Hon. Rebecca Patterson: Woebegone

Weeping

Autumn winds

Harrow my heart,

Wearying

My will.

[English]

This song chorus was broadcast by Radio London in June of 1944 as a signal to the French Resistance that the invasion of France was imminent.

We commemorate June 6 today as the seventy-ninth anniversary of D-Day, Operation Overlord, the invasion of Nazi‑occupied Europe at Normandy. It set in motion the eventual defeat of Hitler in the Second World War.

Of the approximately 150,000 Allied troops who landed or parachuted into France, roughly 14,000 were Canadian, about 1 in 10. Canadian commanders were responsible for one of the five beaches, Juno Beach. As part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Ottawa’s own Cameron Highlanders, were among those who stormed ashore along with six artillery regiments and the 2nd Armoured Brigade. In support of the Canadian and Allied armies, the Royal Canadian Navy provided escorts, minesweeping, troop transport and, of course, direct fire support as part of Operation Neptune.

Ahead of D-Day, the Royal Canadian Air Force, or RCAF, in conjunction with Allied air forces, conducted bombing raids across occupied territory to soften up the enemy’s defences. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was dropped behind enemy lines on D-Day minus one and successfully destroyed two bridges to slow potential German counterattacks. RCAF fighters and bombers also provided air cover and direct support to the soldiers on the beaches.

Francis Godon of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles described Juno Beach as being so red and thick with blood that it was like crawling through ketchup. Just behind the troops, like Francis, the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps field ambulances came ashore, under fire, to gather and evacuate casualties to the waiting hospital ships and civilian boats.

And less than two weeks following D-Day, the first two Canadian Nursing Sisters, with the No. 2 RCAF Mobile Field Hospital, landed in Normandy at Bernières-sur-Mer. They were Dorothy Irene “Molly” Mulholland of Grimsby, Ontario, and Winnifred “Pit” Pitkethly of Ottawa.

Molly described her experiences to her family after the war, telling them how she slept most of her first week in a trench and how she did a 72-hour shift in the operating room, which was just a tent, while bombs fell, and combat raged around her.

At the close of the Normandy campaign, it is estimated that more than 2 million Allied soldiers landed in France. In terms of casualties, roughly 200,000 Allied troops were either killed or wounded, with a similar number of German casualties. Of those Allied casualties, 18,700 were young Canadian men, with over 5,000 killed in action.

As memories fade, and history becomes Hollywood, we must not forget that:

[Translation]

They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning

We shall remember them.

Thank you.

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Senator MacAdam’s spouse, Peter MacAdam, her sons Robert and Mitchell MacAdam, as well as her daughter Emily MacAdam. They are accompanied by her children-in-law and grandchildren.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Senator Marwah’s brother, Lally Marwah, as well as his sister-in-law, Marlène Marwah.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Nahanni Fontaine, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Pate.

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

Hon. Andrew Cardozo: Honourable senators, I am pleased to mark today the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, which was passed in the summer of 1988. To do that, here is a quick overview of the multiculturalism policy in Canada.

When the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism reported in 1969, they recommended a bilingualism policy and that the contribution of other ethnic groups needed to be addressed. It is worth noting that senator Paul Yuzyk was one of the first, most prominent voices to use the term “multiculturalism” in his maiden speech in this chamber in 1964.

In response to the report, prime minister Pierre Trudeau announced the multiculturalism policy in October 1971, the first of its kind in the world. It was designed to create a policy of multiculturalism in a bilingual framework. While the policy began focusing more on cultural aspects, it moved into social policy and anti-racism in the early 1980s. The multiculturalism minister of the day, Jim Fleming, also launched the first parliamentary committee on racism, which in 1983 issued its groundbreaking report entitled Equality Now!

In 1982, multiculturalism was recognized in section 27 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, supported, of course, by all provinces. It is noteworthy that other sections recognized key relevant issues such as equality, affirmative action and freedom of religion.

In 1984, the Pierre Trudeau government introduced the first version of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, which was then reintroduced and expanded and passed by the Mulroney government in 1988 under the leadership of his multiculturalism minister, Gerry Weiner. It passed unanimously in both the House of Commons and the Senate in July of 1988. Let me just note here that Parliament does have the ability to sit in July when necessary, as we approach July.

Over the years, the policy has grown with other notable ministers, including Stan Haidasz, David Crombie, Jack Murta, David Collenette, Hedy Fry, Jean Augustine, Jason Kenney and the current minister, Ahmed Hussen. This policy has enjoyed widespread support, yet has gained criticism in certain quarters, as it seeks to advance policies that are described in various ways, such as “respectful,” “traditional,” “uniting,” “divisive,” “woke” or “really Canadian.”

As we mark the thirty-fifth anniversary of this policy, it is a good time to think about how it has helped define who we are as a country and where we go next, as it aims to advance respect and combat racism.

In closing, a shout-out to my personal mentors: Ministers Fleming, Weiner, Augustine and Fry. All these parliamentarians have made a difference and served Canada with distinction, each advancing one of the most quintessential Canadian policies. Thank you.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Senator MacAdam’s spouse, Peter MacAdam, her sons Robert and Mitchell MacAdam, as well as her daughter Emily MacAdam. They are accompanied by her children-in-law and grandchildren.

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

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu introduced Bill S-266, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Sex Offender Information Registration Act.

He said: Honourable senators, today I have the honour to introduce this bill in memory of Mchale Busch and her 16‑month-old son, Noah McConnell, who were both murdered in Hinton, Alberta, on September 17, 2021.

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. Fabian Manning: Today, I am pleased to present Chapter 76 of “Telling Our Story.”

Colleagues, through previous Chapters 42 and 43, I informed you of some unique facts of my province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Today, I want to add a few more to that list.

I am sure that many of us here in this chamber and throughout the globe, for that matter, would wonder how we could live and work without wireless communication. It has changed our world drastically, and we can debate at some other time the pros and cons of that change. But for today, I want you to know that on December 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi raised a 150-meter-long antenna, which was attached to a kite, over Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland. This antenna received the world’s first transatlantic signals ever sent via radio waves.

Another fundamental change in the past century is how we travel around the world. Once again, our province played a pivotal role in the origin of aviation.

At 1:45 p.m. on June 14, 1919, John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown lifted off Lester’s Field in St. John’s aboard their modified Vickers Vimy airplane. It was not an easy flight. They battled heavy fog and only barely missed the top of the trees during takeoff. They lost radio contact after a short time in the air, and with a failed generator, they soon lost their heating source and the ability to communicate through their intercom system. They ran into a major snowstorm, and it is said that Brown had to climb onto the wings and clear the engines. I guess the action of de-icing had its beginning here also.

Through it all, the pilots persevered and beat the odds. At 8:40 a.m. on June 15, 1919, after less than 16 hours’ flying time, they made landfall in County Galway, Ireland, making their endeavour the first non-stop transatlantic flight. A small amount of mail was also carried on the flight, making it the very first transatlantic airmail flight as well. It all began on that rock we know and love as the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Royal St. John’s Regatta is the oldest annual sporting event in North America, with documented proof of boat races taking place in 1816. It is known as the largest garden party in the world, drawing crowds of up to 50,000 people to the shores of Quidi Vidi Lake each year. Regatta Day is also the only civic holiday in North America that is determined by the weather, more specifically which way the wind blows and how much of it blows. Safety is paramount.

Then we have the biggest little street in North America known far and wide as George Street in downtown St. John’s. People from all over the world have made their way to these two city blocks that hold the most pubs per square feet in Canada. You will not need to have Google Maps on your phone to go enjoy a night of bar-hopping on George. There is a great variety of music and restaurants, and the place is rich with some of the best entertainers our province has to offer. If you are musically inclined and want to join in the festive mood, you may end up on a stage singing along with one of our local musicians. If memory serves me correctly, my good friend Senator Gold is fully aware of the opportunity to take the stage on George Street — the locals are still talking about his performance there a few years ago.

Around the year 0, the Beothuk people migrated from Labrador to the island of Newfoundland, becoming our first inhabitants. Their extinction is a sad part of our history that I will tell you about at a later date.

In 1907, Newfoundland was given dominion status by the United Kingdom, thus making Newfoundland its own independent country. It remained a dominion until the rest of Canada decided to join us in 1949. The details of that story I will leave for another day also: stay tuned. Thank you.

Hon. Stan Kutcher: That’s a hard act to follow. Honourable senators, in 1976, following summer storms that greatly impacted the inshore fishery of northern Cape Breton, singer-songwriter Allister MacGillivray composed the song “Sea People.” The chorus aptly describes the connection and tenacity of the people of Nova Scotia:

They are sea people, the pride of the land, strong of the spirit and rough of the hand.

Over the past week, Nova Scotians have again banded together in the face of devastation and heartbreak. The unprecedented wildfires add to the list of adversities experienced over the last several years that have both caused great anguish and pulled our communities together. Unfortunately, we know there will be more challenges to come with climate change and the unpredictable nature of the world we live in.

I know you all share my sentiments of support and compassion for all those dealing with the impacts of this early and record‑‑breaking wildfire season across our country. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost their homes, beloved pets, businesses that were centres of communities and with the firefighters who continually put themselves in harm’s way. We thank all the emergency response teams who are working tirelessly to address the threats the fires cause to our lives, health and economy.

In times of challenge, the people of Nova Scotia stand together through collective action, resilience and support of each other. It is human connection that improves the human condition. These connections will aid adaptation as communities rebuild.

As parliamentarians, we need to consider how we aid adaptation through climate-responsive policies, building codes and emergency response plans. We can use these times of challenge to take agency in our own responses through community building, fundraising and making changes in our lives that address climate change. It is also a time to talk to children and youth about their own agency to empower their voices and actions to ensure we are leaving them a better world than the one that we continue to damage today.

Colleagues, Mother Nature is speaking to us and we must listen. We have ignored the science at our peril.

Again, my thoughts are with those facing displacement and loss from coast to coast to coast. Please join me in a heartfelt thanks to all responders from Canada and those who have travelled from other countries to assist, fight and manage these fires. For my home province forever, “Nova Scotia Strong.” Thank you.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the family of the victims Mchale Busch and Noah McConnell. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Boisvenu.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Boisvenu, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

Hon. Amina Gerba: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association concerning the Bilateral Visit to Senegal, held in Dakar, Senegal, from November 5 to 10, 2022.

[English]

Hon. Leo Housakos: Senator Gold, can you tell this chamber how much your government is spending this fiscal year on the servicing of and interest payments on the Trudeau debt? Can you compare that to the 1.29% of GDP that your government is spending on national security, defence forces and our NATO obligations?

Honourable colleagues, can you imagine if we had to carry out an operation today like we did this week in 1944 with our Canadian troops? What would happen if they had to carry out an operation on behalf of Canadians in the name of freedom? I can tell you what would happen, Senator Gold: We would be in quicksand. I read the CBC story a couple of days ago where we have Canadian soldiers paying out of their pockets for helmets and basic equipment that they need to do their job. One just has to shake their head.

Why is this government spending so much more on interest to pay for the debt that Trudeau has accumulated compared to supplying resources needed by our forces? Isn’t your government — the Prime Minister and its ministers — ashamed of the fact that you’re spending tons more to service the debt than you are to supplying our national forces with the equipment they need?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The Prime Minister’s decision to appoint members to NSICOP follows the terms of the legislation setting up NSICOP. It is a prerogative of the Prime Minister. My understanding is that the Prime Minister assesses first and foremost the needs — the expertise, competency and balance — of the committee in terms of experience, competency, regional representation and the like.

I have not been advised as to why the Prime Minister made the appointments that he did, nor the timing of it, nor have I been advised as to what his intentions are with regard to the remaining vacant seat.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, my question today is about the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, or NSICOP, which the Prime Minister claims is the best place to investigate what he knew about Beijing’s interference. Two seats reserved for senators on this committee were vacant for some months. On Friday, the Prime Minister filled only one of those seats as he appointed Senator Duncan to NSICOP.

Now, let me be clear that I have no doubt Senator Duncan is very worthy and will be a valuable member of that committee. But as a result, two of the three Senate seats on NSICOP are now filled with members from the same caucus — the Independent Senators Group. These two senators were also named to this place upon the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who put them on NSICOP.

Leader, can you tell us why the Prime Minister filled only one of the two vacancies on this committee last Friday? Why wasn’t a member of the official opposition in the Senate appointed to NSICOP? Leader, you have access to the Prime Minister. You’re a member of the Privy Council. Please don’t pass this off, leader. Tell us why this happened.

Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate an interim report relating to its study on the constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): No, the government is not ashamed, and you’ve asked me this question many times. Then, of course, you answer it, so you’ll forgive me if I don’t always take notes of your answers.

Let me say two things: The investments that the government made and the debts that have been accrued — as I’ve said on many occasions — were investments in helping Canadians get through the pandemic and transition from the pandemic and were investments in our future. The position of the government is that these things were necessary, prudent and worthwhile investments for Canada and for our future generations.

With respect to defence spending, this government is not ashamed. On the contrary, this government’s contribution to defence spending has increased and is significantly higher as a percentage of GDP than it was under the previous government.

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate, no later than September 30, 2023, interim reports on issues relating to human rights generally, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.