An Hon. Senator: No more written answers.

Senator Plett: If this Prime Minister would, for once, be honest with Canadians and tell us the answers, we would be able to stop asking these questions.

An Hon. Senator: Hear, hear.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): If I understand your question correctly, and if I understand the government’s decision to pull the app, it is for national security reasons. There have been concerns that TikTok can capture user data. There are fears that TikTok is sharing data.

I don’t know the details as to how much money was invested in advertising, when it was done or why it was done. I will inquire and give you an answer.

Senator Carignan: Leader, do you feel a little less proud when you see taxpayers’ money being invested in the Chinese social media platform TikTok to be able to gather data, especially from our young teens? Do you not see an incongruity here?

I listened to your response to the Leader of the Opposition earlier and your response now, and I see a disconnect between what you’re saying and what the government is doing. There is a growing recognition of the need for a public inquiry into Chinese interference.

Senator Gold: Once again, colleague, I don’t know the details of the expenses you mentioned. This is the first I’m hearing of this. I’ll have to find out more before I can give you an honest and appropriate answer.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) tabled the reply to Question No. 194, dated January 31, 2023, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding international trade.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) tabled the reply to Question No. 67, dated November 23, 2021, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding ministerial exemptions granted under COVID-19 quarantine rules — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Senator McCallum: Yes, please.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Audette, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mégie, for the second reading of Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Do we have consent for five minutes?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Senator Brazeau, do you want to join the debate?

Senator Brazeau: My question is with respect to the membership of this organization. Obviously, the government has decided to exclude one Indigenous organization called the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.

Our Constitution gives us the definition of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada: It states that it includes — it is not limited to — the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. However, as far as I know, since 1969 and 1971, there has been close to five national, federally funded organizations. Are you aware of why this organization, when we are talking about reconciliation, is specifically and purposefully excluding one organization? I would like to know if you are aware of why that is.

Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard: Honourable senators, I rise today to recognize National Social Work Month. I am often introduced as a former social worker and a former social work educator. Well, let me tell you that I never stopped being a social worker. Now I just do it here in the Senate. Every single day, I bring my social work lens to debates and deliberations.

Social work is often divided into two silos. The first is front-line social work, and the second is developing social policy and social work research. During my time in the Senate, I have been collaborating with the Canadian Association of Social Workers with a shared agenda to empower social workers to have a presence and to use their voices in the creation of social policy and legislation.

My parliamentary research assistant Anne-Marie Hay is also a social worker who embodies the sentiment of social work in the Senate. Anne-Marie was my first student in the Senate and started in my office while completing a master’s degree in social work at Carleton University. When I was appointed to the Senate, I decided to provide social work students with an opportunity to do their practicum placements in my Senate office. Anne-Marie shares my passion for social justice and racial justice, and that is evident in all the work we do together. I see many social work students shy away from policy — and, in fact, some run away from policy — but Anne-Marie’s passion for social justice in social work is a perfect example of why it is important to have social workers in policy positions.

Anne-Marie, thank you for the essential social work that you bring to our team in all aspects of our work.

Honourable senators, please join me in thanking all social workers for the important, essential work they do every day. Asante. Thank you.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I am not in a position to make such an assertion for several reasons. Besides, that is not what I said. I cited the findings of independent expert analyses that were endorsed by several colleagues, including the House leader of the official opposition, showing that the results of the election were not compromised.

As for the status of candidates, I imagine that that will be one of the things reviewed by the designated individuals, who will have the appropriate security clearance to access all relevant information on this issue.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) tabled the reply to Question No. 181, dated December 13, 2022, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding international aid to Russian or Belarusian organizations.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) tabled the reply to Question No. 201, dated February 2, 2023, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding Health Canada.

Hon. Claude Carignan: My question is for the proud Government Representative in the Senate.

Leader, on February 27, the government announced with great fanfare that TikTok, the Chinese social media platform, was being banned from government devices. We all quickly removed it from our devices because of the risks it could pose.

Again, looking through the lens of Chinese interference, imagine my surprise when I learned today that the Privy Council Office has invested millions of dollars in advertising on the Chinese social network platform.

How can the government, on the one hand, encourage Canadians to stop using TikTok and then, on the other hand, invest millions of dollars in government advertising?