girl’s privacy.

The RCMP’s response, which was confirmed by a Federal Court ruling, is an assault on the supra-constitutional principle of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and, more specifically, on the right to information that Francesca’s mother is asserting.

Honourable senators, the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights was created to redress the perpetual injustices inflicted on victims’ families and to prevent them from having to endure a lengthy process to have their rights respected. This sad story is just a reflection of a system that does not take the suffering of these families into account. It is another indication that there is still a lot of work to do to enforce the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights.

The RCMP is not above federal and constitutional laws, as we heard last week from Marco Mendicino, the minister responsible for the RCMP.

The courts have a duty to enforce laws democratically passed by the Parliament of Canada, and this additional assault on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights is simply outrageous.

As we approach the second anniversary of the Portapique massacre, my thoughts are with all these families who should not have to fight to be respected by federal institutions. I offer my support to all these families, and I will fight to ensure that the Senate of Canada, the upper house of Parliament, upholds their rights and the rights of all victims of crime. Thank you very much.

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

Senator Gold, recently, the Russian state-owned domestic news agency published a piece which vigorously promoted what they called the de-nazification of the entire population of Ukraine. It proposes to liquidate the political, civil and economic leadership of the country and those who support it and calls for the removal of all vestiges of Ukrainian identity, including the very name Ukraine.

This genocidal obliteration by Russia of Ukraine is what this war is about. We have all seen the horrors of Bucha, the presence of mass civilian graves and photos of people found lying in the streets with their hands bound, shot in the head and some bodies showing signs of torture, rape and burning.

While I acknowledge the important help that Canada has been providing and continues to provide, much if not most of our efforts have focused on sanctions and humanitarian assistance. However, Ukraine is asking for heavy weapons and air and naval defence systems, which it needs to defend itself. It is in this area of need that Canada has not stepped up fully.

On Monday, my 9-year-old grandson gave my daughter $10.85 that he received for selling Ukrainian flags that he had made and asked her to send it to Ukraine to help Ukraine fight back.

Will our government follow his lead and provide Ukraine with the weapons or the funds to purchase the weapons that Ukraine needs?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I hope your grandson is watching. He should be very proud.

Canada is providing a comprehensive suite of military aid to Ukraine and is constantly and continuously reassessing the needs. That’s why it has announced several new tranches of military aid, both lethal and non-lethal, to Ukraine.

The government has also been assisting our allies in delivering aid to Ukraine by over 40 flights on the C-130s Canada is providing for airlift support. I’m also advised that the government is in touch with a range of industry partners about further support for our Ukrainian partners.

Finally, I’m also advised that the government is currently working with Canadian companies to evaluate military aid options for Ukraine. Minister Anand will remain in close contact with Minister Reznikov regarding Ukraine’s evolving needs.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for your question. As we all know, far too well, Indigenous people, visible minorities, including Black Canadians, are overrepresented in our criminal justice system and this needs to change.

The government is working to create the conditions for everyone who works within the criminal justice system to take the necessary steps to redress this and to produce more equitable outcomes. I’m advised that the government is also providing Black-Canadian offenders with services aimed at supporting their reintegration, including addressing cultural employment and mentorship needs.

I’m further advised that the Correctional Service of Canada is studying the in-custody experience of racialized inmates including Black Canadians, which is expected to produce a full research report this fall.

As we know, the government has also introduced Bill C-5, which represents an important step forward. These changes, if and when the bill passes, will ensure that our criminal justice system is more fair, effective and will keep Canadians from all communities safe.

Finally — and this goes without saying — there is more work to be done. The government knows it. The government is committed to doing it.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for your question. I’m advised that the minister continues to be in close contact with both her Ukrainian counterpart and our NATO allies, including at multiple NATO defence minister’s meetings, to see how Canada and the alliance can continue to provide support to best respond to Ukraine’s evolving security needs and to coordinate our current and future efforts.

I note that following meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, NATO confirmed today its commitment to provide more aid to support Ukraine, including stepping up humanitarian aid and financial support.

Colleagues, the discussions are ongoing and I understand that consideration is being given to provide equipment to help Ukraine protect against chemical and biological threats.

Hon. Larry W. Campbell: Honourable senators, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

I would like to start with the first two lines of a Johnny Cash song:

There’s a man going ’round taking names

And he decides who to free and who to blame.

Leader, as a fine musician, I’m sure you’re familiar with this song. I ask you to consider it in the following context: In 2014, Canada expelled Russian diplomats after the illegal and immoral attack and occupation of Crimea in Ukraine. In 2018, Canada expelled Russian diplomats after the Kremlin poisoned a Russian and his daughter in England.

The world now watches as Vladimir Putin — who will forever be known as the “Butcher of Bucha” — murders, rapes, burns and destroys the citizens of Ukraine. There can be no doubt about this, despite the words of the butcher’s henchman ambassador to Ottawa.

The government asserts that if we expel, the Russians will retaliate and we will lose the ability to gain backdoor information on the situation or, God forbid, lose our ability to be influential. Yet, on at least two other occasions that were horrendous in nature, the government did expel the diplomats.

The invasion of Ukraine is far beyond the horror of these two occasions. The right thing to do is to admit that Russia has systematically committed crimes against humanity and say so. The right thing to do is have our UN ambassador work tirelessly to have this country known as Russia thrown off the Security Council where it has veto power. The right thing to do is to the remove the murderous regime from the United Nations Human Rights Council. But first, when will this government expel all Russian diplomats from our country? I started off by saying, “There’s a man going ‘round taking names and he decides who to free and who to blame.”

Where will the government be on this list? Thank you.

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

I begin my answer by reminding this chamber that the Government of Canada and the previous governments of Canada have always worked hard to defend Canada’s forestry industry. In that regard, as we’re all aware, the U.S. has indicated it would maintain its unjustified duties on Canadian softwood lumber. And as many in the chamber know, the government launched litigation under chapter 10 of CUSMA in December to fight those duties.

I note that for the past 13 months Minister Ng has been advocating with her counterpart that Canada stands ready to start discussing proper and potential resolution to the softwood lumber issue.

The government is encouraged by Ambassador Tai’s recent comments, recognizing the importance of reaching a softwood lumber deal. And the government will continue to defend our forestry workers and our industry to ensure it gets a good deal with our U.S. counterparts.

Senator Campbell: There’s a French proverb that reads:

[Translation]

“It is madness for sheep to talk peace with a wolf.”

[English]

If my French is as poor as I believe, it worked. If, as the government says, they fear the Russians will retaliate, how do you explain that Germany has expelled 40 diplomats; France, 35; Italy, 30; Spain, 25; and, in fact, the European Union countries have expelled more than 230 Russian officials since the Ukraine invasion began.

I would suggest that these countries that share close space with Russia will be far more at risk of retaliation than Canada. Are they wrong or is it simply a fact that this government talks a good story but lacks the will or the courage to take action against the diplomats of this murderous regime? Thank you.

Hon. Percy Mockler: Honourable senators, my question is also for the government leader in the Senate.

Senator Gold, the President of the Forest Products Association of Canada recently told the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade of the industry’s concern with anti-Canadian forestry legislation that is currently being advanced in the state legislatures of California and New York. Mr. Nighbor said that these bills, if passed, are designed to restrict Canadian forest exports to those states through their own procurement channels.

The industry is very concerned. And we saw the Forest Products Association of Canada, Unifor and the United Steelworkers calling out the anti-Canadian forestry legislation in California and New York, knowing that it would devastate our forestry sector and our communities. Mr. Nighbor told the committee that they want to see action and engagement on this file from the senior political level of the Government of Canada itself — the cabinet.

Senator Gold, will the Prime Minister and his cabinet defend our forestry sector against these bills going through legislatures in the United States? We know the impact that would have on the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Canadians.

Senator Mockler: To the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Gold, let’s take this into consideration: The Forest Products Association is also asking the Department of Global Affairs to carry out a formal, legal review of both bills currently on the floors of the legislatures in Albany and Sacramento to clearly understand this impact. Mr. Nighbor told the House committee that Global Affairs has so far refused to do this work.

Mr. Leader, I understand, however, that the Forest Products Association of Canada’s own independent review of these bills suggests that concern about the potential impacts of these bills go well beyond Canada’s forest sector.

There could be precedent-setting impacts in Canada, such as on Canada’s agriculture, energy, hydroelectric power and mining sectors, as well as their workers.

Leader, this doesn’t appear to be an unreasonable request. Can you tell us why Global Affairs won’t review these bills? Will your government intervene to request that the department conduct these reviews? There is much at stake. This will impact hundreds of thousands of Canadians working in those sectors.