Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie: Honourable senators, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to highlight the 19th annual Montreal International Black Film Festival, being held in person and online from September 27 to October 1, 2023.

It is an audacious festival that seeks to promote the development of the independent film industry and showcase films on the realities of Black people around the world. It is a new look on Black film that offers bursaries and awards of excellence.

The MIBFF, formerly the Montreal Haitian Film Festival, has become not only the most important festival of its kind in the country, but also a key player in cultural diversity in Quebec.

Congratulations to Fabienne Colas and her entire organizing team on this 19th annual festival. Thank you.

Hon. Michèle Audette: Hello everyone, tshinashkumitin.

Colleagues, I rise today to honour the memory of the late Joyce Echaquan, who left us three years ago. This Atikamekw woman, a mother, died under inhumane, abject conditions amid a barrage of racist, discriminatory and unacceptable slurs. Even the horrific video that made its way around the world in seconds proves it.

On September 28, 2020, the fate of our gentle warrior, Joyce Echaquan, could have taken a different turn. Had we done things differently, she might still be with us today.

In her report, coroner Géhane Kamel wrote that racism or discrimination may have played a part in her death. The coroner is calling on the Government of Quebec to go a step further. She wants it to acknowledge the presence of systemic racism in its institutions, and work hard to eliminate the kinds of things that women like Joyce Echaquan experience.

In response, the Government of Quebec recently tabled Bill 32 on cultural safety. I have to say, we are fortunate to have Joyce’s Principle in its entirety.

Canada is also committed to advancing the fight against racism and discrimination. I also understand that a bill on Indigenous health is being developed to fight racism and discrimination.

In my heart, I tell myself that when someone arrives at the hospital, they have the right to be treated with dignity, respect and without discrimination or racism. I’m eagerly anticipating the day that this bill is introduced in the other place and arrives here in the Senate, so that we can all honour Joyce’s memory together, hers and the thousands of others who left without being heard.

I made a promise to her spouse, Carol, her mother, Diane, and an entire community. I promised to walk beside Joyce Echaquan, and I know many people here in this chamber will as well.

Thank you. I want to tell the family that I love them. Today is a difficult day, but we have a collective responsibility to ensure that all women, regardless of culture or background, are treated with dignity when they arrive at the hospital.

Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

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 its 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.

[Translation]

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Senator Gold, yesterday, in answer to a question from Senator Batters, I was surprised to hear you state that your government was in no way responsible for the current housing crisis that is having a major impact on Canadian families, particularly single-parent families.

In an article published in the August 25 edition of the Financial Post, Jack Mintz, a tax and urban infrastructure expert, said that the Liberals brought in more than a million newcomers in 2022 and are preparing to welcome over 1.2 million in 2023.

The combined total for these two years represents an increase of over 5.4% in the Canadian population, which is triple the average of the past 40 years. That makes Canada the country with the highest population growth in the G20.

As an August National Bank of Canada study shows, housing starts are currently only a quarter of population growth, compared to the historical average of 61%.

Senator Gold, with such an out-of-control immigration policy, do you still think that your government isn’t responsible for the housing crisis?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The short answer is no. The longer answer is that the Prime Minister — and, indeed, this government — has shown considerable understanding and, more importantly, taken action to address the difficult circumstances that Canadians have been facing and continue to face across this country.

In that regard, as I have said on many occasions in this chamber and which bears repeating, the tax on carbon, on pollution, is one of a suite of measures — and the most efficient market-driven measure — to ensure that we can make the transition from our current economy to a cleaner and more sustainable economy, for the benefit of our generation and future generations to come.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The Government of Canada has never denied that it has a role to play with respect to housing issues facing Canadians. I’ve always stressed that the Government of Canada is working and must work in partnership with the provinces and territories, as well as with private companies, to build more housing.

Regarding immigration, senator, Canada needs immigrants not only to continue enriching our culture, our society and our economy, but also, specifically, to fill a labour shortage that’s affecting all sectors of the economy.

Regarding housing, as I stated yesterday, the government’s policies are starting to bear fruit. As Michael J. Cooper, the President and CRO of a Toronto company, Dream Unlimited Corp, said his company is planning to build 5,000 additional units across Canada as a result of the elimination of the tax on rental unit construction.

Similarly, Marc Lee, a senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, emphasized the importance of this measure and this policy, which is designed to help grow our housing supply.

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, a significant portion of my time as a senator has been dedicated to “AGvocating” for the interests of farmers, processors and producers throughout the country.

Over the past several months, I have spoken with many passionate farmers, producers and advocacy groups about concerns over the ongoing negotiations regarding the U.K.’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP. I share their concerns. With accession to the CPTPP, the United Kingdom will have unprecedented access to Canadian markets for pork and beef, while Canadian producers will be unable to send our high-quality products to the British markets. As a trading nation, this sets an unfair advantage for foreign markets. While the U.K. engages in some level of trade protectionism to control its domestic markets, Canada is putting its valuable food systems at risk by allowing foreign products to enter our market at an unfair disadvantage for our farmers. Equal opportunity is crucial for our producers to continue to export their products.

The Canadian Cattle Association and the Canadian Pork Council, as well as the Canadian Meat Council, have actively spoken about the implications that the U.K.’s accession without renegotiation will bring, and the falsehoods being adopted to justify non-tariff barriers to U.K. markets. Their main concern, colleagues, is the failure to accept Canada’s meat inspection system, which is widely recognized around the world as one of the finest. The U.K. does not accept Canada’s food safety and animal health systems and measures, and those non-tariff barriers limit access to the U.K. market. In addition, there is a lack of reciprocal tariff measures, which have allowed British beef and pork full access to the Canadian market without full reciprocity.

I urge my colleagues and the government to consider the implications created by the U.K.’s accession. I believe it is high time we address the non-tariff barriers that restrict global access to our high-quality food products. Canada continues to work diligently to put food on our plates — not just here at home, but around the world as well — and we must continue to protect our valuable food systems.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and your expressed interest in what are, in fact, the five clean investment tax credits in Budget 2023, all aiming to support green innovation in Canada. For the moment, the new clean technology tax credits are focused on clean energy, manufacturing, hydrogen and carbon capture.

In addition, Budget 2023 expanded the Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit — originally launched in 2022 — which was the subject of the government’s wide-ranging public consultations from August to earlier this month. More generally, I’ve been advised that the government is committed to tripling the funding available for clean technology on farms — including for renewable energy, precision agriculture and energy efficiency. I will certainly bring the suggestion on biodigesters to the attention of the appropriate minister.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for underlining the harm that denialism causes to families, communities and to our prospects for moving forward with reconciliation.

This is one of the issues that was highlighted by Kim Murray, the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools, who is working on this file, as you know. At her instigation, the Indigenous Peoples Committee has been dealing with this issue head-on by calling as witnesses groups she has identified as being less than forthcoming with records and information about residential schools.

Uncovering and sharing the full truth behind what happened is a critical piece of the work that needs to be done. This government will continue to support Indigenous peoples, communities, the search for the truth and the search for healing. Without truth, there can be no reconciliation, and a commitment of this government is to be standing side by side in this important work.

Hon. Margo Greenwood: An estimated 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their families and forced to abandon their traditions, languages, cultures and identities. Many children at Indian residential schools were physically and sexually abused, and thousands of children would never see their families again. The violence and intergenerational trauma perpetuated by the state and Church continue to live on for Indigenous peoples across Canada.

But the truth is challenged by the disturbing rise of denialism. Recently, residential school denialists attempted to dig up unmarked graves because they refused to believe that Indigenous children were buried there.

Senator Gold, what is the government doing to combat the rise of residential school denialism in Canada?

Hon. Margo Greenwood: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

September 30 will mark the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. There will be no celebrations or festivities on that day. Instead, Canadians are called upon to reflect on the legacy of residential schools and contemplate how we can further the cause of reconciliation.

Indigenous peoples and Indigenous governments have been calling for the federal government to recognize Indigenous languages as official languages. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and parliamentary committees have stressed the importance of recognizing Indigenous languages as our first languages and furthering the cause of reconciliation. In their Calls for Justice, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls said:

We call upon all governments to recognize Indigenous languages as official languages, with the same status, recognition, and protection provided to French and English.

Senator Gold, will the government heed this call and commit to recognizing Indigenous languages as official languages?

Hon. Robert Black: My question today is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, I continue to be concerned about many ongoing issues that continue to create undue hardship in the agricultural sector. Recently, I met with Green Energy Trading Corporation to learn more about their attempts to positively impact sustainability efforts through the conversion of on-farm organic waste to renewable natural gas. That occurs using biodigesters, which are proven to be effective in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction of reliance on commercial fertilizers. Moreover, digesters create additional revenue, improve manure management and increase overall soil health.

Unfortunately, biodigesters are very costly, and, as we’ve heard in the Agriculture and Forestry Committee meetings, purchasing farm equipment is a multi-year investment. New sustainable innovations are not always feasible options, especially for small-scale farm operations, and the issue is that dairy farmers can’t secure financial loans to install biodigesters without using their farmland as equity. This creates yet another barrier to participate in sustainable agriculture programs and diversify their operations. Yet credits are not being extended to those who are actively trying to work on alternative solutions to help Canada meet our climate change goals.

Senator Gold, my question to you is this: Instead of taxing this important industry, will your government extend the clean technology investment tax credit to Canadian farmers who are actively trying to work on viable alternatives, such as biodigesters, to help Canada meet our climate change targets? Thank you.

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

The government has taken action and is committed to taking action to foster health systems that are free from barriers, including racism and discrimination. This is a key commitment under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan, to which I referred in response to the previous question.

The government is investing funds to support communities, organizations and other health system partners in the development of measures to address anti-Indigenous racism in the health system. This includes measures such as anti-racism and discrimination training, tools and resources for health professionals, and a generation of standards.

To your question about funding, Budget 2022 provided $4 billion over six years to ensure First Nations children receive the support they need through Jordan’s Principle, and Budget 2023 provided an additional $171 million. In February 2023, the government also reaffirmed its commitment to invest $2 billion over 10 years through a new Indigenous health equity fund to address the unique challenges Indigenous peoples face when it comes to fair and equitable access to quality and culturally appropriate health care.

Regarding the latter part of your question, senator, as for metrics for evaluating progress, Indigenous Services Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are working with Indigenous organizations, including the First Nations Information Governance Centre and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, or ITK, to advance the development of an information strategy that will identify gaps in health outcomes and indicators that can be routinely reported upon.

Hon. Pat Duncan: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, Canadians have recently seen increases in federal health care funding to the provinces and the territories. With these funding increases, Canada established certain benchmarks on a province-by-province, territory-by-territory basis. Canada has responsibility for health care for Indigenous peoples. As the former premier of Manitoba Gary Doer phrased it, Canada is the fourteenth province at the table when it comes to funding for First Nations health care.

Boutique programs like Jordan’s Principle have been established to address some shortfalls in existing services.

My questions are these: Has there been an increase in funding for health care delivery for Indigenous peoples in Canada beyond the boutique programs? Also, Senator Gold, if there has been such an increase, are there benchmarks set to show the effectiveness or improvement of service delivery as a result of the increase in health care funding for First Nations peoples?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): While French and English are the two official languages recognized in our Constitution, as we all know, the reality is that there are over 70 Indigenous languages spoken across this country. Many of those languages, as we also know, tragically, are in vulnerable situations and need proactive protection.

However, a constitutional amendment is a complicated thing. That said, we can and must be lifting up, protecting and celebrating Indigenous languages. The government is committed to that and to supporting Indigenous languages as part of reconciliation efforts. Those have included the adoption of the Indigenous Languages Act and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP. Also, for example, the government recently recommitted itself to advancing access to federal services in Indigenous languages, as laid out in the UNDRIP Act Action Plan from this past July.

This is and will remain a government priority.

Hon. René Cormier: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, section 3 of Nunavut’s Inuit Language Protection Act states that public sector organizations active in the territory, including federal departments, agencies and institutions, must provide services to the public and have signage in the Inuit language.

However, during my trip to Nunavut last May, Languages Commissioner Karliin Aariak told me that federal institutions don’t believe that they have to observe that section of the act. Legal experts already stated that Nunavut has to authority to legislate on matters of language on its territory, including with respect to federal institutions.

My question to you is the following: Considering the importance of the Inuit language for the development of the culture and identity of Nunavut’s Indigenous peoples, how will the federal government make sure that federal institutions meet their obligations under this act?

Hon. Brian Francis: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

The survivors of St. Anne’s Residential School have spent years fighting to reopen the claims filed under the Independent Assessment Process, which was established to resolve claims of serious physical, sexual or emotional abuse under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. However, the Government of Canada has spent millions to fight survivors in court and refuses to release documentation that could substantiate claims of abuse that were previously dismissed by adjudicators deciding compensation amounts.

In advance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I ask: Will the Government of Canada end litigation against survivors of St. Anne’s Residential School and fully disclose all relevant documentation?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, and that is a very disturbing story that you recount.

There are internal procedures for monitoring the performance of the processes that are in place. I hope that you are wrong and that not many people have been placed in that very uncomfortable situation.

Not having details of the file, I obviously can’t comment on that. I’ll certainly bring this matter to the attention of the relevant minister.