Senator Gold: Would the senator take a question?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Would the senator take a question?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, honourable senator, and for reminding this chamber of the tragedy and horror being perpetrated against the Rohingya people.

I do not know what the status is of the government’s deliberations on this matter. I will make inquiries and report back.

Senator Gold: I thank the honourable senator for his supplementary question.

At the risk of repeating myself, for supplementary questions, I will try to find the answer and get back to you as soon as possible.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. I have no information about his intentions. I will inquire with the government and return with an answer shortly.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) introduced Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization.

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) introduced Bill S-7, An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Preclearance Act, 2016.

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the senator for his question.

The government is extremely concerned about the current humanitarian situation in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. I have been told that Canada is providing financial assistance to organizations such as the Red Cross, which is sending key equipment and trained staff to deliver aid, in particular to people with illnesses, as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The government is a strong supporter of AIDS programs around the world. I will point out that it provided $930.4 million from 2020 to 2022 to support the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and $20 billion in base funding to UNAIDS from 2017 to 2022.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for his question.

Transparency in our courts is a fundamental principle of our justice system, as you rightly pointed out.

I’m told that the minister is aware of the media reports on this trial, which was held in Quebec, and that he finds it deeply troubling. Court orders prevent me from commenting further. I was, however, informed that the minister has spoken with the Director of Public Prosecutions to shed some light on what has been reported.

Senator Gold: I will have to ask the government and get back to you with an answer.

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold.

Canada contributes barely 1.2% of its budget to NATO, but the target is 2%.

Recently, Minister Joly travelled to Europe to meet with her NATO member nation counterparts and negotiate the Government of Canada’s contribution to NATO.

Can you confirm for everyone here that, instead of upping our contribution to 2%, the minister’s offer to NATO was for Canada to accept 10% of the Ukrainian refugees, or 400,000 refugees?

Was that deal the result of a Liberal-NDP agreement to avoid contributing to Canada’s military effort?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Again, I will simply say that we will have to await the budget to know exactly what measures the government is taking going forward, including the measures to continue to assist Canadians through this difficult economic time.

The Prime Minister has made it clear — the government has made it clear — that the carbon tax will remain in place. Those provinces who, in their own wisdom, have decided not to have measures in place that are equivalent and therefore are subject to the carbon tax — as you know, in our home province and many others, the change tomorrow will have no effect because of the decisions that the Quebec government and others have taken to do their part to reduce the impact of carbon emissions on our climate. In that regard, the Government of Canada remains committed to its strategy to address climate change through the most effective, efficient and market-sensitive mechanisms.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for underlining the importance to the Atlantic fishery and the impact of this decision.

The conservation and protection of our fish stocks are a priority for this government, as it was for previous governments. I’m assured that all decisions taken by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans are underpinned by sound science and the conclusions that can be drawn therefrom.

This was not an easy decision. The government recognizes the impact it will have on fish harvesters. As colleagues may know — and certainly, Senator Poirier, I’m sure you and your colleagues from the region do know — the mackerel and the Southern Gulf spring herring have been in a critical zone for more than a decade. This has implications for many species, such as tuna, salmon and cod, that depend on foraged fish as their food source.

Today’s decision aims to protect and regenerate these stocks to ensure a strong and healthy seafood sector for the generations to come.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. I’m not in a position to confirm that the government is not considering it. It certainly has not made a decision, and if any such decision were made, it would be announced.

It is important to remind this chamber that this is a temporary moratorium. It was made because the situation was deemed urgent. Despite the impact in the short term, it was necessary to take this decision to protect the long-term viability of the fish stocks upon which the fishery depends.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for the question.

As I have mentioned several times, the Government of Canada continues to invest significant sums in improving defence capacity and resources, and it will continue to do so.

I have also mentioned several times that the agreement or deal — take your pick — between the Liberal Party and the NDP has nothing to do with the government’s commitment, which is clearly described in its 2017 document, to improving our military capacity in order to protect ourselves at home and defend our interests abroad.

As for the question, I do not have any information to suggest a link with military spending. We are awaiting the tabling of the budget to spell out exactly what the government has decided to do and clarify the issue of welcoming Ukrainian refugees.

Hon. Marty Klyne: Senator Gold, my question is about gene‑edited seeds — an important and controversial topic in the realm of crop farming.

For those who are not familiar with the concept, gene editing refers to a set of genetic engineering techniques that can be used to add, remove or alter genetic sequences at precise locations in an organism’s genetic code. In other words, gene editing can be used to alter the DNA of seeds used in crop production.

It’s a bit different from genetically modified organisms, typically the result of adding foreign DNA into an organism’s genome.

There are benefits associated with gene editing. For example, using gene-editing tools can allow plant developers to improve the existing qualities of a seed and shorten the growth cycle of a given plant or crop.

However, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have faced questions regarding a proposal to adjust how the use of gene-edited seeds is monitored and regulated. Many farmers and other organizations in the agricultural sector are concerned that the regulations should regard forward research and, in the absence of that research, may not go far enough to protect farmers or the natural environment.

For my part, I can certainly understand apprehension about unintended consequences and risk management where forward research may be warranted.

Senator Gold, this is a very complicated issue. Can you update this chamber on the status of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s plan to monitor the use of gene-edited seeds and if changes to these regulations to enhance transparency and accountability are forthcoming?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for underlining the complexity of the issue, as you very well expressed.

The government is committed to science-based decision making and keeping food, feed and our environment in Canada safe, while at the same time supporting an innovative and sustainable agricultural sector. In that regard, all seeds, foods and feeds, whether developed using conventional methods or by technology, are regulated in Canada and must comply with all relevant standards and regulatory requirements for both safety and quality.

I’m advised that when it comes to gene editing, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CFIA, is proposing guidance updates to help explain which plants require authorization from the CFIA before being grown or planted in Canada. I further understand that CFIA has launched consultations last fall to bring changes to the regulations relating to genetically engineered seeds.

The government is notably consulting with stakeholders to keep pace with technology to improve transparency and is carefully considering relevant scientific information about the use of gene-editing technologies in agriculture.

Colleagues, updated guidance will make regulatory decisions clearer, while allowing Canadians and the agricultural sector to benefit from the advances offered by new technology.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Again, the budget will speak for itself and we will see what measures are there to help Canadians, to help our economy and otherwise to move our country forward.

It is simply not the case that this government, and indeed no government, colleagues, if we are to be fair, ignores the impact of the economy, whether it be inflation or the cost of living, on the well-being of Canadians.

Our governments, regardless of the partisan stripes and orientations to the left, centre or right, are better than that. We can disagree about the policy tools that governments deploy. We can disagree about the priorities that governments choose to bring forward, whether it’s climate change, the economy, reconciliation or the like. Canadians will judge and have judged, and this government will continue to act in the best interests of Canadians.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate, I move that the message be considered later this day.

Senator Gold: So you will forgive me, as there may be a bit of a preamble.

First, I appreciate your comments and those of all of our honourable senators in this debate, and in previous debates, because one theme that seems to recur is the importance — to which I entirely subscribe — of us having the time and the resources to do the job for which we were summoned. I appreciated especially, Senator Housakos, your comments about taking more time to do the work. You’re 100% right. We are privileged and can work harder, particularly in the context of the important work that our committees do and with the clear constraints that the hybrid setting has put on the ability of our committees to meet as regularly, frequently or intensively as we would otherwise want.

Would you commit to the opposition approving all requests for committees to sit during break weeks when there are more resources available, when the House is not sitting and, therefore, translation and other resources could be used to our full advantage?