Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. My answer is twofold. First, if my memory serves me well, the Prime Minister says that he is open to discussing a bilateral agreement with his counterpart, the Government of Quebec, given that Quebec has a program that doesn’t necessarily exist anywhere else.

We will closely monitor that process and how the national program will be received in Quebec, and the amounts paid out.

That said, I must emphasize the importance of this dental program for thousands upon thousands of Canadian families, young people and not-so-young people, who don’t have access to dental care and who don’t have the means to obtain dental care, which is vital to physical and mental health. This is an important program for Canadians, and the Canadian government is proud to move forward with this program.

[English]

Senator Boisvenu: Yes. Quebec passed Bill 24. At the federal level, a Liberal member was able to get the House to pass Bill C-233, which deals with domestic violence. In his speech, Senator Dalphond pointed out that not one of the 800 women in Spain wearing an electronic bracelet was murdered.

Had this bill been passed five or ten years ago, had it saved one, two, five or ten women from a violent death by an intimate partner, would this bill have been worthwhile?

[English]

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, Brian Twerdin was born in LaSalle, Quebec, where he lived until he was 18 when he departed for what was then Frobisher Bay for a weekend to visit his brother. A weekend turned into a lifetime of great memories and activities that supported the community.

Brian met the love of his life, Elisapee, in Iqaluit in 1998. Not one to count the years together, Brian would tell Elisapee that every day was their anniversary. Together, they ran one of Iqaluit’s most famous, iconic coffee shops, the Grind & Brew, and raised two sons — Iola and Jimmy — as a blended family.

Brian was as much a fixture at the Grind & Brew as the pizza and coffee were. He was quick with a smile and a greeting to customers, as the Brew was also a safe place for people to warm up on cold days. Boston Bruins fans were particularly welcome.

The only thing Brian loved as much as his family was sports; he played hockey, baseball and football, and set records in many of them. He coached and was a pillar of Iqaluit amateur hockey, and many of Iqaluit’s hockey players were guided by Brian from the ice and then later in the stands. The Iqaluit Blizzard hockey team went on to win the Bell Capital Cup under Brian’s leadership. The Outlaws were sponsored by the Grind & Brew for many years.

Brian had friends everywhere he went — everyone knew Brian. In Iqaluit, in particular, he would often be found with Ed Picco, Hunter Tootoo, Kolola and his brother, Mike. Brian received much community recognition, including the Honourary Toonik, the Commissioner’s Award for Bravery and the lifetime achievement awards from Iqaluit Baseball.

In addition to the formal recognition, there are countless Iqalummiut who leaned on Brian for support, guidance and kind words. Several kids depended on Brian for a snack and advice. After his passing, the untold stories of how Brian impacted people’s lives started to be shared and are still being told. Brian passed away — after a brief illness — on his birthday this past December. His loss has been felt by many, including the community organizations that he supported not only with money, but also with constant advice and guidance.

I know that Brian is smiling down on us all today, and that he is celebrating the multiple-record-breaking regular season that the Bruins wrapped up this year. It may be the one time I root for a non-Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup. Qujannamiik. Thank you.

Senator Dalphond: In December 2021, when the Quebec government announced that it was introducing electronic monitoring devices with $30 million in funding, it was in response to the recommendation of an expert committee on support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in its report entitled Rebuilding Trust. This was one of several measures introduced by the government.

When the government announced that it would allocate $41 million in funding over five years to implement the electronic monitoring devices, the initiative was applauded, particularly by the Alliance des maisons d’hébergement de 2e étape pour femmes et enfants victimes de violence conjugale, or Alliance MH2. That organization called on the Quebec government to ensure that the electronic monitoring devices could be used effectively throughout Quebec.

Senator Pate, what do you say to those experts who concluded that these devices are an effective and necessary measure? What do you say to those women who are advocating for them in shelters and saying that this measure is necessary?

[English]