Hon. Stan Kutcher: Welcome, minister. I am asking this question on behalf of Senator Moodie, who is ill and not able to be with us today.

Minister, your mandate letter acknowledges the need to ensure municipal priorities are reflected in the federal agenda. Indeed, municipalities play an important role in ensuring that Canadians have access to crucial services and a good quality of life.

Minister LeBlanc, what is the Government of Canada willing to do to support large municipalities — like Senator Moodie’s hometown of Toronto — who are currently under the strain of providing key services without the resources to do so? Specifically, she would refer to social services, of which they are in dire need, such as mental health and addictions care.

Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard: Thank you, Minister LeBlanc, for being here today. My question is going to follow up on questions that Senator Cormier and Senator Cordy voiced about vacancies in this chamber, specifically from Atlantic Canada. I thank you for your very promising response; however, I want to ask something more specific.

Although I have witnessed and welcomed a number of senators from more diverse communities during the last six years since I’ve been here, I see a glaring gap in the Senate when it comes to two historically under-represented groups: First, there are no representatives in the Senate from the Acadian-Nova Scotian community. This is a gap. Secondly, for the first time in Canadian history, we actually have six African-Canadian senators here in this chamber, but there are no African-Canadian men.

Mr. Minister, what is the selection committee doing to ensure the applications of historically under-represented groups are considered, especially from the Atlantic provinces?

Hon. Diane Bellemare: Welcome, minister. I was looking at your mandate letter earlier. You face incredible challenges with respect to federal-provincial relations, infrastructure and communities. I was thinking that the bilateral relations with each of the provinces and territories may not be an adequate tool for meeting these challenges in a major economic context where there are imminent crises, including the climate crisis.

Have you thought about creating a somewhat permanent consensus-building forum for the federal government, the provinces and territories and the private sector, a sort of economic and social council like they have in more than 70 countries around the world?

Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P., Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities: Thank you, Senator Richards. I had the privilege of being in Miramichi on Friday to announce an exciting infrastructure project — an almost $63 million federal-provincial-municipal project around a recreation centre in that great part of our province.

Thank you for your kind comments about my father.

My wife had the privilege of serving with your sister on the Provincial Court of New Brunswick, and they became good friends. She very much valued her companionship and advice as a senior judge in our province.

I also share your concern and have heard it frequently, not only when I — for two years — was the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, but also subsequently around those predatory threats on the Atlantic salmon population. I’m not a scientist; I totally accept the statement of fact that you have laid out.

I have correspondence directly related to that — which I saw at my office in Shediac on the weekend — from the Miramichi Salmon Association. A friend of mine who sits on the board of the Atlantic Salmon Federation spoke to me about that on Sunday afternoon when I saw him in Moncton.

I will absolutely talk to my colleagues because it’s not only a Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, or DFO, issue — it is a much broader economic, environmental and fisheries management issue for our province. The importance of Atlantic salmon and the experiences that the great, mighty Miramichi River represents to not only Canadians, but also people from around the world, has been significantly impacted.

Let me get back to you with the specific incremental, improved measures around seals and striped bass because I share your view, senator, that this has to be a priority for our government.

[Translation]

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Minister, a few minutes ago, you committed to sharing the contact information for the Special Rapporteur as per the terms of reference that I suggested. You agreed to share that contact information with us in the Senate.

The terms of reference say “interested persons.” I’m hoping, minister, that this information will be shared with the Canadian public. I would like your commitment that it will be, in fact, shared with the Canadian public as per the reference letter because, if it isn’t, minister, would you not agree that it will, again, look like another cover-up?

Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P., Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities: Thank you for your question. You’re quite right. Bilateral relations between Canada and the various provinces and territories, at certain times and in certain files, can be a vehicle for advancing shared priorities.

I’m fortunate to have very friendly personal relationships with several provincial and territorial premiers including, for example, Ontario’s Premier Ford and Saskatchewan’s Premier Moe. I would say that we’ve become friends as a result of my work with them. This doesn’t mean that these relationships are always easy.

The idea of creating a multilateral forum for the issues you identified so clearly, and that don’t affect just one province in particular, is very interesting. We already hold federal‑provincial-territorial meetings with ministers of infrastructure, the environment, transport, and internal trade, a position I once held. These are opportunities for the federal government and its partners in the federation to meet.

The idea of having a round table with other partners, and not just those representing different levels of government, is very interesting. This forum could include the private sector and NGOs, for example, to fight climate change. I’ll be very pleased to speak to my colleague, Minister Guilbeault, and with other colleagues who have exactly this type of relationship, which is more multilateral than just unidirectional or bidirectional, with the provinces. Thank you for the question.

[English]

Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P., Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities: Thank you for the question, and thank you for your comments about the recreational centre project in Riverview. It was a big priority for my colleague and your friend Ginette Petitpas Taylor. I am glad that was announced a couple of weeks ago.

Your concern around rural access to high-speed internet is absolutely an important one, and it is one that the government shares. You are right; in our province, 20 minutes from Riverview, in Albert County, or even if you head north into Kent County in a different direction from your hometown, there are challenges.

We have invested, as a government, billions of dollars in this space. It’s never enough, and it’s never fast enough. I think we’ve made very considerable improvements, but we have a lot of work to do.

The Canada Infrastructure Bank is also looking at potential investments in that space as well. It may help some of the telcos obtain the financing that might make these projects more expeditious or faster. I share your view, senator, that it is not only about the economic development or the ability of small- and medium-sized businesses in some of these more rural communities to properly operate. There is a public safety component, which COVID showed all of us. I learned more about these challenges in the context of intimate partner violence and vulnerabilities because of COVID, and access to these services has to be part of that. We’ll continue to do all the work that we can and to incent other partners as well. I’m encouraged as well by provinces and territories wanting to occupy this space with us.

Hon. Nancy J. Hartling: Minister LeBlanc, welcome to our Senate.

First of all, I want to acknowledge the very welcomed federal contribution for our new recreational complex centre in my home community of Riverview; it’s excellent news.

Today, my question relates to New Brunswick in regard to better access to high-speed internet, especially in rural areas. I understand that the responsibility for implementing the government’s Universal Broadband Fund is the mandate of your colleague Minister Hutchings. However, you may have some intel about this.

Specifically, New Brunswick is proudly one of Canada’s most rural provinces with 50% of people living in rural areas. Although access to high-speed internet in our province is improving, there remains a large digital divide.

Many communities just 20 minutes from Riverview — my home — continue to have service levels well below the 50‑megabyte target. High-speed internet is essential for many reasons, such as for our economy and our education system, but also, as frequently mentioned in recommendations, for reducing the risk of intimate partner violence for women in rural areas, as well as services, which concerns me greatly.

What can you tell me about the government’s efforts to improve rural internet connectivity in New Brunswick? Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P., Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities: Your Honour, through you to Senator Patterson, thank you for that interesting question. It’s not a policy area on which I have very precise knowledge. I will ask my colleague Jean-Yves Duclos as well as Anita Anand, the defence minister. I didn’t understand — and I come from New Brunswick where, you can imagine, with a military base as important as Gagetown — what that would represent to the provincial health system in Fredericton, where the senator sitting behind you resides. I know these have been sources of frustration between the Armed Forces’ health services and provinces and territories. I had a sense of the concern you identified.

The good news, senator, is that the agreements that we have reached with the provinces and territories are agreements in principle. The binding bilateral detailed agreements are still being negotiated. The provinces wanted to sign agreements in principle. It allowed them to book the federal money in their budgets. They responded quickly to what the Prime Minister offered, and Jean-Yves Duclos and I did a quick trip around the country to 13 provincial and territorial capitals. We were very happy with the agreements in principle, but the detailed agreements are still to be negotiated.

I’ll take that question back and make sure that Jean-Yves Duclos, who is leading those detailed bilateral negotiations, gets the information from the Canadian Armed Forces. It is an interesting subject and one I didn’t know a lot about, but I’ll ensure we do the appropriate follow-up. Thank you for the question.

[Translation]

Hon. Michèle Audette: Kuei, minister. Calls for Justice 4.1 and 4.8 of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls urge your department to respect the social and economic rights of Indigenous women and girls and to ensure that Indigenous people have the services and infrastructure necessary to meet their needs, such as access to safe housing, clean water and adequate food.

How much has your government or department invested or spent, and what concrete action has your department taken to respond to the Calls for Justice that I just mentioned? Thank you.

Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P., Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities: Thank you for that important question, senator. You’re absolutely right. Quite frankly, the lack of core infrastructure in many Indigenous and northern communities, whether it be housing, clean drinking water or access to community infrastructure, continues to surprise Canadians, particularly when they see the difference between the infrastructure in Indigenous communities and that in other communities. In some big cities, it’s also difficult to have infrastructure that is culturally adapted to the needs of the Indigenous communities who live there. However, it is possible to do both at the same time.

I will get back to you with specific details on the investments my department is making in infrastructure. I’m sure you understand that the Department of Indigenous Services also has an important role to play when it comes to infrastructure, whether it be in health care or other areas. My colleague, the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, also has important responsibilities.

I don’t want to minimize my responsibilities or the important investments that we’ve made in many of my department’s programs. You deserve a detailed answer, and I’ll be pleased to give you one. I know that this is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the work we need to do, but I’m confident in saying that you will soon see the bar being set higher when it comes to investments. That doesn’t mean that we are going to stop, but I will give you more detailed information in that regard.

[English]

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, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice:

1.in accordance with rule 10-11(1), the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine the subject matter of all of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, introduced in the House of Commons on April 20, 2023, in advance of the said bill coming before the Senate;

2.in addition, the following committees be separately authorized to examine the subject matter of the following elements contained in Bill C-47:

(a)the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy: those elements contained in Clauses 118 to 122 concerning cryptoasset mining in Part 2, and Divisions 1, 2, 6, 7, 26, 33 and 37 of Part 4;

(b)the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources: those elements contained in Divisions 20 and 36 of Part 4;

(c)the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans: those elements contained in Subdivisions A, B and C of Division 21 of Part 4;

(d)the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade: those elements contained in Divisions 4, 5, 10 and 11 of Part 4, and in Subdivision A of Division 3 of Part 4;

(e)the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs: those elements contained in Divisions 30, 31, 34 and 39 of Part 4, and in Subdivision B of Division 3 of Part 4;

(f)the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs: those elements contained in Division 24 of Part 4;

(g)the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology: those elements contained in Divisions 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25, 27, 28, 29, 35 and 38 of Part 4; and

(h)the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications: those elements contained in Division 2 of Part 3, and Divisions 22 and 23 of Part 4;

3.each of the committees listed in point 2 that are authorized to examine the subject matter of particular elements of Bill C-47:

(a)submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 2, 2023; and

(b)be authorized to deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting;

4.as the reports from the various committees authorized to examine the subject matter of particular elements of Bill C-47 are tabled in the Senate, they be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting, provided that if a report is deposited with the Clerk, it be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting following the one on which the depositing is recorded in the Journals of the Senate;

5.the aforementioned committees be authorized to meet for the purposes of their studies of the subject matter of all or particular elements of Bill C-47, even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, with the application of rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) being suspended in relation thereto; and

6.the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to take any reports tabled under point 3 into consideration during its study of the subject matter of all of Bill C-47.

Hon. Rebecca Patterson: Minister, thank you very much. My question is in regard to your intergovernmental provincial and territorial role, specifically as it relates to the Canadian Armed Forces health system. As you’re probably aware, the fourteenth health system in Canada is actually a federal one. As we are moving forward, the Canadian Armed Forces have always consistently delivered some services but then purchased the rest at exponentially increased rates from the provinces, as well as a few provinces that require a substantial yearly dispensation in order to provide care to Canadians who actually pay taxes within those provinces.

As you know, since 2018, we’ve been trying to negotiate a reasonable rate with provinces, as the Canadian Armed Forces have been excluded from the Canada Health Act for all the reasons we understand.

As of February 7, the Prime Minister announced the one-time payments to the provinces via the Canada Health Transfer, now Bill C-46 before the Senate. He also announced the government’s intent to come to bilateral agreements with each province individually on health care funding. Since then, as we’ve heard, most if not all provinces have signed agreements with the federal government.

Minister, were the rates of reimbursements by the Department of National Defence to the provinces for the provision of health care to members of the Canadian Armed Forces part of those signed agreements?

Hon. Peter Harder, Deputy Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, presented the following report:

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade has the honour to present its

NINTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Thursday, February 24, 2022, to examine and report on the Canadian foreign service, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

PETER M. BOEHM

Chair

(For text of budget, see today’s Journals of the Senate, Appendix A, p. 1425.)

Hon. Marty Klyne, Chair of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight, presented the following report:

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

The Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight has the honour to present its

EIGHTH REPORT

Your committee, which is authorized, on its own initiative, to supervise and report on the Senate’s internal and external audits and related matters, pursuant to rule 12-7(4), respectfully requests supplementary funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered:

(a)to travel outside Canada.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 2(3)(b) of the Senate Administrative Rules, your committee presents herewith its budget report.

Respectfully submitted,

MARTY KLYNE

Chair

(For text of budget, see today’s Journals of the Senate, Appendix B, p. 1435.)

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

(On motion of Senator Klyne, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

[Translation]

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

(On motion of Senator Klyne, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker: The time for Question Period has expired, and I’m certain senators will want to join me in thanking Minister LeBlanc for being with us today.