Senator Forest: Reading between the lines of your speech, setting aside your comments about the Prime Minister’s travels, I believe you were indicating that you’d like us to be more efficient in our work.

Do you suppose that, once we’re back to in-person attendance, or even during hybrid sittings, we could try ringing the bell for less time? Instead of 60 minutes, it could ring for 15 minutes, saving us 45 minutes per vote. Could we also boost the Senate’s efficiency by not seeing the clock? That would benefit Canadians, wouldn’t it?

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. This government — as all governments in Canada, I assume — is devoted to the principles of free speech as enshrined in our constitutional traditions and in our Charter. Any limitations on Canadians’ rights need to be prescribed by law, satisfy rigorous standards as applied by the courts and be subject to the scrutiny of Parliament as well when such laws come before us. If and when such laws come before us, I’m sure we will do our constitutional duty to make sure they respect our constitutional rights.