Senator McCallum: You are aware, then, that all of Saskatchewan is covered by treaty. It is all unceded territory, so why is it under provincial jurisdiction?

Senator Cotter: All of the territory is covered by treaty, but most of the lands that are not reserves could be described as traditional territories. You are asking a question that is about provincial jurisdiction, but the view taken — as a result of the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement in the 1930s — was to transfer what Ottawa asserted it owned as federal lands into provincial lands.

The land that is governed by reserves is governed by First Nations. The lands that are traditional territories are subject to a more contentious set of authorities.

Senator Gold: I do not have that information, but I am assured by the minister that they are proceeding diligently and seriously in these negotiations. This chamber should have every confidence that the government is committed, as are their partners in the provinces and territories, to concluding the negotiations in a timely fashion so that this benefit can finally be provided to those millions of Canadians in need.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the follow-up question. I will certainly add that to the inquiries I will make.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. The government is strongly committed to its relationships with African nations. I want to point out that, when it comes to visa applications, Morocco and Seychelles are among the 13 new countries that are now eligible for the Electronic Travel Authorization program, or eTA. Eligible travellers from those African countries can request an eTA rather than a visa.

Senator Marshall: Even that explanation was helpful, but I must tell you that this isn’t uncommon. Quite often, we can’t find large numbers and exactly what they’re representing in the budget. Another example would the growth fund, which is $15 billion.

Senator Marshall: Even that explanation was helpful, but I must tell you that this isn’t uncommon. Quite often, we can’t find large numbers and exactly what they’re representing in the budget. Another example would the growth fund, which is $15 billion.

Why is the government so secretive about providing fiscal information so that parliamentarians can follow the money? With the information they’re giving us now, it’s just not possible to follow the money.

Senator Batters: Hear, hear.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. As you noted, the negotiations with the provinces and territories are being done with the involvement of the disability community. There is, as you mentioned as well, a fairly large number of governments at stake, as well as an important yet diverse community of persons with disabilities.

This work is under way. The minister has given her assurance of the good faith that she’s encountering with the provinces and territories, and as those discussions progress, I have every confidence that Canadians will be updated in regard to their progress.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question and, again, underlining the questions that many researchers face in order to do the work upon which we depend for our present and future prosperity.

Colleagues, as you may recall, the government’s previous budgets provided $40.9 million to support targeted scholarships and fellowships for, in this case, promising Black student researchers, and $38.3 million for the federal granting councils to add new Canada Excellence Research Chairs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Again, I repeat: The government remains committed to supporting Canada’s continued status as a global leader in research and innovation because our world-class researchers perform cutting-edge and bold work.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to speak to the tragedy that has shaken my home province and, frankly, the entire country. Last Thursday, June 15 is a day that has marked us all deeply — a day when 15 lives were lost and 10 people were injured due to the impact of a horrific collision between a semi-truck and a passenger bus that occurred at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 5 near the town of Carberry, Manitoba.

It was supposed to be a day of fun and relaxation for the 25 seniors travelling to a casino near Carberry, but it turned out to be the most devastating accident in Manitoba’s history. I wish to offer my sincerest and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the 15 victims who didn’t survive this terrible accident.

In such a devastating tragedy, I am faced with the reality that words just don’t seem to suffice. Please know that as you face these difficult times, we are praying for you. It is my hope that you also feel comfort in knowing that Canadians from coast to coast to coast are mourning with you.

As Canadians, we often pride ourselves on being united. In trials as difficult as this, that sense of community and support often bolsters strained families and relationships. My thoughts and prayers are also with the survivors, six of which are still fighting for their lives. These individuals have endured a lot physically. I pray for their full recovery.

Physical injuries are not all that we are dealing with here. Victims of the crash, families, witnesses, first responders and the entire community have been hit emotionally. They will need time to soothe their bodies and their minds. Their support system — often their loved ones — will hold a crucial role in the recovery process ahead.

I am touched by the acts of kindness and support that I’m hearing from the people of Dauphin, especially the Dauphin Active Living Centre. It is a heart-wrenching situation. There is tremendous beauty found in the community’s reaction and support of all those affected. The sense of being there for one another — not only in good times but also, more specifically, in the face of such adversity — demonstrates the calibre of exemplary individuals. This is a testament to the seniors of Manitoba, as they have forged and laid out the foundation for such admirable and strong communities.

I also wish to offer my gratitude to the many individuals who were called to duty last Thursday. Training to prepare for the worst in situations of this magnitude is one thing. Everybody hopes they will never have to deal with such a crisis. Then, when you least expect it, you are called upon. But to lead, take charge and work through such a hardship forces individuals, even professionals, to face a very sombre and difficult reality. Please know that your work has not gone unnoticed.

It is my hope that all affected by this tragedy may find comfort and peace in God’s grace.

Thank you.

Senator Gold: As I said, I’ve been informed that the government has confidence in Minister Mendicino and the work that he does for us.

[English]

Senator Gerba: Thank you, Senator Gold. However, does the government have a reliable schedule in place for making changes to its immigration policies, particularly for Africans who are travelling to Canada on business?

The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, colleagues.

[English]

Senator Gold: Of course, thank you for your question. As I said in my answer to your first question, this is a transformative project which, as you properly underlined, holds the potential for providing access to cleaner energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels for the entire Atlantic region.

As you also underlined, it involves not only the four provinces of the Atlantic region but the province of Quebec, and not only them but the federal government.

This is a large project. Discussions are clearly under way. The Prime Minister was very clear when he took the opportunity to announce his support and encouragement for this project. I have every confidence that all of the governments will provide further information as their discussions progress.

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:

RIDEAU HALL

June 19, 2023

Madam Speaker,

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 19^th day of June, 2023, at 11:47 a.m.

Yours sincerely,

Christine MacIntyre

Deputy Secretary to the Governor General

The Honourable

The Speaker of the Senate

Ottawa

Bills Assented to Monday, June 19, 2023:

An Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month (Bill S-246, Chapter 13, 2023)

An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (Bill C-41, Chapter 14, 2023)

An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts (Bill C-13, Chapter 15, 2023)

An Act to amend the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts, and to make a clarification relating to another Act (Bill C-45, Chapter 16, 2023)

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Honourable senators, I rise today, as I do every year, to recognize World Refugee Day on June 20.

I wish I had good news for you, but I don’t. As per the UNHCR, more than 110 million people — a record high — have fled persecution, conflict, violence, climate change and discrimination. The war in Ukraine, refugees fleeing Afghanistan and fighting in Sudan have all contributed to this mass movement of people, either internally or across borders.

Colleagues, global displacement has been rising at an ever‑increasing pace. Before the conflict in Syria in 2011, there were about 40 million refugees in the world, a number that had held steady for 20 years before then. Now, in just 12 years, that number has not just doubled; it has tripled.

As this number has risen, so too have the interdiction measures undertaken by nation states to prevent individuals from reaching safety and exercising their rights under the UNHCR convention. The EU has struck a deal with Libya. The U.K. has confirmed its intentions to offshore migrant processing to Rwanda. Turkey has come to a financial arrangement to hold refugees in its jurisdiction and prevent them from travelling westward. Most appallingly, colleagues, last weekend we willingly watched and waited and watched and waited and let 700 people die off the shores of Greece, including 100 children. We did nothing. We watched and waited.

Canada is, of course, proud to have set a record in welcoming and resettling refugees over the past four years — more than we ever have before and more than any other country. And yet we, too, have put a cap on private sponsorships in Bill C-47, and the government’s Immigration Levels Plan sets out a reduction on government-assisted refugees. One could argue those are the most vulnerable.

In all of this despair, I stay true to my name and look for a point of light. I see that point of light in the resilience of refugees themselves, who painstakingly continue their search for a home, for safety and security. And when they find safety, they build our nation — like the captain of the Canadian soccer team, Alphonso Davies, or “chocolate king” Tareq Hadad.

But most importantly, I want to pay tribute to mothers and daughters, sisters and girlfriends who face a harsh future of human and sex trafficking and are most vulnerable. For their sake, for the sake of their children, let’s do more, let’s do it faster, and let’s do it better. Thank you.

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Chief Roy Whitney of Tsuut’ina Nation, Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Chief Aaron Young of Chiniki First Nation and Chief Clifford Poucette of Goodstoney First Nation. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Tannas.

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

Hon. Mary Jane McCallum: Thank you for the collaboration between the Canadian Senators Group and the Progressive Senate Group — the CSG and the PSG — for giving me their time today.

Honourable senators, there are two kinds of families: those we are born into and those we create. As First Nations children, we were forced to leave our birth families, despite our nurturing homes. Although scared and confused in navigating residential school, we already had strong familial experiences and were able to withstand years of oppression and assimilation. We did not fail each other; we formed families and lifelong friends.

I want to thank you — that is to my family from residential school — for inspiring me throughout my life and for keeping me safe when you could. Our love for each other gave us an unbreakable bond. You are the light that shines into my darkness.

There are lessons in everything, even in the things that break our hearts. Sometimes, we are overwhelmed and exhausted by the challenges that we face; yet, we cannot shy away from our responsibilities, despite the immense pressure. In my case, it was sitting alongside the team using ground-penetrating radar at the Guy Hill Residential School site last week. We know there are bodies there. Many think they are not in the open grounds but in the forest. It was there that adults were seen carrying tiny bodies and coming out empty-handed. Imagine those students who saw that, not knowing if they would be next. It’s no wonder that many are still unable to visit the grounds.

Last week, I sat among my former fellow students and our supporters, many of whom also attended residential school, day school or were part of the Sixties Scoop. I listened to their stories and I saw their wisdom. I told them, “I see you as the powerful, wise, compassionate, joyful, humble and courageous spirits that you are. Who among us would have believed that we would have a Shaking Tent ceremony, a pipe ceremony, a sweat, drumming and singing, an eagle fan cleansing, a prayer, smudging and talking circles at the very site of the school that had removed all that from us?”

The First Nations across the country know we are regaining our ceremonies and languages, and reclaiming the power and the spirit that were taken from us. Know that we are in a time of resurgence as sovereign peoples.

[Editor’s Note: Senator McCallum spoke in Cree.]

We belong to ourselves. We will determine our future.

To our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, know that you matter to us and that we will always be there together. How can we not be? We are family.

Kinanâskomitinâwâw. Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

(On motion of Senator LaBoucane-Benson, debate adjourned.)

The Senate proceeded to consideration of the message from the House of Commons concerning Bill C-22, An Act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

EXTRACT, —

That a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint Their Honours that, in relation to Bill C-22, An Act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act, the House:

agrees with amendments 1, 4 and 5 made by the Senate;

agrees with the Senate proposal to make any necessary consequential changes to the numbering of provisions and cross-references resulting from the amendments to the bill;

respectfully disagrees with amendment 2 because it raises significant constitutional concerns by seeking to regulate the insurance industry specifically or contracting generally, both of which fall within provincial jurisdiction;

proposes that amendment 3 be amended to read as follows:

“New clause 10.1, page 4: Add the following after line 5:

“Appeals

10.1 Subject to regulations, a person, or any other person acting on their behalf, may appeal to a body identified in regulations made under paragraph 11(1)(i) in respect of any decision

(a) relating to the person’s ineligibility for a Canada disability benefit;

(b) relating to the amount of a Canada disability benefit that the person has received or will receive; or

(c) prescribed by the regulations.””.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, I rise today to share the story of Mary Merchant.

In 1917, Mabel and Samuel McAllister were living in Argentina, and as was the custom at the time, Mabel travelled back to Scotland, through the danger of German U-boats in the English Channel, to have a baby. When Mabel was about to give birth, a family friend named Mary brought over a steak-and-kidney pie. Mabel declared the pie so good that if the baby was a girl, she would be named Mary in her honour. Born on June 18, Mary was duly named, and steak-and-kidney pie remains a family favourite to this day.

Mary was the second of four children. When the family returned to Argentina, it was to a large ranch, Santa Elena, part of the Bovril company.

In 1929, Mary and her older sister Barbara returned from Argentina to attend boarding school in Scotland. They returned to Argentina two short years later as the Argentine peso was devalued against the British pound and school in Scotland became unaffordable.

The family moved around Argentina, as her father worked a variety of jobs, including running a brewery. Mary remembers taking visitors through the brewery and explaining the finer points of making beer: “It’s all about the water.”

While at the British Hospital in Buenos Aires, training for a lifelong career as a nurse, Mary became a pen pal with a young man named Walter Merchant who served with the British Army in Burma. So began a six-year correspondence, leading to marriage in 1947. Moving from Argentina to England in 1955, the family, now composed of the couple and two children, chose Canada, where employment prospects seemed rather brighter.

Those brighter employment prospects did not materialize for Walter. Mary retrained to meet Canadian standards as a registered nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. The family settled in Cowansville in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, where Mary spent 20 years nursing at the Hôpital Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins. After her retirement, Mary lived for several years in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

In 1995, Mary began yet another adventure and moved to the Yukon. She continued her life of service, teaching community members to sew, knit, save money and especially to eat a healthy diet by avoiding sugar, the exceptions being Scottish shortbread and Christmas pudding, of course. In Whitehorse, Mary is legendary for her knitting. In one year alone, she knitted 50 pairs of socks, along with baby sets, sold to support the community.

Senators who have been mentally calculating as I shared this story will recognize that, on June 18, Mary, who recently shrugged off a bout of COVID with her traditional good humour, turned 106 years young.

Although Mary’s son, Philip, shared with me that Mary really cannot understand what all the fuss is about, it is an honour to wish her a happy birthday and share the story of a life well lived — one of service and contribution to communities in Quebec, New Brunswick and the Yukon.

Happy one hundred and sixth birthday, Mary.

Thank you, gùnáłchîsh, mähsi’cho.