Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Health: Thank you for your question. There are two angles to be considered: first, the federal role and federal use of those tests, and second, the provincial and territorial responsibility for and operations regarding those rapid tests.

Let me first speak to the federal role. We had indeed procured a very large number of those rapid tests in the last year and in the last few weeks in particular. Some of those tests have been used in federal departments, like Correctional Service Canada, Indigenous Services Canada and the Armed Forces, for a long time — since the fall of 2020.

Provinces and territories have been unequal and perhaps slower in their use of and demand for rapid tests for most of 2020 and 2021. That was until the beginning of December when we had to increase fivefold the number of rapid tests we were delivering to them because they were asking for more. So we multiplied by five, therefore, from 7 million on average — that was their request for most of 2021 — to 35 million in December. Multiply it by four again, to 140 million for January. All of those tests had been received by the end of January. The majority of those tests had already been received by provinces and territories prior to the end of January. My understanding is that all of those tests are being delivered now to provinces and territories as we work toward a longer-term path for the use of rapid tests.

Senator Plett: Minister, yesterday your colleague MP Lightbound said:

. . . it’s time to stop dividing Canadians, to stop pitting one part of the population against another. I can’t help but notice with regret that both tone and the policies of my government changed drastically on the eve and during the last election campaign. From a positive and unifying approach, a decision was made to wedge, to divide and to stigmatize.

Your colleague, minister — your own Liberal colleague — said the Trudeau government’s politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public’s trust in public health institutions. He said this is not a risk we ought to be taking lightly.

There is a difference between being responsive and being responsible, minister. Will your government — and especially the Prime Minister — be responsible and stop driving wedges between Canadians? Will you work to unite us instead of dividing and demonizing Canadians?

Let me briefly mention that in Canada compared to many other countries in the world — certainly compared to our southern neighbour — we have done much better in terms of economic growth and jobs. We have recuperated and surpassed all of the jobs lost during the pandemic. The United States still has a significant deficit in that respect.

We also understand that there is much fatigue, including among members of Parliament. I myself receive tons of messages every day, as well as calls from people who are tired of the situation. However, we are united. Canadians have never been more united. Now that 91% of adults have been vaccinated; 91% of Canadians have made the right choice, which is to protect themselves and to protect those they love by being vaccinated. We know that vaccination is the key to exiting from this crisis, and that’s why we’re so proud of the work of health care workers. We’re so grateful for that work and so proud of the efforts that Canadians have made going through this crisis in support of each other.

[Translation]

Hon. Renée Dupuis: Welcome to the Senate of Canada, minister.

In the mandate letter you received as Minister of Health on December 16, 2021, the Prime Minister wrote:

As Minister of Health, your immediate priority is to help finish the fight against COVID-19, working in close cooperation with provinces and territories.

What’s more, the mandate letter asks that you:

Continue working with the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Transport to protect the health and safety of Canadians through safe, responsible and compassionate management of the border with the United States and other ports of entry into Canada.

In an interview with Radio-Canada on January 25, you talked about caring. Minister, can you clarify what you meant by “caring measures” in that interview?

Hon. Wanda Elaine Thomas Bernard: Minister, thank you for being with us today.

The National Council of Youth in Care Advocates and the Child Welfare League of Canada released a report in 2021, which clearly outlines equitable standards in eight pillars of transition to adulthood for youth exiting care. The pillar on health and well‑being states that every young person should be provided with timely, ongoing services that are offered within a trauma‑informed, non-judgmental and harm-reduction approach.

Minister, what is the government doing to ensure this standard, the pillar of health and well-being, is being met?

Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Health: Thank you very much. I certainly value that question as well. The way our young Canadians, young adults and youth are treated in Canada has an impact on their own well-being and on the well‑being and welfare of our nation moving forward.

Senator Bernard, you are obviously aware of and have contributed to the important work that continues to be done when it comes to looking after those marginalized, often racialized young Canadians who find it difficult to find their path in our society with what’s happening in the world. Again, I look forward to your further input. I also look forward to working with the Minister of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu, and the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough. We’re mindful of that challenge, and we are focused on trying to address it with other key ministers. As you said, as we care for our children and youth, we know they will care for us as they age, as they grow and as they live.

Hon. Pamela Wallin: Minister Duclos, as legally required, the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying was formed to address serious issues left unresolved in what was known as Bill C-7. The committee has held only three meetings, two of which were organizational. Then, Parliament prorogued and an election followed.

Minister, could you and your cabinet colleagues, including the Prime Minister, commit to reconvening the committee this month as the clock is ticking on the mandatory reporting date for the committee set for May?

Hon. Judith G. Seidman: Welcome, minister. I’ve been asking questions of your government for almost two years now concerning the procurement of COVID-19 rapid tests, especially for use in congregate settings such as long-term care.

Despite your announcement on January 5 that 140 million rapid tests would be delivered to the provinces and territories that month, this did not occur. Our province of Quebec did not receive almost 6 million tests they were expecting. Manitoba received less than half of their expected allotment. Ontario didn’t receive tens of millions of tests they were expecting, and today announced they are procuring their own.

Minister, what happened? I understand the tests have recently been delivered to Canada, but have the provinces received all the tests they were promised last month? If not, when will that take place? Thank you.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. It’s the position of the Government of Canada that it is appropriate to respond to the initiative of the legislature of Saskatchewan to redress what is now clearly an anomaly and an unfair situation for the people of Saskatchewan. I do hope we deal with this quickly and appropriately. I leave it open to the Senate, as we are masters of our own house, to decide how long the debate shall take and how we ultimately proceed to a final vote.

[Translation]

Hon. Colin Deacon: Honourable senators, I rise today to honour a retired senator well known to many of us, the Honourable Don Oliver. Appointed by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in 1990, former Senator Oliver served Canadians in this chamber for 23 years.

Among his numerous contributions, Don Oliver is one of two parliamentarians whose efforts resulted in February being named Black History Month.

Recently, Don Oliver published his autobiography A Matter of Equality: The Life’s Work of Senator Don Oliver. As I read it, I marvelled at the accomplishments of this remarkable Canadian. Last November, Senator Loffreda hosted an online book launch attended by many past and present parliamentarians, and included messages from three former prime ministers.

Born and raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Don Oliver’s life was guided by his parents’ values: work hard, be humble and do everything possible to help others. He was an exceptional student, even working as a cub reporter for the Halifax Chronicle Herald while still in high school. He was chosen as valedictorian of his graduating class at Acadia University in 1960.

Don Oliver went on to become a talented lawyer and partner of a leading law firm. His advice and mentorship helped many young articling students, including our very own Senator Wetston.

Colleagues, as I read A Matter of Equality, it was Don Oliver’s courageous and constructive responses to constant acts of overt racism that I found most inspiring and also most troubling.

Still today, Black, Indigenous and people of colour in Canada must respond to deeply hurtful acts of racism in a calm, controlled and respectful manner, regardless of how accomplished these individuals are, or how respectful they are being. I don’t carry this daily burden. For far too long, I have been naively ignorant of the benefits of my own White privilege. I now strive to address that ignorance through work and action.

It’s well proven that embracing diversity is not just a crucial social priority, but a powerful economic opportunity.

Throughout his life, Don Oliver worked to make the business case for prioritizing diversity and inclusion in Canada, and led a major project on this topic with The Conference Board of Canada 20 years ago. I wish we’d acted on his advice then, especially in the face of our current labour shortages.

Don Oliver’s aunt, the world-renowned concert singer Portia White, once said, “First you dream, and then you lace up your boots.” The Honourable Don Oliver, indeed, laced up his boots.

Don, countless people have benefited from the products of your dreams of justice and opportunity, your courageous and determined efforts and your landmark successes.

Colleagues, I encourage all of you to read Don Oliver’s book, and commit to fully embracing diversity and inclusion, both within the Senate and — as a result of our collective efforts — throughout Canada.

Thank you.

Hon. Éric Forest: Honourable senators, I am wearing the school day green ribbon today.

[Translation]

Your Honour, the third week of February marks the middle of the school year, a critical time in the school calendar, because that is when Quebec students start to lose motivation.

That is where Hooked on School Days comes in. It is a time to remind people that, together, we have the power to help young people across Quebec stay in school and hold on to their dreams.

Let’s use the opportunity afforded by Hooked on School Days to recognize the invaluable contributions that parents, teachers, educators, employers, community workers, educational stakeholders and support staff make to the education of young people.

The Hooked on School Days initiative is all the more important given the challenges our children and school staff are facing as a result of the pandemic. Take, for example, the public health measures in our schools, which include directives to wear a mask in class; the need to leave windows open when it is -20 degrees Celsius to keep schools ventilated; remote learning and isolation; the suspension of extra-curricular activities, which are so important to keeping our kids in school; and burnout among school staff, who have had to manage IT and public health guidelines on top of teaching. Let’s also think about parents, who are exhausted from having to help their children with virtual school while working from home.

In short, it is clear that getting kids to stay in school is even tougher during COVID-19.

It’s easier to move forward and persevere through obstacles and challenges when you find meaning and have a dream. During these often difficult times, it’s important to take a moment to acknowledge the children, teens and young adults who have continued to believe that their dreams are still achievable.

I also want to commend the adults in their lives who have worked hard to help them stay on the path to their dreams. Every ounce of your encouragement helps our young people succeed in school. Every single one of your words pushes them to achieve their potential.

I learned about this issue through my involvement in COSMOSS Bas-Saint-Laurent, an umbrella initiative that brings organizations together to help children and youth develop their potential, from birth to the age of 30.

I commend the efforts of all those who are helping young people find their way. Back home, in the Lower St. Lawrence, we immediately think of the staff in our educational institutions, of course, but I would also like to recognize the work of the team at COSMOSS, along with its partners in the health care and education sectors, community organizations, municipalities and the private sector.

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif agreed to be the spokesperson for Hooked on School Days 2022 for the fourth consecutive year. Who better than a well-known and admired doctor and professional football player to talk to our young people about motivation, self-esteem and dedication?

I encourage you to watch his discussion with guests on February 16 and learn more about the many inspiring activities that will take place from February 14 to 18 all across Quebec, at journeesperseverancescolaire.com.

Thank you very much.

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at 2 p.m.

[English]

Hon. Vernon White: Honourable Senators, I want to speak to you about the encampment that has been set up in front of our Parliament.

The expectation of demonstrations and protests in the nation’s capital are not lost on me. In my former role, we had hundreds of demonstrations and protests, some that parked themselves for days and weeks, others that were mobile through our streets. The focus on peacefulness was paramount, and the maintaining of peace was always the goal.

I do not want to give the current encampment on Wellington Street more notoriety than they have already, so I will not speak specifically to their actions or even the ability or capability of the officials to act.

I want to speak to an issue that has been raised from a security perspective for more than a decade and state that it is time for us to finally act to improve security on Wellington Street.

I speak on the issue of converting Wellington Street to pedestrians only. There have been many clear discussions on Parliament Hill security over the past few decades. In 1989 an individual armed with a handgun was able to hijack and then drive a bus onto Parliament Hill. After the attacks in New York on 9/11, there were changes brought about to better secure Parliament Hill and better guarantee a safe and secure seat of government.

Following the attack on Parliament Hill in October 2014, for which many of you were present, discussions intensified, bringing forward legislative change, a new Parliamentary Protective Service and new security measures, tools and requirements.

One area that has been raised throughout these security review times has been the security of Wellington Street in front of Parliament. It has been raised that the risk of having vehicle traffic on this portion of Wellington Street was extremely high. Reports have been developed and presented regarding what would, and possibly could, happen should someone choose to take extreme action in this area.

We watch closely what is happening in Ottawa today, and again I raise the issue of protecting Parliament. I am asking that the Government of Canada and the City of Ottawa take the necessary action to expand the parliamentary precinct: that they secure the area of Wellington Street to the east at Elgin Street, to the west at Lyon Street and south as far as Queen Street.

While adding this area to the precinct, I would argue that we as well make this an area for pedestrian traffic only, removing all vehicular traffic. This would provide Parliament with a buffer from traffic, thus protecting this area from risk but as well protect other buildings that house parliamentarians, staff and the Office of the Prime Minister. I hope this current situation brings forward a fruitful discussion that allows for a better level of protection for the seat of our federal government.

In closing, I believe that working together, the city and federal governments could make these changes quickly and ask that both make this a priority.

Thank you.

[Translation]

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 5-5(j), I move:

That, if required, Question Period today be suspended to permit the Minister of Health to participate in a vote in the House of Commons;

That today’s sitting continue beyond 4 p.m., if required, until the conclusion of Question Period; and

That committees scheduled to meet today be authorized to meet after 4 p.m., even though the Senate may then be sitting, with rule 12-18(1) being suspended in relation thereto.

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Honourable senators, today I’m speaking on behalf of Canada’s victims of crime and their families.

As you know, my mission as a senator is to ensure that our justice system and our federal institutions respect the rights of victims of crime. In 2015, after more than 10 years of tireless work, the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights was adopted by the previous government, thereby enshrining victims’ rights in law. The bill of rights is supra-constitutional and enforced by the Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, who is also the voice of victims within our federal institutions, ensuring that the government is discharging its responsibilities toward them.

As of October 1, the Liberal government has been in default of its obligations under the bill of rights because it has allowed the position of Ombudsman for Victims of Crime to remain vacant. This situation is unacceptable to victims, because the ombudsman reports to the Minister of Justice, who knew very well when the previous ombudsman’s term ended because he himself set the length of that term.

The government’s delays and failure to fill the position directly infringe on victims’ rights. Once again, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is sending the wrong message to victims of crime, namely, that they’re not a priority for him or his government. As proof, this is the second time since 2015 that this government has been woefully slow to fill this position. Meanwhile, that has never been the case for the position of Correctional Investigator, the ombudsman for criminals.

In 2017, criminals were even given an interim representative until the position was filled on January 1, 2018. Unlike victims of crime, who have been without an official representative for more than 11 months now, inmates have not gone a single day without representation in the past 10 years.

We must redress the imbalance that still exists between these two positions. It is inconceivable for victims that their ombudsman does not enjoy the same privileges and powers as the inmates’ representative. The latter is a permanent, independent position, enshrined in and protected by federal law, unlike the office of the ombudsman for victims, which is a program that depends entirely on the goodwill of the Minister of Justice to ensure its existence. Its status is not recognized by Parliament, and it could be abolished at any time.

This injustice to victims must stop, and the Leader of the Government in the Senate needs to tell us exactly when the new ombudsman will be appointed, as I requested on December 7, 2021.

Honourable colleagues, I ask you, on behalf of victims of crime, to come together and act to ensure that this position is filled without delay, so that victims can be represented within our federal institutions as they deserve to be.

Since their voices are not being heard at the other place, it is essential that the Senate bear the responsibility of representing them by sending a clear message of hope, a message assuring them that the upper chamber has not forgotten them.

Thank you.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) introduced Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, to make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and to repeal the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act.

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: I understand that the constitutional amendment actually targets a commercial entity, Canadian Pacific, not necessarily the parent company, but the company that runs the railway.

Does the parent company or the railway have a position on the proposed constitutional amendment?

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: Motion No. 14, followed by all remaining items in the order that they appear on the Order Paper.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. As I mentioned earlier, the company has been paying taxes for some time now. More recently, it initiated a process to ensure it would no longer have to continue paying taxes. Maybe that’s one reason the Government of Saskatchewan, or the Saskatchewan legislature, decided to proceed with the resolution that was passed last year.

Senator Ringuette: Senator Gold, my question is about information on whether Canadian Pacific is or is not exempt from federal taxation. Will you undertake to provide us with this detailed information before we proceed with this motion?