Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Leader, tomorrow is Human Rights Day. My question relates specifically to Iran and the shooting down of Flight PS752, which killed 176 people, including 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents of Canada. Almost two years have passed since this unimaginable tragedy took place, and the families of PS752 are still seeking justice and accountability on behalf of their loved one.

Since the crash, these families have been subjected to intimidation, harassment and abuse from Iranian authorities. The families know very little about the military trial of 10 unnamed individuals that recently began in Tehran. Iran has also refused to participate in negotiations on reparations.

Leader, a lawyer representing the families previously said your government was opaque and unhelpful with their civil case against the Iranian regime. What specific actions are you taking to assist these families now?

The Hon. the Speaker: I’m sorry, senator. I will put you on a list, because time is running out and we do have a number of other senators.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Everyone who shops for themselves or for loved ones knows how increasingly expensive it is to nourish oneself and one’s family. It is a problem that’s affecting all Canadians. The government is seized with this, as are all governments and all sectors of society.

With regard to your question on inflation, again it’s not my place nor this place to speculate on all the different causes of inflation and especially the rise in the cost of food. With regard to the Bank of Canada’s target, the government will have more to say about the Bank of Canada’s inflation control target within the coming weeks.

Hon. David M. Wells: Honourable senators, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report (interim) of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, which deals with the nomination of external members.

(For text of report, see today’s Journals of the Senate, p. 146.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this report be taken into consideration?

Senator Wells: Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 5-5(f), I move that the report be adopted now.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Senator Gold: I repeat, the position of the government is that their illegal detention was, indeed, illegal. The government joins with Canadians in celebrating their release.

[Translation]

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: I have a question for the Government Representative in the Senate, Senator Marc Gold. Since the discovery of the Omicron variant, the federal government has faced a barrage of criticism for denying entry to Canada to citizens of 10 African countries, even as the variant was spreading in Europe and the United States. In particular, I’m baffled that Canada is systematically refusing to accept tests from all of these African countries, including South Africa, whose large-scale testing expertise is equal or superior to our own.

Canada is the only G7 country to demand third-country testing. How does the government explain these decisions that seem to have no scientific basis and that look very much like an arbitrary and discriminatory policy?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the third time?

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: Senator Gold, in an interview yesterday on CBC’s “Power & Politics,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, stated:

The two Michaels are on bail right now, according to the criminal law in China. So we want to make sure we work that out with the Chinese government.

This is a very disturbing admission. It is unacceptable that a minister of the Crown in Canada, let alone the Minister of Foreign Affairs, would in any way legitimize the kidnapping, arbitrary detention, bogus criminal charges and sham court proceedings endured by both of these Canadians at the hands of the Chinese communist dictatorship. Senator Gold, why would Minister Joly say this? Is it that this minister truly does not understand the file or is this the position of the Government of Canada?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The problem you described is unacceptable. The Canadian government agrees that fraud and the illegal use of that money are unacceptable in our society. I’m sure everyone here and across Canada agrees as well.

I don’t have the information you want about the number of cases and criminal gangs. I’ll look into it and get back to you shortly.

Senator Gold: I trust the police and governmental authorities to conduct their own investigation. The Government of Canada is always willing to work in good faith with our provincial, territorial and municipal partners to better protect us from fraud.

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Woo, there are senators who wish to ask questions. Will you take questions?

Senator Patterson: Thank you, Senator Woo, for the thoughtful and erudite speech; I have got to remember senatorial libertarianism.

You spoke in praise of the system for assigning committee seats to senators, but this also includes the very important question of selecting chairs and deputy chairs. That’s not an easy task, being a chair or deputy chair. I don’t need to tell anyone. You need to have a rigorous understanding of the parliamentary process and respect for a balanced and respectful approach and order in the committee. Yet we’ve had total rookie senators appointed to important committees with no experience whatsoever in these areas in the parliamentary process.

Senator Woo, would you say that the current selection process and, in particular, the selection of chairs and deputies, is based on merit or is more based on group affiliation and a kind of popularity-contest vote from the groups, regardless of experience or merit, to date?

Senator Woo: Yes, of course.

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: May I have a question?