The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Patterson, would you take a question?

Senator Patterson: Yes.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: Senator Gold, the families of flight PS752 continue to seek justice for their loved ones who were killed in January 2020 when Iran shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet with Russian-made missiles. Following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the families of flight PS752 issued a statement declaring their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

In a decision released in January of this year, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice awarded $107 million plus interest to the families of six victims aboard this flight, which they can now try to collect with the seizure of Iranian-owned assets abroad. Senator Gold, what is the Government of Canada doing to help these families collect on the court’s ruling?

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Dupuis, do you have a question?

Senator Francis: Thank you for your answer, Senator Gold. The Public Health Agency of Canada also opened up an application process for additional funds for crisis services that took place last year, and the application process closed in the fall. Senator Gold, could you advise us as to whether or not any applications from P.E.I. received funding?

Senator Gold: Senator, thank you for your question. I don’t know the answer to that. I will have to undertake to try to find the answer.

Hon. Sabi Marwah: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That section 2 of Chapter 4:03 of the Senate Administrative Rules (SARs) be amended by adding the following after subsection (2):

“(3) During periods of prorogation and dissolution, the senators who were members of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Committee of Selection on the day on which Parliament was prorogued or dissolved may exercise collectively the powers of the Committee of Selection under subsection (2).

(4) If a senator referred to in subsection (3) retires, resigns or otherwise ceases to be a member of a particular recognized party or recognized parliamentary group for any reason during a period of prorogation or dissolution, he or she simultaneously ceases to be a member of the Committee of Selection for the purposes of subsection (3), with the resulting vacancy to be filled by the leader or facilitator of the party or group to which the senator had belonged.”

Senator Housakos: I appreciate that, government leader.

Over the last few years, more than $1.1 billion in approved or proposed funding has been tied to Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank projects in Russia. This means Canadian taxpayer dollars have been committed to improving Russia’s highways, supporting their railway system and supporting an infrastructure that they have used over the last few months in the most nefarious ways.

A week after the start of Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank announced that it had put all of its activities in Russia and Belarus on hold and under review.

Leader, there is nothing to indicate that China will suspend these projects indefinitely. It has been exactly one month since the war in Ukraine began, and China still hasn’t condemned Russia’s invasion.

Why should Canadian taxpayer dollars continue to support this group?

Hon. David M. Wells (Acting Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.

Back in February, Senator Gold, more than 200 bank accounts worth nearly $8 million were frozen when the federal government used emergency powers related to the “Freedom Convoy.” During a committee meeting in February, federal officials reported that most of the accounts were in the process of being released.

Senator Gold, can you confirm that all affected bank accounts have been unfrozen?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for the question. It’s an important one.

Canada has contributed $2.6 billion to the global fight against the coronavirus. This includes a total of $1.3 billion to support access to the COVID Tools Accelerator.

Canada has also committed to donating the equivalent of at least 200 million doses to the COVAX facility by the end of 2022. This includes both financial commitments to COVAX and surplus dose donations. I’m advised that, as of March 4 of this year, 13.9 million surplus vaccine doses have been delivered through the COVAX facility, and the equivalent of 87 million doses have been provided through financial support.

I’m further advised that Canada has provided $50 million to the Pan American Health Organization to support efforts to introduce COVID-19 vaccines and ancillary supplies to reach those living in situations of vulnerability across the Caribbean and Latin America, including at-risk Venezuelan migrants and disadvantaged populations.

Portions of this grant, colleagues, are being used to procure vaccine doses for countries through the organization, and these are in addition to Canada’s commitments to COVAX.

Senator Coyle: Thank you very much, Senator Gold. You did mention something about ancillary supports, and I want to probe a little bit there.

We know that in addition to vaccine supply issues, many countries have difficulties in terms of a lack of appropriate vaccine infrastructure, including around the cold chain maintenance and vaccine storage.

What is Canada doing to address the gaps in infrastructure that are causing further delays in vaccine access in low-income countries?

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

I’m not in a position to confirm that without making inquiries, which I will undertake to do.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question.

No, I do not agree.

Hon. Mary Coyle: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, we know that global resilience in the fight against COVID-19 is absolutely essential. We’re still in this pandemic.

We also know that over 80% of the Canadian population is fully vaccinated, yet, according to UNICEF, low-income countries have only approximately 9.4% of the population vaccinated with one dose. The rise in cases in one area of the world impacts us all. This is even more concerning with the arrival of new variants, including BA.2, which are disproportionately impacting areas of the world with low vaccination rates.

Senator Gold, can you tell us what Canada is doing to step up the way it is addressing the global inequality in vaccine access, especially in the global south? Thank you.

Hon. Tony Loffreda: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, I would like to address the issue of the disbursement quota for registered charities. As you know, charities are required by law to spend 3.5% each year on their own charitable programs or on gifts to qualified donees.

In last year’s budget, the government promised to launch public consultations with charities on increasing the disbursement quota. The government noted that this could increase support for the charitable sector and those that rely on its services by between $1 billion and $2 billion annually.

I noted that in its July 2021 report the government’s Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector also indicated that one of its working groups was consulting on the matter. This, of course, is in line with one of the recommendations made by the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector in 2019.

Many are calling for the minimum 3.5% to be increased in light of the fact that there has been considerable growth in the investment assets of charities and foundations in recent years. We know that the disbursement quota is higher in the United States and Australia, for example. As we recover from the pandemic, now seems to be the appropriate time to increase the quota.

Can you provide us with an update on the government’s consultations on this matter? What options are currently being considered and are discussions being held at the Department of Finance Canada to include proposed changes in the upcoming budget?

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

In Budget 2021, the government announced its intention to potentially increase the disbursement quota which could boost support for the charitable sector and benefit those that rely upon its services.

I’m advised that the federal government, indeed as you alluded to, launched a consultation process to give stakeholders and interested members of the public the opportunity to provide feedback. This process ended in December 2021.

The government looks forward to sharing the results of this consultation in due course.

Senator Loffreda: Thank you, Senator Gold, for that answer.

We know that most charities and foundations meet or exceed the disbursement quota, and that a reduction is available for those unable to meet the minimum amount of 3.5% due to circumstances beyond their control.

Are you able to provide us with statistics with respect to the number of charities that have been unable to meet the disbursement quota in recent years? Why are some charities unable to meet that minimum disbursement quota requirement? And what can be done to alleviate the pressure on them and have society benefit from their contributions?

Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

In P.E.I., the rate of children and youth hospitalized for mental health disorders is the highest among provinces. It is almost twice the rate for Ontario and almost three times the rate for Nova Scotia.

Last summer, the Minister of Health announced over $9 million in funding for 57 distress centres across Canada. Senator Gold, are you able to share with us how many of those centres were located in P.E.I.?

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question, senator. I’m advised that the successful applicants within the second process to which you referred have not yet been announced as some final work with applications is still ongoing. As I noted earlier and will repeat, the Public Health Agency of Canada is currently working with an organization to service P.E.I.’s mental distress support needs regarding a request for funding. I’ll endeavour to seek clarification from the government and provide further information on federal funding for distress centres serving P.E.I. as soon as it becomes available.

[Translation]