Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety: We need to work together with Indigenous communities, even in Quebec, where I know the Canada Border Services Agency, the RCMP and the Sûreté du Québec continue to work with this community to prevent illegal firearms trafficking.

You are right. The work isn’t easy, and there are complications. That’s one of the reasons I travelled to the United States last week to accelerate and strengthen our collaboration with our American counterparts. I believe that there is an opportunity to make further progress on this issue by making investments, and that is one of the things our government promised.

We have to focus on efforts on the ground and invest the necessary resources. We have to be able to provide all the tools to those on the front lines so they can stop firearms at the border.

[English]

Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety: Thank you very much for the question, senator, and thank you for underlining the scourge of human trafficking, which disproportionately impacts Indigenous women and young girls, as we saw painfully laid out in the MMIWG report, which is one of the reasons why we’re committed to implementing the recommendations that are in it.

I was just in British Columbia a little less than two weeks ago to make an announcement of approximately — and I don’t want to mislead you — but I think it was $3 million to $5 million that was going directly to The Salvation Army and a partnering organization to combat human trafficking on the ground. This is part of a broader investment which we have allocated specifically to reduce human trafficking; I don’t know if you know the statistics, but 90% of all of the victims of human trafficking in Canada are women or young girls, which is truly a shocking number.

I assure you that this is a top priority. I assure you that we are allocating funds to meet that challenge and to provide support to those victims of human trafficking so that they can find their way back into communities safely and securely. I assure you that we are continuing to provide law enforcement with all the tools that they need to fight this scourge.

[Translation]

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Minister, the 2019 Final Report of the National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls noted that while Indigenous women represented only 4% of Canada’s population in 2016, they comprised nearly 50% of victims of human trafficking. In September 2019, just before the federal election that year, the Trudeau government reinstated the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking after cancelling the previous Conservative government’s strategy in 2016.

Minister, how much of the $75 million under your government’s strategy has been allocated to directly help and protect Indigenous women and girls against human trafficking? How has this funding been allocated?

Hon. Pamela Wallin: Minister, when testifying last night before the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency. The Honourable Perrin Beatty, the architect of the act said:

Emergencies legislation is designed to be legislation of last resort. It’s explicit on that. It is designed to be used when there is no other legal authority available.

Now that it has been used, it has become easier to invoke. You must not define down the threshold at which extraordinary powers are used to curtail civil liberties.

He continued:

That it made law enforcement easier is clear. However, the issue is whether the deliberately high threshold was met, not whether the powers given were useful.

Of course, the police have said that it was a useful deterrent. The Prime Minister said that he didn’t like or agree with the people. You have said the security of the nation was at stake. Many others have said it was unnecessary as the police had existing powers.

Minister, what then was your government’s actual rationale for invoking the act? It’s a precedent. Please state it as simply and clearly as possible. Thank you.

Hon. Rose-May Poirier: Minister, my question for you concerns your government’s firearm buyback program. Almost a year ago the Parliamentary Budget Officer, or PBO, reported this program will cost up to $756 million to buy back close to 518,000 firearms, three times the amount your government had estimated. In addition, the PBO figure did not include the cost to administer the program due to a lack of details about this program from your government.

Minister, do you dispute the PBO’s figure? And could you also tell us how much the firearm buyback secretariat has spent to date on its operations and salaries?

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Ratna Omidvar on November 24, 2021)

Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:

IRCC recognizes that many at-risk Afghans remain in Afghanistan, and are unable to leave. Our officials are working tirelessly to secure new partnerships and address constraints that limit the mobility of vulnerable groups. Due to the precarious security situation in Afghanistan, Canada does not have a presence in Afghanistan and is unable to collect biometric information in-country at this time. This has impacted our ability to complete a full admissibility screening of individuals prior to departure from Afghanistan. However, innovative screening approaches are being considered to address this issue.

Crossing Afghanistan’s border is also dangerous. IRCC has established partnerships to find avenues for the resettlement of individuals from within Afghanistan. IRCC is working closely with our referral partners, Front Line Defenders and Protect Defenders, who have been able to facilitate the movement of some human rights defenders to neighbouring countries. IRCC is also in contact with the Veteran’s Transition Network (VTN) regarding their operations on the ground in Afghanistan.

The government continues to benefit from lessons learned from Operation Syria relating to large-scale refugee initiatives in order to effectively leverage support from partner organizations.

The Government of Canada remains committed to bringing as many vulnerable Afghans as possible to safety.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu on November 25, 2021)

CSC, as part of its mandate, strives to ensure that victims of crime are treated with compassion and respect. The death of Marylène Lévesque was a terrible tragedy. CSC has offered its condolences to the Lévesque family, and has reached out to the family to inform them of the conclusion of the joint board of investigation. Out of respect for the family, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Marilou McPhedran on November 30, 2021)

Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:

Afghan refugees, both government assisted and privately sponsored, have been arriving in Canada on regular commercial and charter flights since September 2021. In December 2021, two incoming flights of privately sponsored refugees (PSR) arrived in Toronto, carrying approximately 535 persons. IRCC is expecting a significant number of arrivals throughout 2022 as conditions allow.

IRCC, with the support of Global Affairs Canada, aims to facilitate the safe passage and resettlement of at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals. Emphasis continues to be placed on persons and their families who supported Canada and our allies over the past two decades, as well as women, LGBTQI people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities.

The Government of Canada does not ask a person’s occupation as part of this humanitarian initiative, and therefore is unable to provide data on the number of female athletes resettled, but remains firm in its commitment to welcome refugees and vulnerable Afghans to Canada.

As of January 18, 2021, approximately 7,140 Afghan nationals arrived in Canada: approximately 4,292 under the Special Immigration Measures, and approximately 2,850 under the humanitarian program. All key statistics, updated regularly, may be found on IRCC’s website at: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/afghanistan/key-figures.html

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Jane Cordy on December 2, 2021)

CSC has zero tolerance for harassment, violence or racism of any kind. All allegations of misconduct are thoroughly investigated regardless of the source and disciplinary actions are taken when appropriate.

CSC takes very seriously the results of the 2021 National Employment Equity Survey of Women Employees. As stated in the minister’s mandate letter, we will ensure that federal correctional institutions are safe and humane environments free from violence and sexual harassment for offenders and employees.

As part of its efforts, CSC created its first National Working Group for Women Employees to identify the barriers faced by women in CSC, and to develop an action plan to address the challenges identified. Additionally, CSC continues to offer a number of support services to employees and has launched a Respectful Workplace Campaign to promote awareness and educate employees on the different ways to disclose inappropriate behaviour.

Commissioner Kelly also held six virtual town hall discussions on the results of the survey earlier this year. The National Working Group will review the issues, ideas, and suggestions raised at the town halls to identify issues and initiatives for further action. An action plan, based on the input heard, will be forthcoming as well.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan on December 2, 2021)

Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:

In anticipation of new Afghan arrivals, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working to ensure that the capacity and resources are in place to address the immediate needs of Afghan newcomers, as well as the longer term supports required.

Upon arrival to Canada, government-assisted refugees are housed in hotels for the two-week quarantine period. During this stay, they benefit from many on-site social services made possible by both government and service provider organizations, including the provision of essentials, meals, toiletries, clothing and sundries. A variety of orientation and information sessions in their dominant language (Dari and Pashto) and medical services, including COVID-19 monitoring and vaccinations are available.

Post-quarantine, clients are settled in permanent accommodations, in some cases they may continue their stay in designated hotels until permanent accommodations that meet the needs of the family (e.g. large family size) become available. While in temporary accommodation (including hotels), they continue to receive services, such as building on those received during the quarantine period, including basic orientation to Canada, life skills training, language training, employment-related services, financial orientation and help finding permanent housing. Dozens of organizations and individuals have provided an array of help to new Afghan nationals arriving in Canada.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Paula Simons on December 7, 2021)

Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:

IRCC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation (MSBF) in August 2021 to support the resettlement of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus currently in India.

The last of the applications under this MOU were received in November 2021 and it is anticipated that a significant proportion of the referred cases will arrive in Canada in early 2022.

IRCC continues to update MSBF on a regular basis to provide the latest information on the status of cases under this MOU.

We have also expanded our partnership with MSBF to resettle hundreds of additional Afghan Sikhs and Hindus within and outside of Afghanistan. IRCC is working hard to put the required measures in place for this increased effort.

We must also strike a balance in how we process applications from all of our clients while we contend with the demands that the situation in Afghanistan as well as the COVID-19 pandemic have placed on IRCC. These situations have also caused varying country conditions. As such, departures may be delayed or may not be possible from all locations. However, IRCC will continue to take quick action to ensure that Canada can uphold its humanitarian tradition and commitment to resettlement.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Ratna Omidvar on December 8, 2021)

Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:

Afghan refugees, both government assisted and privately sponsored, have been arriving in Canada on regular commercial and charter flights since September 2021. In December 2021, four incoming flights of privately sponsored refugees arrived in Toronto, carrying approximately 1,015 Afghans, and approximately 265 government-assisted refugees arrived in Halifax.

On January 11, 2022, 252 Afghans arrived in Calgary, on a charter flight from Pakistan. Of these, 170 clients were Human Rights Defenders. IRCC continues to plan for charter flights in the near future.

Parliament approves the annual immigration levels plan, which allocates targets and associated funding to each immigration program line of business. The department establishes application caps for some streams in the privately sponsored refugees program as a way of managing application intake, resulting inventories and processing times. At the same time, we welcome the support of many Canadians who want to lend a hand.

IRCC is continuing, with the support of the whole of the Government of Canada, to facilitate resettlement of at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals, emphasizing individuals who supported Canada and our allies over the past two decades, women, LGBTQI people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu on December 9, 2021)

The CRA is committed to ensuring that individuals receive only the benefits to which they are entitled, while protecting the integrity of the COVID-19 support program. Safeguards are embedded within the CERB application process to verify an applicant’s eligibility and the CRA has implemented additional controls requiring closer scrutiny of certain applications before they are processed. In terms of suspicious and ineligible benefit claims, as the analysis work is still ongoing, the CRA is not able to provide the number of suspicious claims related to CERB or the amounts associated with them.

Dealing with complex suspected cases may require several months of review and verification. In some cases, the CRA will ask taxpayers to provide documents and information that will need to be authenticated before they can continue with audits. In other cases, the CRA will identify suspicious transactions and take other preventive measures.

To ensure effective coordination of identity theft prevention, detection and response activities, the CRA works with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center and local police to investigate suspicious incidents.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu on December 9, 2021)

CSC remains diligent in the prevention of fraudulent financial transactions by inmates.

In addition to the protocol established with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), CSC has a Deposit Validation Protocol that prescribes comprehensive procedures for the authentication and verification of funds that originate from outside sources and are sent to inmates.

In order to confirm inmates’ eligibility to receive such funds, CSC has signed an information sharing protocol with ESDC.

If it is determined that an inmate is not eligible to receive such benefits, the cheque is returned to the issuing department or agency.

As of January 4, 2022, there have not been any reported cases of federal inmates who have been recently released from a federal institution and who have engaged in such criminal activities. Regardless, CSC has zero tolerance for such behaviour and should any cases be brought to the Service’s attention, it will take appropriate action.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Chantal Petitclerc on December 17, 2021)

CSC works to provide equality of access so that incarcerated individuals of all abilities, to the extent possible, have access to programs and services deemed necessary to their rehabilitation and wellbeing.

In all of its institutions, CSC works to accommodate the mobility and health care needs of its inmates. Local health care providers assess incarcerated individuals who require health and mobility assistance on an ongoing basis, while the services and devices that are provided to them meet community standards.

At Grand Valley Institution (GVI), accessible options for bathing exist in all levels of security, which include the use of ramps, access to roll-in showers or tubs with grab bars and bathing stools. Additionally, GVI offers the option of bathing with assistance from a registered nurse (RN) or personal support worker (PSW).

GVI currently has wheelchair-accessible cells that are available and offered to those with accessibility needs. Incarcerated individuals may be offered an alternative cell if the conditions of their current arrangement do not meet their accessibility needs.

CSC’s accessibility teams are currently developing an accessibility strategy and the Service will undertake an accessibility audit of its portfolio.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Claude Carignan on February 10, 2022)

The Government of Canada remains committed to delivering on the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet renewal plan. This includes selecting a third shipyard as a strategic partner under the National Shipbuilding Strategy to support this work.

The evaluation team continues to rigorously assess the proposal Chantier Davie submitted against the request for proposal. This is a complex, multi-step qualification process and it is imperative that we get it right. We are making every effort to finalize this process as soon as possible, while ensuring best value for the Government of Canada and all Canadians. Contracts and delivery dates for the icebreakers will be negotiated with the shipyard should it be successful in the qualification process.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Leader of the Opposition): Minister, you are now the third minister for public safety to hold this portfolio since the Trudeau government began its 5G security review in September 2018. Multiple times since, your government has promised Canadians that a decision was coming in regard to banning Huawei from our 5G. We were told that we would get a decision before the 2019 election, and we were told again that we would get a decision after the 2019 election. Of course, we’re still waiting.

The endless delay and indecision from your government has gotten to the point that, earlier this month, Huawei actually trolled your government on Twitter asking, “What’s the opposite of being banned?” The Government of Canada is being openly mocked by Huawei, minister, and still we have heard nothing from the government. Minister, when will the NDP-Liberal government come to a decision, yes or no? Will we ban Huawei once and for all?

Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety: Thank you for the question, senator.

The short answer is yes. We will continue to invest in national security to ensure that the government has all the tools it needs.

At the same time, I must point out that new national security threats have emerged. You’re right to say that one such risk is that Putin and Russia could respond to the sanctions we’ve imposed in support of the Ukrainian people. It is a real threat. We must remain vigilant and use all of the resources and investments at our disposal to protect Canada’s interests.

[English]

Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety: Senator, thank you very much for the question. It allows me to underline the significant contributions of the CBSA, day in and day out, in moving people across international borders. No doubt there have been very unique challenges in the context of the pandemic and then, more recently, in the context of the illegal blockades.

You raised a question about what their specific designation is according to the law. I know that we have provided all of the tools that the CBSA needs, including additional financial investments, training and other capacity-enhancing utilities that allow them to discharge their responsibilities.

I will say, going forward, senator, that I agree with you that we do need to have a reflection about whether the CBSA and, indeed, all law enforcement and national security partners, have the tools they need to meet the evolving threat landscape to our national security. As we’ve heard already in the various questions from senators, there are emerging threats with regard to foreign interference, cyberattacks and ideological extremism. We need to be sure that the front lines of our law enforcement have all of the tools necessary to protect the health and safety of Canadians.

[Translation]

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Welcome, minister. As I’m sure you know, in 2015, the federal government unanimously passed an act to create the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. This is a supra-constitutional statute, which means that it takes precedence over all federal statutes. Consequently, all federal departments and agencies must ensure that their enabling legislation, their regulations and their interactions with victims of crime respect the basic principles of this bill of rights, including the right to information and the right to participation.

Do you think the RCMP is required to respect the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights? Is it required to respect acts of Parliament?

Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

[Translation]

Hon. Bev Busson: Honourable senators, I rise today to mark this date of March 30, the anniversary of the liberation of a small town in the Dutch province of Gelderland called Gendringen. The liberation of the Netherlands is one of the best-known chapters in Canadian military history, and the Canadians’ fight to free the Dutch played an integral role in winning the Second World War.

In March 1945, the allies advanced towards Germany through the Netherlands. The 16th Canadian Infantry Brigade was ordered to establish a footing in an advance through Netterden, Wieken, and Gendringen in the Netherlands. These towns were liberated on March 30, 1945, by a number of regiments including the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. It was a logistically complex and fierce battle that claimed the lives of many innocent Dutch civilians and 25 brave, young Canadians. And as the Canadians proved victorious, the appreciation shown by the townspeople was overwhelming.

The joyful townfolk in the area strung their national flags from balconies, in the streets and on public buildings. They wore the Dutch symbol of freedom — the colour orange. There were orange-coloured rosettes on their lapels and in their hair. They clapped and cheered as the Canadian troops passed by. A major who was a part of the liberation commented:

The civilian population were my worst opposition. They’re opposing my advance, stopping my men to kiss them and offer them all kind of souvenirs.

One soldier who was not at this victory parade was Einar Victor Isfeld from Langruth, Manitoba. This 30-year-old soldier, recently married with a very young son, was gravely wounded in action during this battle and passed away on April 6. The war in Europe ended a month later. The Netherlands was under Nazi occupation for five years. On May 6 of this year, in coordination with the National Remembrance Day in the Netherlands, his son, Dennis Victor Isfeld, his grandson Derek and his great-grandson Tyler, along with their families, will be present at a ceremony to unveil a monument to honour the sacrifice of these brave young men on behalf of Canada.

The Canadians and the Dutch have formed an inseparable bond, born by blood, compelled by duty and honour and cemented by boundless appreciation.

As we witness the war in Ukraine, it is now even more important to remember not to take our freedom for granted and to take the time to recognize and celebrate what it means to live in a free society.

March 30, today, is that day for the family of Einar Victor Isfeld, who now lives in British Columbia, and for the families from Gendringen. Together, we will remember; together, we will never forget.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today to bring attention to the unsettling reports we have seen over the last few days regarding the most recent escalation in the ongoing conflict in the Republic of Artsakh.

On March 24, Azerbaijani forces made various incursions into Artsakh’s territory, representing a gross violation of the trilateral ceasefire arrangement of November 2020, which was intended to bring an end to hostilities.

The attack of March 24 came just days after the disruption of a gas pipeline that runs through Azerbaijani-controlled territory in a deliberate attempt to deprive hundreds of thousands of civilians of vital gas supply. Additionally, there are reports that Azerbaijani forces have been threatening residents of front-line villages with violence if they refuse to flee.

Peaceful civilians are being forced to abandon their homes and their Indigenous lands. Women and children are being evacuated. Drones and artillery are being used to claim innocent lives and to engage in intimidation tactics meant to displace thousands of civilians, representing the worst escalation in the region since the November 2020 ceasefire arrangement.

Colleagues, there is absolutely no doubt who the aggressor is here. While Armenia has adhered to the terms of various ceasefire agreements, Azerbaijan has violated each and every one of them, making it abundantly clear that it is not interested in putting an end to hostilities through peaceful resolution. Rather, this attack represents its most recent attempt to fulfill its ultimate goal: the depopulation and ethnic cleansing of the Armenian people.

These continuous attacks by Azerbaijan must be called out for what they truly are: blatant war crimes and a clear violation of international law. It is our responsibility as Canadians, as defenders of democracy and as upholders of the rule of law to be unequivocal in our condemnation of these aggressions and to denounce the abhorrent crimes against humanity we are witnessing right before our eyes.

That is why, today, in the strongest possible terms, I stand to condemn Azerbaijan’s unprovoked aggression in Artsakh and to call upon the Azerbaijani government to abide by the November 2020 ceasefire agreement and refrain from escalating the situation. It is my hope, honourable colleagues, that the Canadian government will do the same. We must stand firmly with the people of Artsakh as they continue to live and fight in their historical homeland, and as they work to develop and strengthen their independent statehood.

Thank you.

Hon. Wanda Elaine Thomas Bernard: Honourable senators, I join you today from East Preston, Nova Scotia, the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq.

April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, and in Nova Scotia April is Autism Acceptance Month. I would like to acknowledge the strides we have made toward equity, diversity and inclusion, while noting that there is still much more work to be done.

As we move from awareness to acceptance and now action, it is time to use employment equity more effectively. CASDA’s upcoming Canadian Journal of Autism Equity issue on employment highlights the necessity of ongoing supports for people with disabilities, particularly people with autism.

Colleagues, accommodation is not a burden.

Over the past two years, we have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities. We have also seen an increase in racism and hate crimes, and employment is one of the places where racism and discrimination flourish. People living at the intersection of marginalized identities, such as Indigenous peoples, African Canadians and other racialized people, have been disproportionately affected by those dual pandemics. Business closures, restrictions due to COVID-19 and social-distancing requirements have all contributed to a labour market that, more than ever, presents significant barriers for persons with disabilities to remain in, enter or re-enter.

Currently, one in four persons on the autism spectrum or with an intellectual disability is employed, representing the lowest labour-force participation rate of all disability groups in Canada. We must take action to include those with intersecting marginalized identities into Canada’s economic recovery plan as we build back better.

Honourable senators, in honour of Autism Acceptance Month, please commit to actions that will lead to meaningful changes in employment for those caught at the intersection of autism and racism. Asante, thank you.

Hon. René Cormier: Colleagues, I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, an Acadian and Canadian politician who inspired us all.

Honourable senators, as Francophonie Month wraps up, and knowing that artists play a more important role than ever in our uncertain world, I would like to pay tribute to an Acadian filmmaker and screenwriter who is using her formidable talent to do good work.

Renée Blanchar was the first Canadian woman to attend the famous Fémis school in France, and in 1989, she was the youngest-ever jury member at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

She could have pursued her career in the big city, but after completing her studies, Renée Blanchar returned to her hometown of Caraquet in Acadia, founded a production company and began to produce numerous documentaries and fiction films. Her two latest projects are particularly important to Canadian cinematography.

Driven by her search for truth, Renée Blanchar made The Silence, a National Film Board of Canada production that sheds light on the abuse perpetrated by Catholic priests against young boys in many francophone towns in New Brunswick from the 1950s to the 1980s. In this shattering documentary, men who are now in their fifties offer emotional accounts of the harms done to them by Catholic priests over decades of abuse.

The NFB describes it as follows:

With The Silence, she takes us as close as she can to the humanity of these broken men, revealing the forces that, today as in the past, have the power to unite or divide Acadian communities.

This film lifts the veil of secrecy on unspeakable abuse and suggests that only a national inquiry could truly break the silence surrounding these events that continue to mark our communities.

This remarkable director’s second recent project work is a television series on the life of the fascinating and prolific Franco‑Manitoban author Gabrielle Roy. Inspired by and adapted from the author’s writings, Le monde de Gabrielle Roy unfolds in eight episodes that tell, and I quote:

The coming-of-age story of celebrated novelist Gabrielle Roy, growing up in the family home on Deschambault Street in Saint-Boniface.

This series was shot entirely in Manitoba with a talented cast and crew from Acadia, Quebec and Manitoba.

Gabrielle Roy’s literary output, consisting of roughly 30 novels, collections, short stories and novellas that are at once imaginative, intimate and autobiographical, is now a cornerstone of Canadian literature. To our delight, the talented director Renée Blanchar has brought Gabrielle Roy back to life right before our eyes.

With these two works, Renée Blanchar has offered us something to think about and celebrate during these difficult times. She has given us two invaluable gifts that do us good and help us better understand the country we call home.

Thank you, Renée Blanchar, for contributing so much passion and talent to Canadian film. Keep making films that provoke and move us.

Thank you.

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate) moved third reading of Bill C-15, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.

She said: Honourable senators, I am pleased to rise today to introduce the appropriation bill for the 2021-22 Supplementary Estimates (C).

Through this appropriation bill, the government requests Parliament’s approval of the planned spending proposals that are detailed in the Supplementary Estimates (C).

[English]

As my esteemed colleagues well know, the appropriation bill is a vehicle through which payments from the Consolidated Revenue Fund are authorized for government programs and services.

The voted amounts in these supplementary estimates represent maximum “up to” ceilings or estimates. It is, therefore, not out of the ordinary if these amounts are not fully spent over the course of the year. The actual expenditures are listed in the Public Accounts of Canada, which are tabled after the end of the fiscal year.

The estimates family of documents, which consists of the Main Estimates, supplementary estimates, departmental plans and departmental results reports, in conjunction with the public accounts, help parliamentarians scrutinize government spending. This scrutiny is a key element of our parliamentary system. This scrutiny, we must acknowledge, is not always a straightforward matter.

A number of our colleagues on the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance did express some difficulty in ascertaining information in a timely fashion. I want to assure my colleagues that the Government Representative Office in the Senate has taken note, and continues to consistently deploy its best efforts to bring this to the attention of the government.

[Translation]

That said, I will talk about the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021-22, which form the basis of this appropriation bill.

As my colleagues know, supplementary estimates present information on additional spending requirements that were either not sufficiently developed in time for inclusion in the Main Estimates or that were subsequently refined to account for recent developments.

The Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021-22, were tabled in the Senate on February 21, 2022. These are the third and final supplementary estimates for the current fiscal year.

In general, they provide information on $13.2 billion in new voted spending for 70 federal organizations. They also present information on an additional amount of $3.9 billion in planned statutory budgetary expenditures.

It is important to note that these statutory expenditures were authorized either under existing laws or in the proposed—

(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, to receive a Minister of the Crown, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety, appeared before honourable senators during Question Period.)

Hon. Percy Mockler: Honourable senators, it is with great sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary woman, a friend, a proud Acadian, New Brunswicker and Canadian, for her leadership and for always being there to help the most vulnerable. Claudette Bradshaw passed away on Saturday after a long and courageous battle against cancer. New Brunswick has lost a great champion, an unprecedented icon of the Canadian Parliament.

Minister Bradshaw and I had the same social portfolios in the early 2000s, she for the federal government and I for New Brunswick, under the direction of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Premier Bernard Lord respectively.

[English]

Madam Bradshaw was a great ally, and we also had another common denominator with our files: Both of us had personal experience with welfare and its challenges. Claudette Bradshaw was remarkable.

[Translation]

Honourable senators, her desire to help her community began nearly 50 years ago with the founding of Headstart in Moncton. This initiative was aimed at meeting the urgent needs of the region’s most vulnerable residents.

Like me, Claudette Bradshaw always strove to make our region, our province and our country a better place to live, work, and raise our children and, above all, to help the most vulnerable. Claudette Bradshaw was a woman of principle, a woman of strong values. She always demonstrated great loyalty to her community.

[English]

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien described Claudette as a shining example of someone who dedicated her life to the service of others. For my part, I would also add that many people, many families, have benefited from her hard work and dedication. She found it an honour to serve the community. She was a tireless advocate for early intervention services.

Honourable senators, there’s no doubt in my mind that she changed the lives of many New Brunswickers and Canadians. Her lifelong dedication to assisting those in need had an immense impact on countless Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Claudette was very proud of her family: Christopher, Nicholas and her spouse, Doug.

[Translation]

I offer my deepest condolences to her family.

[English]

Honourable senators, as I conclude, Winston Churchill once said:

. . . it is better to be both right and consistent. But if you have to choose—you must choose to be right.

Honourable senators, I have personally witnessed that Minister Bradshaw was always right, and she was always consistent in defending the most vulnerable.

[Translation]

Claudette, I tip my hat to you. Rest in peace.

Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.