The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, we welcome today the Honourable Karina Gould, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development of Canada, to ask questions relating to her ministerial responsibilities. Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, senators do not need to stand. Questions are limited to one minute and responses to one-and-a-half minutes. The reading clerk will stand 10 seconds before the expiry of these times. Question Period will last one hour.

Hon. Pat Duncan: Thank you, Minister Gould, for your appearance here today.

Budget 2022 commits $25 million over two years for the pilot project Menstrual Equity Fund to make menstrual products available to those in need. In Scotland, after several pilot projects and extensive consultation, they’ve adopted the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, ensuring universal free and discreet access to period products. It’s not yet fully implemented, and consultation is ongoing. I note that the Period Products in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 require the provision of products in public schools.

The budget funding is under the lead of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth. With an all-of-government approach and your responsibility for families, children and social development, are you actively involved in the design and implementation of the Menstrual Equity Fund with Minister Ien? Can you provide any details on the fund’s design? Thank you.

Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: Welcome to the Senate, minister.

In the mandate letter you received from the Prime Minister, you are asked to introduce, and I quote:

 . . . federal child care legislation to strengthen and protect a high-quality Canada-wide child care system.

Could you tell us what stage that project is at? Also, given that education and child care are essentially under provincial jurisdiction, what steps have been taken with the provinces to avoid a jurisdictional dispute?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, the time for Question Period has expired. I’m sure all senators would like to join me in thanking Minister Gould for being with us today. Thank you, minister. We look forward to seeing you again.

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, I have risen on a number of occasions in this chamber and in the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to speak of the importance of soil health. Today I would like to highlight National Soil Conservation Week, which was held from April 17 to 23 this year.

Each year, the Soil Conservation Council of Canada, or SCCC, leads National Soil Conservation Week during the third week of April. This week-long event is a perfect opportunity to highlight the importance of soil health and soil science to Canada’s economy, environment and future.

As you well know, I have long advocated for a soil health study at our Agriculture and Forestry Committee. During the last sitting week, I was pleased to give notice of an order of reference on such a study, and in fact it was passed in this chamber yesterday evening. I’m very much looking forward to the committee undertaking this study, and I’m hopeful that it will connect with Canadians from all walks of life by introducing soil health through a variety of lenses, including that of food security, environmental conservation and carbon sequestration, among others.

At this time, I would also like to give a shout-out to Jim Tokarchuk of the Soil Conservation Council of Canada and Glenn Munroe of the Compost Council of Canada, as well as the Metcalf Foundation, for their work to develop A Roadmap for Optimizing Carbon Sequestration in Canada’s Managed Soils, which was released earlier this month.

It is clear that improving soil health is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour across Canada’s varied landscape. However, it is also clear that soil organic carbon is considered the key indicator of healthy, productive and resilient soils. I am delighted to see this road map prioritized, increasing knowledge of how carbon moves into soils and what Canadians can do to keep it there.

I would like to thank everyone involved in the development of the road map for all their hard work to strengthen the health of Canadian soils as well as the team at the Soil Conservation Council of Canada for their continued dedication to soil health.

I’m certain that the road map will play an important part in ensuring the long-term viability of our country’s soils and in guiding the future decisions of farmers and governments at all levels.

Honourable senators, as we also recently celebrated Earth Day, I encourage you to consider the important role that soil health plays in our environment, the future of this country and, inevitably, the world. It’s intrinsically linked to the health of its ecosystem, which itself hinges on soil health. Meegwetch, thank you.

[Translation]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:

That the following Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:

To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:

We, Her Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Senate of Canada in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

[Editor’s Note: Senator Audette spoke in Indigenous languages.]

Hon. Karina Gould, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development: Certainly. Thank you very much for raising this issue, senator. I’m not the minister responsible specifically for this policy — that’s Minister Qualtrough — but I know that she is engaging right now on what a leave policy will look like for families who adopt as well as what it means for surrogacy. I know she’s engaging in consultations and has had several consultations. As you mentioned, sometimes these things are complicated because different provinces and territories have different policies. But I know this is something that she is looking at, and I would be happy to get more information for you and get it to you. As I said, I’m not the minister directly responsible, but I know that Minister Qualtrough is engaged on this matter.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Minister, welcome. My question concerns your responsibility as Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Canada and the World. I would hope your committee is seized with Putin’s illegal war against Ukraine that began just over two months ago.

Yesterday, minister, your government announced a contract to buy eight armoured vehicles to be sent to Ukraine and delivered at some unknown date in the future. This paltry commitment shouldn’t surprise anyone. After all, we have a government that thinks Canada is good at convening our allies to do more while we do the bare minimum.

Minister, Ukrainians are fighting for their lives and need as much help as possible right now. How could your cabinet committee and your government possibly think sending only eight armoured vehicles is sufficient?

Hon. Karina Gould, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development: Thank you, senator, for your question. I was delighted to be able to sign the agreement with Nunavut. One of the things that I found particularly heartwarming and that generated a lot of optimism for me, but also, I think, for the Government of Nunavut, was the fact that Inuktitut will be widely available within ELCC moving forward. The objective is to make sure that early learning and child care spaces in Nunavut are culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate and very much include Inuit culture, heritage, customs and traditions within the child care setting.

Of course, within that agreement there is funding for training of ECEs. I’m not sure whether there’s a specific language-training component, but we can look into that and get back to you. But I know it is a priority for the Government of Nunavut, and we are eager, keen and excited to support them in that work. There are a lot of opportunities and possibilities with the work that we’re going to be doing in Nunavut.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, notwithstanding any provisions of the Rules, previous order or usual practice, the provisions of the order of November 25, 2021, concerning hybrid sittings of the Senate and committees, and other matters, extended on March 31, 2022, have effect until the end of the day on June 30, 2022, subject to the following adjustments:

1.subparagraph 7(a) to (e) of the order of November 25, 2021, be replaced by the following:

“(a)when the Senate sits on a Monday, the sitting:

(i)start at 2 p.m.; and

(ii)adjourn at the earlier of the end of Government Business or midnight;

(b)when the Senate sits on a Tuesday, the sitting:

(i)start at 2 p.m.; and

(ii)adjourn at the later of the end of Government Business or 6 p.m.;

(c)when the Senate sits on a Wednesday, the sitting:

(i)start at 2 p.m.; and

(ii)adjourn at the earlier of the end of Government Business or 4 p.m.;

(d)when the Senate sits on a Thursday, the sitting:

(i)start at 2 p.m.; and

(ii)adjourn at the earlier of the end of business for the day or midnight; and

(e)when the Senate sits on a Friday, the sitting:

(i)start at 9 a.m.; and

(ii)adjourn at the earlier of the end of Government Business or 4 p.m.;” and

2.the provisions of paragraphs 12 and 13 of the order of November 25, 2021, cease to have effect, so that the evening suspension be as provided for in rule 3-3(1), including on Mondays, and, consequently, if the Rules require that something take place at 8 p.m., it take place at the time provided for in the Rules; and

That the Senate recognize the need to work towards a return to a schedule of committee meetings reflecting Ottawa-based operations, and call upon the Committee of Selection to continue to work with the leaders and facilitators of all recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups to advance this objective.

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 4-13(3), I would like to inform the Senate that as we proceed with Government Business, the Senate will address the items in the following order: consideration of Motion No. 34, followed by Motion No. 1, followed by all remaining items in the order that they appear on the Order Paper.

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate), pursuant to notice of April 26, 2022, moved:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice, and without affecting progress in relation to Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization:

1.the following committees be separately authorized to examine the subject matter of the following elements contained in Bill S-6:

(a)the Standing Senate Committee on Banking Trade and Commerce: those elements contained in Part 1;

(b)the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources: those elements contained in Parts 2 and 3;

(c)the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry: those elements contained in Parts 4, 5 and 6;

(d)the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans: those elements contained in Part 7;

(e)the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology: those elements contained in Part 8;

(f)the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade: those elements contained in Part 9; and

(g)the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications: those elements contained in Part 10;

2.each of the committees that are authorized to examine the subject matter of particular elements of Bill S-6 submit its final report to the Senate no later than May 30, 2022, and be authorized to deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting; and

3.the committee to which Bill S-6 may be referred, if it is adopted at second reading, be authorized to take into consideration these reports during its study of the bill.

She said: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak briefly to Government Motion No. 34, which proposes a subject matter examination of Bill S-6 on regulatory modernization. Let me note that the motion before us is the result of consultations that were conducted with the leadership of all recognized parties and parliamentary groups in the Senate.

Colleagues, Bill S-6 is a broad, sweeping bill that covers immense tracts of regulatory terrain. It proposes to modify 29 acts through 46 amendments, and it applies to 12 government departments and agencies. Its scope is impressive. Naturally, we cannot burden a single committee with such a workload. The prudent course of action is to have the various sections of the bill examined by several Senate committees that can lend the necessary expertise to the study of the bill’s legislative dimensions.

[English]

Colleagues, this is not simply a matter of managing the size of the bill; along with accounting for quantity, we must also ensure we are positioned to conduct studies of the highest quality. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Woo, was right to define the scope of the amendments included in Bill S-6 as “both disparate and quite technical.” In other words, Bill S-6 covers a wide spectrum of regulatory fixes, which require the subject matter expertise of several committees.

Let me provide you with a broad overview as to the participating committees and the specific parts of the bill they will be examining.

The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce will focus on Part 1 of the bill entitled “Innovation, Science and Economic Development,” where they will review amendments made to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, the Weights and Measures Act and the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2.

The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources will study Parts 2 and 3 of the bill. This includes studying the proposed changes to the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act, the Canada Petroleum Resources Act, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act.

As for Part 3, the committee will study the Canada Lands Surveyors Act, the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act and the Species at Risk Act.

During the study of Parts 4, 5 and 6, the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will examine elements of the Agricultural Products Marketing Act and seven different acts pertaining to the Regulatory Measures Respecting Canadian Food Inspection Agency. In Part 6, the committee will examine the proposed changes to the Pest Control Products Act.

The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans will study Part 7, which contains the proposed changes to the Coastal Fisheries Protection Act and the Fisheries Act. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology will attend to Part 8 and examine the proposed changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade will examine changes to the Customs Act. Finally, the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications will study Part 10 of Bill S-6, which proposes changes to the Canada Transportation Act.

All of these committees participating in the subject-matter study will have until Monday, May 30, to submit and table their respective reports to the Senate. This will ensure that the committees have the appropriate time to conduct their work, establish their findings and carry out the deliberations that will help inform the bill’s legislative consideration as it progresses through the Senate.

[Translation]

Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization, contains a range of practical, common-sense changes to address unnecessarily complicated, contradictory or outdated provisions that have been brought to our attention by Canadians and Canadian businesses. This legislation will help reduce the administrative burden on businesses, facilitate digital interactions with government and simplify regulatory processes by making them more consistent and coherent.

Again, I would like to echo the bill’s sponsor, Senator Woo, who elegantly summed up the bill in his speech at second reading when he explained how the proposed changes will make Canada’s federal regulatory system “more efficient and less burdensome, while maintaining protections for consumers, health, safety and the environment.”

Honourable senators, by having several committees study the subject matter of Bill S-6, not only will we be able to give ourselves the time needed to study such a very far-reaching piece of legislation with all due rigour, but we will also be making optimal use of the Senate’s resources.

In closing, I would like to thank the leaders for their collaboration in preparing this motion, and I want to thank in advance the committee chairs and committee members for their customary diligence and professionalism in studying their parts of the bill.

Thank you, meegwetch.

(On motion of Senator Martin, debate adjourned.)

(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, to receive a Minister of the Crown, the Honourable Karina Gould, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, appeared before honourable senators during Question Period.)

Hon. Karina Gould, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development: Thank you very much. It really is a delight to be at the Senate today. I’m glad that you’ve welcomed me here. I’m looking forward to answering, to the best of my ability, the questions you have.

Senator Plett, as you well know, as chair of the cabinet committee I obviously can’t discuss cabinet deliberations. However, I think all members and all senators — all parliamentarians in Canada — have the same commitment to supporting the Ukrainian people in this unjustified, illegal, unprovoked and, quite frankly, barbaric and horrific war that Russia is waging on Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

As you will note, the materiel that we announced yesterday is in addition to the millions of dollars in military aid that we announced back in February of this year. It’s in addition to the $500 million in assistance that was announced in the budget. This is a continuation of the dedicated, unreserved support that the Government of Canada and the Canadian people are providing to the people of Ukraine. We remain extraordinarily committed not just to ensure that Canada is doing its part but also leading the world. Certainly, Minister Freeland, the Prime Minister, Minister Joly and Minister Anand have been galvanizing the free world to respond adequately and appropriately to this horrific aggression that we’re seeing on the part of Russia in Ukraine.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Minister Gould, welcome to the Senate of Canada. Thank you for being with us today. My question is a follow-up to the question that I raised in this chamber to Senator Gold on February 10. During the last election, this government had committed to provide 15 weeks of adoptive leave for parents. However, for families built through surrogacy in certain provinces there is no adoption process. The names of the parents who use surrogates go directly on the birth certificate.

Could you provide us with the details on how the government intends to support all families built through surrogacy, given that different provinces and territories treat the surrogacy process differently, particularly in provinces where parents are not adopting their children but, rather, have their names directly on the birth certificate?

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Honourable senators, I rise today to draw the attention of this chamber and my colleagues to the increasing number of attacks on journalists in different parts of the world. They are being increasingly detained from doing their jobs, speaking truth to power and shedding light on corrupt regimes.

One such journalist, Dawit Isaak, has been imprisoned in Eritrea for 20 years without charge or trial. In 2001, Isaak, a dual Swedish-Eritrean citizen, was summarily detained for his reporting at the Setit newspaper. Despite being released temporarily in 2005, he was imprisoned again just two days after his release. Some of the other journalists who had been detained along with him have died in detention. His whereabouts are unknown but human rights groups, such as the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, led by Irwin Cotler, believe there is hope that he is still alive.

Unfortunately, Dawit Isaak is not alone. There are others like him. When truth comes too close for comfort for foreign dictators, they resort to violence and murder, as in the case of Jamal Khashoggi, or subvert their own laws to silence voices, such as that of Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

This is borne out by the facts. A 2020 report from the Committee to Protect Journalists found that at least 274 journalists have been jailed because of their work. And because of the pandemic and increasing corruption and conflict, journalists seem to have been drawn into this web of violence. And lest we think that this phenomenon takes place only in far away places, let’s remember that a record 100 journalists were arrested or criminally charged in the U.S., and another 300 were assaulted as they were covering important stories, including assaults by law enforcement officers.

This past weekend, Massey College in Toronto celebrated the accomplishments and the voice of Maria Ressa, who commented to us on Zoom because she was denied permission to travel from the Philippines. She said you cannot have integrity of elections without integrity of facts, and she cautioned against the rising war on truth.

Honourable senators, without a functioning fifth estate, democracy is not possible. Journalists are not an inconvenience; they are truth tellers. Thank you.

Hon. Leo Housakos: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend and a pillar of the community in Montreal who passed away this past April 4 — a great human was taken away from us way too early. Our colleague Senator Loffreda and I had the pleasure of first meeting François L’Heureux, a highly respected corporate lawyer and also a highly respected member of the federal Liberal Party more than a decade ago. As you can imagine, we often joked about the fact that we most certainly did not see eye to eye on our choice of political parties. Yet, it is critical to remember that while we as individuals held opposing views about the politics of our great nation, we were able to look beyond partisanship, as we all should when gauging a person’s character and value as a human being.

Colleagues, I have spoken in the Senate many times about autism and its impact on Canadian families. I have spoken in particular about a wonderful organization in Montreal that caters to the autism community, the Giant Steps Autism Centre and school. It is through this involvement that I got to know François L’Heureux as a lawyer and leader, but more so as a human being, family man, activist and philanthropist. François served on the board of directors of Giant Steps for over 20 years — the last decade as vice-president.

A highly regarded autism activist in Quebec with friends and colleagues from coast to coast to coast, François was very dedicated to his lovely wife, Marie Brouillet, and his two sons, Philippe and Marc, both of whom are autistic and attended Giant Steps. With his sons serving as his inspiration, my good friend served as a tireless advocate, not only for the program at Giant Steps but also for a more open and inclusive society, believing passionately in the principle of neurodiversity and the value that every person inherently has to offer.

Working closely and indeed tirelessly with the dynamic team at Giant Steps, François L’Heureux was instrumental not only in helping to guide the school over the years through his volunteerism but also in developing the new Giant Steps Autism Centre, a visionary $51.4-million project currently under construction that will be completed in approximately a year.

While this project is, of course, based upon the efforts of a large and coordinated team, the role played by François at Giant Steps was invaluable, and this is most definitely recognized by the Giant Steps community. I have had the privilege not only of calling François L’Heureux my friend but of hearing him speak passionately about Giant Steps and, more importantly, his two beautiful sons and what they meant to him.

He also spoke with deep admiration about the team at the school, what it meant to his family’s success and happiness and what the new centre would mean to so many others. While François did not have the opportunity to witness the project being completed in person, his is a legacy to be proud of. It is my sincerest hope that from heaven itself my friend is watching the project he cared about so deeply as it is completed and, more importantly, help the lives of his sons and so many other Canadians.

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his friends and family. A great Canadian is lost — a great Quebecer and Montrealer. May he rest in peace.

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Welcome, minister.

Violence against women has been steadily rising for many years. In 2021 alone, 173 femicides were reported, and half of them involved intimate partner violence. That means 13 more women were murdered in Canada in 2021 than in 2020. Despite this alarming statistic, you have not proposed any measures, unlike Quebec, which recently adopted electronic bracelets, among other measures.

Can you tell me, minister, what concrete action you have taken since the beginning of your mandate that would have saved the lives of these women who were murdered in Canada?

Hon. Tony Loffreda: Honourable senators, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to pay tribute to the incomparable Guy Lafleur, his talent, his passion and his desire to do good.

Guy left us on April 22 at the age of 70. His on-ice exploits are well known. As the first draft pick in 1971, Guy proudly donned the Canadiens’ blue, white and red jersey upon entering the National Hockey League. Over the course of a 17-year career, he won five Stanley Cups with the Canadiens. In 1988, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Guy was without a doubt one of the best hockey players of all time.

Guy’s achievements off the ice are also well known. Up until his death last week, Guy was a community leader, especially in Montreal and across Quebec. Following his retirement in 1991, Guy always made himself available to our young people and hockey fans. He leaves behind a proud history of devotion to his peers, his fans and his sport.

Canadiens owner Geoff Molson was absolutely right when he said:

Guy Lafleur had an exceptional career and always remained simple, accessible, and close to the Habs and hockey fans in Quebec, Canada and around the world. Throughout his career, he allowed us to experience great moments of collective pride.

On a more personal note, I had the privilege of spending time with Guy on several occasions over the years. I remember one moment in particular, several years ago. I had just landed a new position at RBC. The bank had given me an important mandate. I was a little nervous about the challenge ahead. At a dinner party, I was talking to Guy about it. He stressed the importance of never ever doubting your abilities and then shared moments in his career when he successfully overcame challenges. That was exactly the encouragement I needed. Thank you, Guy.

That was Guy Lafleur: encouraging, sincere and genuine.

Honourable senators, tributes to number 10 have been pouring in since his passing last week. Guy was an exceptional athlete, but, more importantly, he was a man who thrilled a nation and whose legend will live on forever.

I offer my sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones and all those who are mourning his early passing and shouting out, “Guy! Guy! Guy!”