Hon. Marty Deacon: Thank you, Senator Black, for your comments on mental health and the work of The Grove Hubs. They are connected to the statement I would like to share with you today.

Honourable senators, I rise to speak about National Healthy Schools Week, which runs next week from October 2 to 6. Earlier this year, I met with members of the Canadian Healthy Schools Alliance, who collaborate to promote health and well‑being in our schools and work toward a system where every student in Canada is set up to thrive and achieve lifelong well‑being and success. With what students have gone through these past three years, this has never been more important, and we are still determining what impact the pandemic has had on their physical and mental health.

Given that one in five Canadians experience mental health struggles, as well as the link between mental health and physical health, it is crucial that we step up and collectively work toward equipping our schools with the tools and support their need to navigate challenges and create a healthy path to success. This will not only positively impact the well-being of students but also foster healthy schools that support staff and families alike.

Next week will be first National Healthy Schools Week. Over the summer, the alliance has worked diligently to design a planning tool kit and a communications package.

What really makes a healthy school in 2023? I know we all went to school, but in 2023, what might this mean? In our opinion:

A Healthy School honours each person, the interconnection between them, and the land upon which they live; values broader ways of knowing; focuses on what the school community can do together; identifies where there is energy, interest and capacity to strengthen the health and wellbeing of the school community and supports action in that direction.

Senators, with the many national and global challenges we face, our investment in ensuring all students have healthy experiences in school has never been more important. A whole‑of-government response to support every school in Canada is critical. If this response can be done in partnership with leaders within the education system and the non-profit sector that supports them, together we can ensure that every young person has access to the resources, supports and knowledge required to be healthy and active in life — something that will increase the well-being of our nation as a whole.

Senators, speaking of health and well-being, I have been amazed by some of the activities our senators and staff have done over the summer — and shared online. The annual Army Run last week and our Senate Sensations team running in the CIBC Run for the Cure on Sunday are but a few examples. Please make sure you are looking after your own health and well-being and that of your staff.

Senators, I am amazed how much we can get done when we get outside and walk together and do our Senate work together. More parliamentary activities are coming your way, but for now, let’s wish all of our schools the very best next week, as they have our most important cargo. Thank you. Meegwetch.

Senator Martin: The CIBC estimates that the Trudeau government is not counting about 250,000 international students pursuing their education in Canada. Last month, the new Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Sean Fraser, told the media that a cap on international students is “one of the options we ought to consider.”

Leader, the housing crisis is not the fault of international students. They have simply followed the rules put in place by the Trudeau government — yet there are reports of international students who are homeless, living under bridges or in cars. Everyone in Canada deserves safe and affordable shelter. Instead of always looking for someone else to blame, when will the Trudeau government accept responsibility for the housing crisis it has created?

Senator Gold: Well, again, I’m not in a position to provide that information. I certainly will take the question to the attention of those responsible for working with the provinces in this regard, and I’m sure they will take it seriously.

Senator Plett: Yes. I think, Your Honour, there was an agreement that we finish a question when we start.

Senator Gold: You finished your question, and I answered.

Senator Plett: No. There is a supplementary question. It is part of a question.

Senator Gold: I’m prepared to answer the supplementary question if you so move it.

Senator Gold: Not knowing the honourable member well enough — that is to say, the person who is the object of those comments — I’m not in a position to evaluate the appropriateness of the comment. As I said, I choose not to comment further on Minister Miller’s comments.

Senator Plett: Thank you, Your Honour.

You’re right, leader; there is a difference. One was a Conservative and the other one was a Liberal.

There is an obvious double standard here. The Prime Minister, Minister Miller, and the rest of the Trudeau government are very quick to shake their fingers in disapproval at the opposition and at Canadians in general, yet nothing is ever their fault. The Prime Minister takes no blame for anything.

Senator Housakos: He will next election.

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, today I rise to speak about an incredibly important network of organizations in my home community of Wellington County. The Grove Hubs are a leader in youth mental health treatment. By locating and mending gaps in care, The Grove Hubs’ innovative approaches to youth mental wellness provide a strong system of care for people all over central Ontario.

Here in the Red Chamber, it is our duty, colleagues, to give independent consideration not just to the bills put before us, but also the problems ongoing throughout the country, whether short‑ or long-term. Mental health concerns are on the rise. Canada’s children lack resources to constructively seek opportunities to improve their well-being. There is a considerable lack of access to facilities for mental health treatment and addiction rehabilitation.

According to The Grove Hubs, they have received over 28,000 visits from youth in just the past year alone. This is a productive and direct intervention. Whether through group activities, recreational programming, tutoring or counselling, organizations like The Grove Hubs continue to provide for Canadians — in this case, young people in Wellington County — equipping the next generations with the tools they need to succeed in life.

I want to thank The Grove Hubs for their continued work. I hope that, today and every day, all of my honourable colleagues can take time to consider how they can support Canadians dealing with mental health and addiction issues and what we, as the chamber of sober second thought, can continue to do to advocate for improved access to these services for young people. Thank you. Meegwetch.

Senator Plett: That truly is a shameful answer. Every guest has to be vetted by protocol and security.

Leader, power and responsibility go together. If the Prime Minister wants to have the power, he must also take on the responsibility. If he wants to travel all over the world and meet other heads of state, he is responsible, leader, for Canada’s reputation.

Last week, he presided over Canada’s greatest diplomatic blunder. He should have apologized two days ago, leader, when this came to light; he didn’t. Today, he finally came out from under the rock where he has been hiding for the last two days, and he said that Parliament apologizes — he did not say, “I apologize.” Parliament apologizes, not him.

Senator Gold, when will the Prime Minister finally grow up, accept his responsibility for once and apologize — not on behalf of only Canada and Parliament, but on behalf of himself?

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question.

I can assure the honourable senator that the government very well understands the need for collaboration between organizations and across jurisdictions to address the growing demand for disaggregated data. I understand that, in recent years, Statistics Canada has enhanced crowdsourcing survey instruments and uses them to collect key information for vulnerable populations, including immigrants, Indigenous communities and visible minority groups.

I further understand that, as a general matter, Statistics Canada is exploring areas where larger sample sizes are needed to provide credible disaggregated information.

I certainly would be happy to take the honourable senator’s questions back to the government for further consideration.

Hon. Fabian Manning: Honourable senators, today I am pleased to present Chapter 79 of “Telling Our Story.”

For generations, the history and culture of Newfoundland and Labrador has been passed down through both story and song. Many of those are of a serious and profound nature, detailing a way of life our people have endured for centuries on that beautiful rock in the Atlantic Ocean. Then there are those songs and stories that are more lighthearted, such as the one I am going to tell you today.

One of our province’s most successful recording artists was a man by the name of Dick Nolan. In due course, I will be pleased to expand on Mr. Nolan’s long and distinguished music career, but today I want to tell you about one of his most popular and, indeed, signature songs titled, “Aunt Martha’s Sheep.” Written by Terrance White and Arthur Butt of Perry’s Cove and later rewritten by Ellis Coles, Nolan released the song in 1972 and the album went platinum, selling more than 100,000 copies. With our province’s population hovering around 500,000 people at the time, you can easily understand why the song became a fan favourite for many years and still is today.

The song tells the tale of boys from the picturesque town of Carmanville, Newfoundland, who decided they were going to steal a calf from Aunt Martha’s barn and cook up a scoff. Now, for those of you who do not know what a scoff is, it is a big, hearty meal.

Later on that evening, the boys crept up over Joe Tulk’s hill and headed into the barn, but they ran into a problem. The old cow got angry when they woke her from sleep, so they had no other choice: they had to steal the sheep. As you would expect, when Aunt Martha discovered what had taken place, she became pretty angry herself. The very next morning, she sent a telegram off to the RCMP telling them about her loss and asking the police to catch the robbers no matter what the cost.

In the meantime, it was getting up around midnight and the boys were up at the cabin and “had the sheep a’cooking” and everyone was feeling pretty tight. “The smell of mutton and onions no man could ask for more,” when lo and behold, the “. . . Mountie walked in the door.” He said:

 . . . sorry, boys, your party I really don’t mean to wreck.

I smelled the meat a’cooking and I had to come in and check.

Now, the boys were not too worried about the arrival of the RCMP, so they welcomed the officer, and said, “. . . come right in and join us, sir, we’re having a piece of moose.” So he came right in and sat right down, and the boys gave him a piece of the sheep. After the officer had a taste, he said to the lads, “This is the finest piece of moose I knows I’ll ever eat.”

They had a grand old evening, and at about two o’clock in the morning, the officer bid farewell, with a promise from the lads that if they got any clues on the stolen sheep, they would phone him right away. He then looked at them and said that if everyone was as good as the boys, he was sure Aunt Martha wouldn’t have lost her sheep.

After the officer left, the boys finished off the piece of mutton they had in the oven to roast, because, friends, the boys may have stolen Aunt Martha’s sheep — “. . . but the Mountie ate the most.”

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Dr. Sukhmeet Singh Sachal. He is the guest of the Honourable Senator Osler.

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

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

That, in light of the recent changes to the Senate Room Allocation Policy by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, the Senate Administrative Rules be amended as follows:

1.That the Senate Administrative Rules be amended

(a)in Chapter 5:03 by replacing sections 2 and 3 with the following:

“Basic staff

Additional Staff

(2) The Internal Economy Committee may direct the Clerk Assistant, Committees, to provide a committee with any additional staff that the Committee sees fit.

Schedule and room allocation

(b)in Chapter 5:04 by replacing subsection 2(2) with the following:

“Meeting schedule

(2) The Clerk Assistant, Committees, in consultation with the caucus spokespersons, will assign a meeting schedule and reserve a room for each caucus that meets regularly. Due consideration should be given to the size of a caucus and its status as a recognized party or recognized parliamentary group, as defined by the Rules of the Senate.”; and

2.That the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel be authorized to make any necessary technical, editorial, grammatical or other required, non-substantive changes to the Senate Administrative Rules as a result of these amendments, including the updating of cross-references and the renumbering of provisions.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, my question concerns — as I’m sure you expected — the address to Parliament by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy last Friday.

Senator Gold, someone was there who should never have been there and who should never have been invited. One of two things happened: Either the Trudeau government’s entire protocol, intelligence and security apparatus vetted this person and showed gross incompetence in doing their jobs or the outgoing Speaker of the House of Commons was able to invite someone to be with the president of a country at war without any vetting at all, which is also gross incompetence on the part this government.

Senator Gold, which of those two is it?

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

What happened is deeply troubling and deeply distressing for Canadians, especially Jewish Canadians, Ukrainian Canadians and all of those affected by the Holocaust.

It is regrettable, Senator Plett — with the greatest of respect — that you make assertions with underpinnings that you know are incorrect.

The Speaker of the other place — like the Speaker of the Senate and the senators in this chamber — has the prerogative to invite guests. Their names are not vetted with the Prime Minister’s Office, or PMO, and neither are our names when we invite guests.

It was a horrible, embarrassing situation for which the Speaker has apologized and resigned, and for which the Prime Minister — literally within the last few minutes — has apologized to all Canadians.

I think it is important to heed my words: I urge all parliamentarians not to politicize this event that was deeply hurtful to so many people.

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

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Thursday, February 10, 2022, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in relation to its study on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to agriculture and forestry be extended from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2025; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, our thoughts are turned to truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Today, I rise to recognize a person whose work and profession were an integral part of the northern land claims: Gerhard Charles Friesen — Charlie to his beloved wife Robyn, a father and a grandfather.

Carl, as he was known to most, was born in 1952 in Morden, Manitoba. He graduated with degrees from the University of British Columbia and the University of Calgary. At his University of British Columbia graduation ceremony at the top of his class as a Canada Lands Surveyor, a story was told of Carl tossing that gold medal from the stage to his father who had rather wished Carl’s life of service would have been as a doctor. While Carl may have been rather flippant about the gold medal, his contribution to the Yukon and Canada was not flippant and far more than gold nugget-sized.

Carl’s strong sense of community and desire to give back to ensure a fair and socially just Yukon with opportunity for everyone is how we remember Carl. His contribution to Canada was this and so much more.

In the recently published book A Sense of Where You Are: The Vital Work and Turbulent Times of the Canada Lands Surveyors, Charles Wilkins described Carl Friesen this way:

 . . . it would be difficult to find a Canada Lands Surveyor over the age of 40 who doesn’t know Carl. . . . he was an energetic, sometimes outspoken, supporter of self-regulation for the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors during the 1990s and has served as the Association’s president and on its council.

Carl described the importance and the difference of the northern land claim survey this way: “The biggest survey in history had been the Dominion Land Survey during the late 1800s and 1900s.” The land survey was described as thousands of small surveys knitted meticulously into the same vast grid, dividing the Prairies into a seemingly endless quilt of townships and farms and covering nearly 200 million acres of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The Dominion survey was accomplished by hundreds of different surveyors over a period of some 50 years. Most of the big northern land claims, including those for Inuvialuit, Nunavut and the Yukon, were accomplished in less than two decades, and were enacted by at most a few dozen surveyors and their crews. Carl was a leader among those surveyors and their crews.

Carl noted that the Dominion Lands Survey was not negotiated with First Nations, nor perhaps even explained to them, at least not in their own languages. It was simply imposed by the government.

Carl played a significant role inland claims settlements. He was proud of his work with and for First Nations. As the years passed, he saw how the big surveys supported both the spirit and intent of reconciliation.

The story of Canada Lands Surveyors, and especially Carl Friesen’s contribution, is well-documented in the book I mentioned. Colleagues, it’s well worth a read of this amazing story of Canada and of a very special Canadian.

Carl, our thanks to you for your contribution to our community, our country and the Canada Lands Surveyors. Safe trails, my friend. Mahsi’cho. Thank you.