Senator Batters: There was not even close to an answer there. But wait, there is more. The special rapporteur’s entourage has grown even bigger and more expensive. To counter questions about his close ties to Prime Minister Trudeau, Trudeau Foundation member Johnston hired another Trudeau Foundation alumnus, Frank Iacobucci, to give him an independent legal opinion. And, wouldn’t you know it, Iacobucci works at the Torys law firm too?

The Special Rapporteur has also employed the elite public relations firm Navigator, which specializes in crisis communications. And since that wasn’t enough pricey public relations help, Johnston hired another communications company, RKESTRA, for media relations support. I wonder which of his high-priced help advised Johnston to leave the words “Trudeau Foundation” out of his 55-page report.

Senator Gold, instead of spending all this taxpayers’ money trying to crisis-manage his way out of the mess Prime Minister Trudeau created, when will his Special Rapporteur listen to the people of Canada, as expressed by the majority of MPs, and step down?

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. Denise Batters: Senator Gold, the only dollar figure Prime Minister Trudeau actually revealed in his Special Rapporteur’s mandate was David Johnston’s $1,600 daily fee. Now we are learning just how expensive “special rapporteuring” can be. Johnston has decided he needs an entire entourage to help him. He hired high-powered lawyer Sheila Block. This major Liberal Party donor and “the team she led at Torys” helped Johnston interview more than 50 people. Bay Street law firm Torys is one of the largest and most expensive law firms in Canada.

Now, Senator Gold, my legal career was in Saskatchewan, not on Bay Street, but I do know that kind of help would rack up a ton of sky-high billable hours. How much are all those legal fees costing Canadian taxpayers?