Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The government remains committed to making sure that our infrastructure and networks are kept safe and secure and do not compromise our national security. The examination of the existing technologies, 5G technologies and the associated security considerations remain ongoing. The Government of Canada is working with Public Safety Canada; the Communications Security Establishment; the Department of National Defence; the Canadian Security Intelligence Service; Global Affairs; and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada together on this important issue. It also includes the important advice we receive from our allies.

I note and am advised that the Prime Minister has indicated a decision on Huawei is expected within the coming weeks.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senator, thank you for your question. The largest and the most difficult hurdle in getting people out of Afghanistan remains, regrettably, the lack of safe, secure and reliable routes out of the country — a country controlled by the Taliban. Furthermore, countries in the surrounding region have established their own entry and exit requirements, and these have frequently changed since the end of the evacuation. Despite these difficulties, the government continues to work closely with international and regional partners to expand these operations. It has been expanding its partnership with the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation in an effort to resettle those hundreds of persecuted Afghan Sikhs and Hindus. With regard to Sikh resettlement efforts in particular, I will have to report back to the chamber when I have more specific details.

Senator Housakos: Senator Gold, let’s hope this holds true, because we have been waiting for years and now hear that we will have the decision in the coming weeks. Of course, Senator Gold, Bell and Telus are two of the biggest telecom companies in Canada. Bell had an operating revenue of $22.8 billion in 2020, and Telus reported $15.5 billion. We are all well aware that Canadians continue to pay some of the most extraordinary, out-of-this-world, highest fees when it comes to wireless service.

Senator Gold, was there anything promised to these telecom companies that led them to believe that it was a wise decision to go ahead with Huawei equipment, and will your government commit today to safeguarding taxpayers’ money and deny any requests for compensation from telecom companies for removing their Huawei equipment?

Senator Boisvenu: The Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces recently requested that he no longer report to the Minister of National Defence in order to ensure independence in dealing with the complaints he receives. The Office of the Correctional Investigator also reports to Parliament, and therefore to the Minister of Public Safety, in order to maintain its independence. However, the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime reports to the Minister of Justice and depends on that minister’s goodwill to continue operating.

Senator Gold, will the government ensure that the two positions — the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime and the Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces — are put on an equal footing, by having the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime report to the House of Commons rather than the Minister of Justice?

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, we are now about two years into the pandemic, and we continue to struggle with the rapid sharing of metadata amongst provinces, territories and the federal government. While some good progress has been made — for example, the variants of concern leadership table struck by the Deputy Minister of Health — we are not where we need to be to mount a national data-founded response to this pandemic. Could you please tell us what additional measures are being considered by the federal government to improve this situation?

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, pursuant to section 3 of the Statutes Repeal Act, S.C. 2008, c. 20, the Senate resolve that the Act and the provisions of the other Acts listed below, which have not come into force in the period since their adoption, not be repealed:

1.Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, R.S., c. 33(2^nd Supp.):

-Part II;

2.Contraventions Act, S.C. 1992, c. 47:

-paragraph 8(1)(d), sections 9, 10 and 12 to 16, subsections 17(1) to (3), sections 18 and 19, subsection 21(1) and sections 22, 23, 25, 26, 28 to 38, 40, 41, 44 to 47, 50 to 53, 56, 57, 60 to 62, 84 (in respect of the following sections of the schedule: 2.1, 2.2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7.1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16) and 85;

3.Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Implementation Act, S.C. 1998, c. 32;

4.Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act, S.C. 1999, c. 34:

-sections 155, 157, 158 and 160, subsections 161(1) and (4) and section 168;

5.Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act, S.C. 2000, c. 12:

-subsections 107(1) and (3) and section 109;

6.Yukon Act, S.C. 2002, c. 7:

-sections 70 to 75 and 77, subsection 117(2) and sections 167, 168, 210, 211, 221, 227, 233 and 283;

7.An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, S.C. 2003, c. 26:

-sections 4 and 5, subsection 13(3), section 21, subsections 26(1) to (3) and sections 30, 32, 34, 36 (with respect to section 81 of the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act), 42 and 43;

8. Budget Implementation Act, 2005, S.C. 2005, c. 30:

-Part 18 other than section 125;

9.An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to financial institutions, S.C. 2005, c. 54:

-subsection 27(2), section 102, subsections 239(2), 322(2) and 392(2);

10.An Act to amend the law governing financial institutions and to provide for related and consequential matters, S.C. 2007, c. 6:

-section 28;

11.Budget Implementation Act, 2008, S.C. 2008, c. 28:

-sections 150 and 162;

12.Budget Implementation Act, 2009, S.C. 2009, c. 2:

-sections 394, 399 and 401 to 404;

13.An Act to amend the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992, S.C. 2009, c. 9:

-section 5;

14.Payment Card Networks Act, S.C. 2010, c. 12, s. 1834:

-sections 6 and 7; and

15.An Act to promote the Efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy by regulating certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities, and to amend the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Telecommunications Act, 2010, c. 23:

-sections 47 to 51 and 55, 68, subsection 89(2) and section 90.

Hon. Dennis Dawson: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie concerning the Parliamentary Conference on the Sahel, held in New York, New York, United States, from November 14 to 15, 2019.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate, Senator Gold. This is in relation to the ongoing review that the Trudeau government is conducting with regard to Huawei’s participation in Canada’s 5G network, particularly due to the fact that the government has been promising a decision as far back as September 2019. Actually, at the time, they promised they would give a decision before the 2019 election, and now two elections have come and gone and, unfortunately, we still don’t have an answer to that question.

Bell and Telus have recently been knocking on the door of the government looking for compensation with regard to Huawei equipment that they might be obligated to take out of the network. Recently there was a news story in the National Post that the government basically says it’s too early for them to comment on compensation, which again highlights the fact that this government isn’t dealing with their important issues regarding security.

Given the fact that the Five Eyes have taken clear action, given the fact of China’s behaviour towards the Michaels, given the fact of the Uighur genocide, given the fact of what’s going on in Hong Kong, when will the Trudeau government take a clear and unequivocal decision with regard to Huawei’s participation in Canada’s 5G, and why are they taking such a long time?

Hon. Dennis Dawson: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

As all senators know, climate change has disrupted our rail-based supply chain, and now, a foreign hedge fund has launched a bid to take over our largest railway company, Canadian National. It is fitting that the first bill introduced here has to do with railways, because they are essential to Canada. These Canadian companies were created because our railways are so important.

What does the government plan to do in the coming months and weeks to protect the interests of these companies? The threat is real. I remind senators about Donald Gordon, who declared that French Canadians were not good enough to work for Canadian railways. The last four presidents of CN were francophone, however. What are we going to do to make sure that Canada retains control over this institution and protects jobs in Montreal and the railway interests of not only Quebecers, but all Canadians?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for his question and for pointing out just how important these companies are to Canadian society.

With respect to the specific issue you mentioned, the Government of Canada and authorities connected to the government are responsible for assessing the offers and opportunities to change ownership. They are doing their job and will continue to do it to protect Canadians and Canadian companies as best they can.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you, honourable senator, for your question. The Government of Canada, as we all do in this room, understands how important transportation is for Canada generally, not only to our history but also to our well-being and economy. This chamber should rest assured that the Government of Canada will continue to keep the best interests of Canadians at heart when it reviews these matters.

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Senator Gold, phase 4 funding of the Indigenous Community Support Fund, or ICSF, was announced in June 2021.

However, the funding has only just been received by regional Inuit organizations.

The total amount for Nunavut is over $30 million, of which the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, or QIA, my region’s Inuit organization, has been allocated $11.7 million. The intended use of these funds will be to help secure our communities against the ever-prevalent impacts of COVID-19. I have been advised by the QIA that they, along with the other two regional organizations in Nunavut, urgently require confirmation that their ICSF agreement will be extended into 2022-23, as has been done in previous phases.

I submit that it’s unreasonable and impractical for the Government of Canada to provide substantial and fundamental investments to Inuit without consideration for the sufficient time needed to provide vital supports.

My question, Senator Gold, is simple: Will the government confirm that this critical funding can be carried over into the 2022-23 fiscal year in order for Inuit to adequately address and respond to COVID-19?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The government was pleased to provide the funding to the organizations, and I’m happy that it has been received in your area.

With regard to your question, though, I don’t have an answer. I will make inquiries and be happy to report back.

Senator Patterson: Senator Gold, I appreciate your willingness to inquire into this urgent matter, but this is not the first time we’ve heard of promised funding flowing into the hands of those who need it so late in the fiscal year that it leaves them scrambling. As I said earlier, phases of ICSF funding also had to be extended. Chasing down these extensions puts additional and unnecessary strain on organizational capacity. Is the government willing to put measures in place to ensure that funding is flowing in a timely manner, relieving partners like the QIA of the burden of chasing down extensions? Shouldn’t carry-overs, for instance, be automatic if funding is only received well into Q4 of a fiscal year?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, senator. There’s no doubt that the ravages that have been visited upon your province — indeed elsewhere but your province in particular — are serious and of great concern to the Government of Canada. That’s why it has provided the assistance that it did and the commitments that it has made. I do not know exactly what the status is of the request made, to which you refer, if I understand correctly, this week or last week. I’ll certainly make inquiries and report back when I have an answer.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Canada continues to encourage Haitian authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the assassination of President Moïse and bring the perpetrators to justice. Canada has not yet received a formal request from Haitian authorities for support in this matter.

As for the creation of a UN international commission of inquiry into the assassination of President Moïse, with all due respect for Haiti’s national sovereignty, Canada would support such an initiative as a staunch defender of the fight against impunity. Currently, Canada’s total aid budget for Haiti is about C$89 million per year. We are attentive to the needs and aspirations of Haitians, so we remain flexible and ready to work with Haiti and the international community toward a more stable, democratic and prosperous future.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate, and I’ll begin, Senator Gold, by offering my sincere congratulations because I know you just received a new parliamentary secretary representing you over on the other side of the house, the lower chamber.

Colleagues, for those of you who don’t know, on Friday the Prime Minister appointed Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen as the parliamentary secretary to Senator Gold. Leader, is this an entirely new creation? There has never been a parliamentary secretary, to my knowledge, stylized this way, and it appears to again acknowledge the fact that the Trudeau government has sort of raised their hands in the air, not knowing what to do with this new reformed Senate.

The truth of the matter is, Senator Gold, we talk about independence, yet never before have we seen this type of relationship between a government representative/government leader and a parliamentary secretary.

What exactly is MP Gerretsen’s responsibility under his new position? Wouldn’t it have been a lot easier, government leader, if you were allowed to represent this august chamber in the governing national caucus? Wouldn’t it have been even easier if you were allowed to take your rightful place as a member of the Privy Council sitting at the cabinet table so you can give us timely answers to our questions?

Senator Housakos: Thank you, Your Honour.

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Bellemare, for the second reading of Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Leader of the Opposition): Back to Bill S-2, colleagues. As I was saying earlier, there was unanimous agreement on this bill by all leadership sides at the end of the last Parliament. Again, we understand the principle behind this. We all recognize this place is in a fluid situation and it is changing. Of course, these amendments to the Parliament of Canada Act reflect those changes. I think for the benefit of time it’s completely unnecessary to bog down this chamber. We already have limited time in order to debate our private members’ bills, our motions and try to get through more important government legislation. For the benefit of saving that time, I do not think we should become repetitive and conduct our business in such a way that it unnecessarily delays the rest of the Order Paper.

Honourable senators, I ask for leave that the bill be read a second time.