The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Michael Cholod, Executive Director of the Peace Coalition. He is the guest of the Honourable Senator Omidvar.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, a copy of the commission appointing Maia Welbourne Deputy of the Governor General.

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, a Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act, pursuant to the Department of Justice Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. J-2, sbs. 4.2(1).

[Translation]

Hon. Peter M. Boehm: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the tenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade entitled Strengthening Canada’s Autonomous Sanctions Architecture: Five-Year Legislative Review of the Sergei Magnitsky Law and the Special Economic Measures Act and I move that the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.

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

[English]

Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie: Thank you for your response, Senator Gold. If I may make a suggestion: In response to the humanitarian emergency in Haiti, the United States has taken a unilateral approach with its H-1B1 visa in order to welcome Haitian nationals.

In light of this humanitarian emergency, what is stopping Canada from taking such an approach?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): As the government has stated, and as I have stated on behalf of the government, the RCMP has been and continues to actively investigate the allegations made with regard to the alleged illegal police stations in our country. The government does not direct the RCMP in its investigations.

The minister and I have been clear in our statements that the RCMP is continuing to investigate, and will take all necessary action to protect Canadians from foreign interference on our soil.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The auto industry is crucial to the Canadian economy and to the hundreds of thousands of Canadian workers who work in this sector. That’s why this government — and especially Minister Champagne — has worked tirelessly to secure the future of Canada’s auto industry.

With regard to the Stellantis plant issue, the government is in negotiations, and continues to negotiate, in good faith with our partners. Its top priority is to obtain the best deal for all Canadians.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I will bring your suggestion to the attention of the minister.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for emphasizing how important this issue is to our economy and society.

The government knows that Canada is looking for quick and effective solutions to meet the demand for qualified and talented foreign workers. In Budget 2022, the government allocated $385.7 million to speed up the entry of temporary foreign workers into Canada so that they can fill critical labour market vacancies.

Under Bill C-19, the government made changes to the Express Entry program in order to select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool. It also temporarily lifted the 20-hour-per-week cap on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work on campus while in school.

As for the matter of Haiti, I will undertake to inform the minister responsible of your suggestion and concerns.

Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie: Madam Speaker, congratulations once again on your appointment.

My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Canada needs immigrant labour, and Quebec is asking for francophone immigrants. Haiti, a member country of the Francophonie, is very close to Canada and its diaspora has had deep roots here for many decades.

What is Canada waiting for to add Haiti to the list of countries that are eligible for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I do believe that the Senate has time to study this bill, as it has done successfully not only since I have been here through every budget cycle but for many decades, and, indeed, prior to any of our arrivals here.

Budget bills typically do come late, but thanks to the excellent work of our committees — the National Finance Committee first and foremost, but other committees as well — and through our practice of pre-studies, senators have had the ability to identify the issues and study them.

In that regard, I do believe, although the time is tight, that we will no doubt be able to do our job. And no, I do not believe that our privileges as senators are compromised.

Hon. Marty Klyne: Thank you, Madam Speaker. My sincere congratulations.

My question today is for Senator Galvez, Chair of the Environment Committee.

Senator Galvez, Bill S-241, the Jane Goodall act, has been at second reading for nearly 14 months. With the central objective of this bill being to protect wild animals in captivity, we need to get this bill to committee. No more delay tactics — delay prevents us from hearing from expert witnesses, including Dr. Jane Goodall, the Honourable Murray Sinclair, scientists, zoos and animal welfare groups. Each passing day risks animal welfare, not to mention public safety. For example, without this bill, licences are not required in Ontario to own tigers, crocodiles or venomous snakes.

Bill S-241 would be administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada. At least five Senate committees have studied this bill in recent years, which involves criminality, including your committee last year with Bill S-5 and Bill S-6.

As Chair of the Environment Committee, can you confirm your support towards receiving the Jane Goodall act for study and that the committee is available?

[Translation]

Hon. Claude Carignan: Once again, Madam Speaker, congratulations on your appointment.

My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Leader, yesterday and today, La Presse published a series of hard-hitting articles by journalist Tristan Péloquin about the sorry saga of waste management on Kanesatake territory near Oka. Apparently all kinds of toxic substances are being dumped into the environment every day, contaminating waterways and Lake of Two Mountains.

I would remind you, senator, that Lake of Two Mountains and its outflows, Rivière des Mille Îles and Rivière des Prairies, supply drinking water to downstream communities, including Pointe-Calumet, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Deux-Montagnes, Saint-Eustache, Boisbriand, Blainville, Rosemère, Terrebonne, Laval, part of Montreal and many others on the north shore.

Leader, I asked you specific questions about this serious environmental issue twice, on June 17, 2020, and on October 1, 2020. I also asked Minister Miller questions last September 22. Your government’s answers were evasive, and as far as I can tell, nothing has been done.

Leader, it seems nothing is being done as it should be in this never-ending saga.

As the Leader of the Government in the Senate, can you explain to us why your government has been so painfully slow to take action on an issue that is of such vital importance to the health of people in the area and to environmental protection?

The Hon. the Speaker: Do you have an answer to the question, Senator Galvez?

[English]

Hon. Rosa Galvez: Allow me to congratulate you too, Madam Speaker, on your appointment.

[English]

Thank you very much for your question, Senator Klyne. I can see two aspects to your question. One is a technical issue and the other is procedural.

On the technical part, I do believe that the Energy Committee, or ENEV, is the right committee to study Bill S-241 because questions on the bill encompass the protection of biodiversity, flora and fauna. You’re right that during consideration of Bill S-5 we talked about animal protection while discussing the use of toxic substances in animal testing. Therefore, yes, the ENEV mandate could encompass this bill.

The other part of your question is about why we’re not receiving the bill. Let me share with you that I believe that we and many other senators who have tabled private members’ bills are wondering what’s happening with these bills. These are discussions that take place at the scroll or the leaders’ meetings, and we don’t have access because these meetings are not public. We need to know what’s happening with that.

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker: Do you have an answer to the question, Senator Galvez?

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question.

With all due respect, the government is not dragging its feet. The government recognizes that this is a very serious situation. I’ll continue to make representations to the government to ensure that the right steps are taken for the well-being of the citizens in the area and for the environment.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I just wanted to remind you that, according to Rule 4-8(1):

During Question Period, a Senator may, without notice, ask a question of:

(c) a committee chair, on a matter relating to the activities of the committee.

I’d like to remind senators that you have to ask a question on a matter relating to the activities of the committee.

Do you have a supplementary question?