Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator, thank you for your question, though for reasons many of you will appreciate, my family has never been graced with visits in this season. However, it is not the case that I am indifferent to the situation you describe. Indeed, I have been known to be a bit jealous waking up in the morning, knowing that my friends down the block were unpacking presents and I could only stare wistfully at my tottering dreidel on the mantelpiece.

With regard to your question, although COVID has been found in white-tailed deer — indeed, in my province — there is apparently no known transmission from deer to humans. I am hopeful that this provides some reassurance to those who are looking forward to a Christmas surrounded by family and presents.

Senator Patterson: Senator Gold, I am referring to northern, rural and remote communities where competition is the key to affordable services. To that end, the government has, as you have just done, touted the merits of expanding connectivity to rural and remote Canada and fostering competition in public policies. Yet, despite the government’s policy statements, much of the spectrum is not being used for these communities, leaving them without connectivity, never mind competition.

Is the government considering other policies in the coming auction to ensure that all those willing to build wireless internet networks have enough spectrum to build and help these rural and remote communities get the connectivity and competition they deserve?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, Senator Cormier. As we know, the Senate has a long history of defending official language communities. I applaud the efforts and the activism of our predecessors and of our colleagues in this chamber who carry that torch, including several representatives from the Maritimes.

The Government of Canada seeks to appoint outstanding people to the Senate, while reflecting our country’s diversity. The government is also following through on its commitment to build a more effective, more independent and less partisan Senate. Part of that commitment involves the process that you mentioned, namely the independent, non-partisan advisory board that makes recommendations to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister then presents his recommendations to the Governor General.

I have been assured that the independent appointment process is working well and that we need to wait for the results of the next cycle to find out who will be appointed from the Maritime provinces.

Hon. René Cormier: Honourable senators, my question has to do with francophone affairs. Today, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada and the Commission nationale des parents francophones said they were:

 . . . aghast to learn that there are hardly any measures for the Francophonie in most of the agreements signed with the provinces and territories for the national child care program.

If that is the case, can the Government of Canada guarantee that the new version of the bill to modernize the Official Languages Act will include key provisions to promote the inclusion of strong language clauses in federal-provincial agreements?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The government is working with its provincial and territorial partners to support the vitality of official language minority communities, while respecting their areas of jurisdiction. That is why every Canada-wide bilateral agreement signed so far with the provinces and territories, apart from Quebec, includes provisions to protect and respect the rights of official language minority communities based on the specific priorities and context of each jurisdiction.

I am told that the government is aware of the issue of linguistic provisions. It is working closely with its partners and OLMCs in order to ensure that the bill to be tabled in this Parliament meets their needs.

[English]

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold. The federal government has distributed millions of rapid tests across Canada and has recently announced that more will be coming. This is good. Rapid tests are a useful tool that Canadians can self-apply to help decrease the spread of COVID. This is especially important with the rise of this most transmissible variant.

In Nova Scotia, thanks to the great work of our public health leaders and our rapid test guru, Dr. Lisa Barrett, over 2 million tests in a population of 1 million people have been distributed. They are free and provided in community settings, as well as workplaces, schools, shelters and outbreak areas. Over 3,400 volunteers have helped put them together, including our very own Senator Colin Deacon.

Will the Government of Canada continue to make sure, as long as they are needed, that there is a rapid test supply being procured to keep provinces and territories adequately resourced and that locations, such as Nova Scotia, that have demonstrated successful deployment and outbreak containment through asymptomatic testing will continue to receive them?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Following the economic statement, the government is committing $1.7 billion to continue supporting provinces and territories in securing rapid testing supplies that they need to keep our citizens safe and healthy.

I’ve also been advised that the government has already authorized 24 of these tests, and we can expect more to be authorized as the technology develops. I have been further advised that the government has ordered over 35 million tests for all provinces and territories. I’m also told that the government has deployed a large number of tests to provinces and territories and has shared guidance as to how they can be used effectively. This will increase our ability to detect, track and address outbreaks of COVID-19 variants in Canada.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator, thank you for raising this question.

The government understands, empathizes and sympathizes with those Canadians who may find themselves unsure of what rules they will be subject to when they seek to travel to the United States or elsewhere. The Canadian government will continue to use its best efforts to provide as clear information as it can to Canadians, and that will continue notwithstanding that the rules are changing rather quickly, not only here in Canada — and Canadians have to be mindful and attentive to those changes as they are announced — but also in many other countries. Each country, like Canada, has the sovereign right to define for itself the rules of entry. It is a complicated and frustrating situation for those who are contemplating travel.

I do want to remind the chamber and those who are watching that I believe the Canadian travel advisory will be — if it has not been already — resurrected, advising Canadians to avoid non-essential travel. That may be cold comfort for those who have already made plans. The fact is, we all have to do our part. The Canadian government will do its part to provide as clear information as it can under the circumstances.

Senator Gold: Thank you. I will answer as accurately as I can.

I know that our government is in constant contact with many of its partners internationally and many international organizations from whom we receive information and to whom we impart information. I assume there is a degree of sharing of information, certainly, between Canada and its partners to the south and other allies. I do not know the particulars, however, of how deep or broad those consultations and collaborations are.

I may make inquiries to that effect, but, again, I would caution all of us to try to keep an eye on Canadian government websites and information that comes from our government. That is probably going to be a quicker way to understand what rules we are subject to than waiting for my answer and for the response to my inquiries, which I will happily make.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. With regard to all of the trade issues that Canada and the United States have to deal with, I do understand that the potato issue is of special importance to Prince Edward Island and its farmers, processors and the community.

The measure was taken by Canada as a short-term measure to ensure that Canada and Prince Edward Island potato farmers were not exposed to more severe and potentially pernicious actions. Canada remains committed to defending the interests of the Canadian agriculture industry, whether it be in Prince Edward Island or elsewhere, whether it is softwood lumber or other issues and will take necessary measures when it is appropriate to take them.

Senator Downe: Senator Gold, we appreciate the support. Prince Edward Islanders appreciate all the kind words we hear about the concern being expressed, but we wonder why there is no action.

We’re hearing about a potential issue that may become a trade irritant — which is important to Ontario and important to Canada — but that has not happened yet, while we are currently suffering under a trade irritant that is already in place and the Government of Canada has not sent similar letters or indications of what trade response it will take to that action. You talk about potato farmers and potato workers. We also send 5,000 transport trucks a year with potatoes to the United States. This has a significant impact across our economy in Prince Edward Island, similar to the impact any ban on electric cars would have in Ontario. Why the different standard? Rather than reassuring words, Prince Edward Islanders would like some action — and we would like it now — from the Government of Canada.

Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, I respectfully address you from the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.

I want to thank the Senate staff who support the National Finance Committee, our own parliamentary staff who assist in our efforts and our colleagues working with our able chair, Senator Mockler. I appreciate the wisdom, skills and talents each of you bring to our discussions.

There is a great deal to discuss in these Supplementary Estimates (B) 2021-22. My learned and valued colleague Senator Marshall has spoken to many of them. I would like to join with her particularly in expressing my deep concern that, unlike several provinces and the Yukon, according to their financial administration acts, these entities must table their public accounts by October 31 each year.

We have yet to see the Government of Canada’s public accounts. As Senator Marshall has said, we saw them yesterday. Having previously been the Yukon’s finance minister, I can recall this legislated provision very specifically and this time frame for the requirement to provide this information. We have yet to receive a satisfactory answer as to why the Government of Canada took so long to provide this information.

Honourable senators, Senator Pate addressed the lack of progress, initiative or response to a guaranteed livable income. Opportunity has presented itself more than once over this past year for Canada to work with Prince Edward Island and perhaps the Yukon to implement a basic income guarantee. I and many others are disappointed the government has not seized this opportunity to address poverty in Canada and make real, visionary change in the circumstances of Canadians.

My learned colleagues in the Senate remind us that we are here to represent our regions, minorities and to serve Canada. I noted some of the items in Bill C-6 that my colleagues have addressed that affect my region and Canadians. I noted that there is a great deal that could be discussed.

One of the items that has not been mentioned in speeches on these supplementary estimates includes additional funding for tourism in Canada. This funding is welcomed throughout our vast country, particularly in rural Canada, since every community in our country has a tourism element.

I would like to commend the government on the additional $25 million in the supplementary estimates for tourism in Canada. One of the wisest pieces of advice I’ve heard, and I have passed on to my own children, is to see your own country first. I’m pleased that Canada is supporting one of our hardest-hit sectors and encouraging Canadians to explore this vast, beautiful land.

I could go on at length about tourism funding and the benefits to this industry, however, I would like to leave further details on the value and importance of tourism to other learned colleagues, notably one of our newer colleagues, Senator Sorensen, from Banff. I look forward to hearing from her in the future.

The National Finance Committee has as its guiding principles, transparency, accountability, predictability and reliability. I would like to focus my remaining time in this short address on an accountability of sorts — the line items in the Supplementary Estimates (B) 2021-22 that focus on climate change and the North, the Yukon specifically.

Honourable senators are aware that the North and the Arctic are experiencing the effects of climate change more than anywhere else. The Yukon is not spared. The Yukon government, in its Our Clean Future: A Yukon strategy for climate change, energy, and a green economy, outlines the territory’s climate action plan. Some of the main commitments are to reduce Yukon’s greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, heating, electricity generation and other areas by 45% by 2030; to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Yukon’s mines per unit of material produced; to generate 97% of the electricity on the Yukon’s main grid from renewable resources by 2030 on average; to ensure the Yukon is highly resilient to the impacts of climate change by 2030; and to build a sustainable green economy.

I’m pleased to see and welcome the inclusion of $25 million of federal funding toward these initiatives in these supplementary estimates.

In addition, the government is providing $13 million toward hydroelectricity and grid interconnection projects in the North in these supplementary estimates. This is a much-needed step to ensure that northern communities have access to reliable and clean energy supplies. These supplementary estimates also include funds for a line item to transition diesel-reliant Indigenous communities to clean energy.

Canadians and senators might be familiar with the CBC’s “The National” that showcased the solar project in Old Crow, Yukon. This is an initiative of the Vuntut Gwitchin, a self-governing Yukon First Nation, the Government of Yukon and the Yukon Development Corporation. This is just one initiative.

The White River First Nation in Beaver Creek, Canada’s most westerly community, on the border with Alaska, plans to build a solar farm with battery energy storage. Currently, this community is entirely reliant on diesel energy. Other solar-generating systems have been installed by working with Champagne and Aishihik First Nation and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation near Dawson City. Transitioning to renewable energy sources is particularly important for small communities which are currently reliant on expensive and environmentally not-so-friendly sources of energy, such as diesel. These renewable energy projects are not only good for the environment and help reduce Yukon’s carbon footprint, they provide Yukon communities self-determination when it comes to their energy needs and are a potential source of revenue when they are able to sell excess energy back to the Yukon Energy Corporation.

Yukon’s First Nations — those with self-government agreements and those without — municipalities, the Yukon government and Yukoners, with Canada’s financial assistance, including the money in these supplementary estimates, are taking real, concrete steps to develop local, renewable and clean energy technologies to reduce our carbon footprint and to address climate change.

By sharing this information with colleagues addressing the supplementary estimates, I hope to have provided you with a sense of accountability for these funds. This positive co-operative fiscal relationship is just one small snapshot of the government-to-government working relationships between Canada, the Yukon and Yukon First Nations.

Colleagues, while I briefly addressed only a few elements of the supplementary appropriations bill, Bill C-6, I do recognize there is more to discuss, and I look forward to an opportunity to do so in the future. However, in this very short time, I do want to express my gratitude for having had the opportunity to share these few points with you.

As a former finance minister and a former leader of the official opposition in a legislature, I recognize the importance of the supplementary estimates, and I would particularly like to commend Bill C-6 to my colleagues to ensure we pass this important piece of legislation as soon as possible to ensure the timely release of these funds that are so important to Canadians.

Thank you again for the opportunity to work with my colleagues on the National Finance Committee and to work with all of you in the Senate.

Mahsi’cho. Gùnáłchîsh. Thank you so much for your time today.

Hon. Denise Batters: Yes.

Senator Batters: Thank you. Senator Gold, I just wanted to know what the reasoning was for the withdrawal of this particular bill.

I was the critic for the Judges Act in the spring when it was first brought in, and I raised the concern at the time that it did not have a Royal Recommendation and was being brought forward and introduced in the Senate. Is that the reason it’s being withdrawn at this point?

Hon Senators: Agreed.

(Order withdrawn.)

(At 3:19 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on November 25, 2021, the Senate adjourned until 2 p.m., tomorrow.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?