Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. Bilingualism is fundamental to our country’s identity. I understand that the RCMP is negotiating contracts to offer French classes and launch a pilot project for in-house language training. The Government of Canada expects the RCMP, like all federal agencies, to meet its obligations under the Official Languages Act.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I don’t have any knowledge that the story is not correct, senator. That’s probably the most accurate way to put it.

But, as the Prime Minister has said, Canada stands firm in asserting that no country has a right — if these allegations prove to be true — to come to our country and take the lives of Canadian citizens.

At the same time, Canada will continue to collaborate with India on matters of shared priorities, and maintain the strong people-to-people ties which exist in this country — between people from India and Canadian communities and institutions — as well as bilateral economic cooperation. Canada will remain engaged with India and hopes it will cooperate in the investigation of this very tragic incident.

Hon. Brent Cotter: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. It concerns Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act.

Senator Gold, you’ll recall that in June there was unanimous and enthusiastic adoption in the Senate and in the other place of Bill C-22. Part of that enthusiasm was associated with the message from Minister Qualtrough that the benefit would be in place for working-age Canadians with disabilities in approximately one year.

Recent communications from the government indicate that, relying on a Senate amendment to the bill that gives the government up to two years for implementation, the benefit will not become available until sometime in 2025 — perhaps as late as June 2025 — leaving thousands of our neediest citizens with disabilities without this benefit for up to two years after the bill received Royal Assent.

Can you advise whether this very unfortunate delay is indeed the case?

Hon. Elizabeth Marshall: My question is also for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Senator Gold, at the Finance Committee this morning, we had witnesses from Finance Canada and the Office of the Auditor General. I didn’t get any answers from the Finance Canada people, but officials from the Auditor General’s office told us that the Auditor General signed off on the 2023 public accounts last month. So they’re signed and ready to go. We’re still working with the 2022 public accounts, so that data is more than 18 months old. Even the most recent copy of The Fiscal Monitor is only for July. We still don’t have August.

Since the Auditor General has signed off on the 2023 public accounts, will you once again raise this issue with the government and impress upon them to release the 2023 public accounts? When are they going to release the 2023 public accounts?

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

The Île-à-la-Crosse residential school in Saskatchewan operated from 1860 to 1976 and was attended largely by Métis students. However, this institution was excluded from both the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and the day school settlement agreement. As a result, survivors from the Île‑à-la-Crosse residential school have yet to receive acknowledgement or compensation for the harms and abuses they endured. After many years of failed attempts to negotiate a resolution, proposed class action has been brought forward against the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan, which funded the institution at different points. In the aftermath of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I ask: What is the Government of Canada doing to ensure that the survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse residential school finally receive recognition and compensation?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, my question concerns the aftermath of the serious and embarrassing incident that took place in the House of Commons during the visit of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, who is leading his country through war. The Royal Canadian Legion said last week that it expects to see measures put into place to ensure that a shocking scenario like this does not occur again.

Leader, have any measures been taken? If so, what are they? Why haven’t Canadians been informed what those measures are? And if no measures have been put into place, isn’t that yet another great failure of leadership and responsibility on the part of the Prime Minister?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and, on this day, for underlining how much work still needs to be done to provide justice to those who suffered under the oppressive regime to which you referred.

I have every confidence that Minister Anandasangaree and the department are working in good faith to address the many challenges. It’s regrettable that attempts to negotiate a settlement were not fruitful. That is a preferred approach rather than forcing folks to litigate. If there is litigation going on, you’ll understand that I cannot comment on it.

This government remains committed to doing what it can to provide justice to those — and their families and communities — who suffered the indignity and the wrongdoing that the residential schools imposed upon them.

Hon. Paula Simons: My question is for the Government Representative. Since 2009, Canada has been a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Members of the alliance are required by terms of the Stockholm Declaration to take all necessary steps to open their archives to researchers who are studying the history of the Holocaust. Canada, however, has not yet done so, despite repeated requests from B’nai Brith Canada and others. Indeed, some of these records are not just inaccessible; they remain confidential.

Given that we have all been freshly reminded of the need to remember the history of the Holocaust, will your government commit to amending the Access to Information Act to mandate the disclosure of all Holocaust-related records in its possession?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The minister indicated — as a prudent minister would — that:

The fiscal environment in Canada right now requires that when we are spending Canadian taxpayer dollars that we do it carefully and thoughtfully.

The government will approach this announced spending cut thoughtfully and prudently.

The global situation has changed so rapidly. Canada is constantly re-evaluating its responsibilities in that regard. I think it is premature to assume that the government knows exactly where that $1-billion cut may come from, but I have every confidence that it will be done both with the needs of the military and the security not only of Canadians but of the world, of which we are an important part, top of mind.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Let me answer the first part of your question because it’s easier for me to answer. Yes, I will raise it with the government again. I confess that I don’t know the internal processes. In that regard — to the second part of your question, Senator Marshall — I’m just not able to give you a date. However, I will certainly raise it again, as you’ve requested.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question and for underlining the importance of access to the full picture of what happened. I’m not in a position to make that commitment, senator, but I’ll certainly pass on the concern and make inquiries to the appropriate minister.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The process for appointing senators is one which is in the prerogative of the Prime Minister. This Prime Minister, as we all know, has taken a particular approach to Senate appointments and to the project of the Senate becoming more modern and less partisan so that it truly adds value to the legislative process rather than being an echo chamber of the other place, where talking points are transmitted from one caucus to another.

I choose not to comment on who will be appointed from Alberta or indeed from any other province. I think all of us are eager and anxious to see the vacancies filled. When they are filled, I have every confidence they will be exemplary Canadians, such as all of us honourable senators who sit in this place.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question and for reminding me of the question that you asked, senator. Without data, we really can’t tell how well we’re doing, so you’re quite right to underline that point.

I will certainly raise this with the relevant minister, and I hope to have more information the next time you ask me the question.

Hon. Marilou McPhedran: I’m returning to the question that I asked of you, Senator Gold, back in June — a long way back. My question referenced how in 2018 Bill C-65 brought in new reporting requirements in the Canada Labour Code, such as tracking occurrences of sexual harassment in federally regulated workplaces, including this place, for the first time. I noted the dearth of Canadian data on workplace harassment and violence and the severe impact on affected workers — disproportionately women, members of racialized minorities, persons with disabilities and gender-diverse folks — and I noted how annual employer monitoring and reporting was delayed nearly three years after Bill C-65 became law.

My question today is on the Labour Code requirement that the minister review the violence and harassment provisions of Bill C-65 every five years, relying on annual reporting and monitoring by employers.

Senator Gold, does the government intend to launch this process in time, as mandated, for the law’s five-year anniversary, and how does it intend to measure the effectiveness of these provisions given the delayed employer-reported data?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, two years ago the people of Alberta elected three people to be their nominees for appointment to the Senate: Pam Davidson, Erika Barootes and Mykhailo Martyniouk. Over a million Albertans voted. This is truly an independent advisory board. There are currently two Senate vacancies from Alberta.

Senator Gold, when will the Prime Minister appoint two of the elected nominees to the Senate and respect the democratic will of Alberta?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Leader, during the 2015 federal election campaign, the Prime Minister promised that his Liberal government would:

Inventory all available federal lands and buildings to see what could be repurposed, and make it available at low cost for affordable housing in communities where there is a pressing need . . . .

Last month, a response to a written question tabled in the House of Commons revealed how many houses have been built through this initiative. The answer, Senator Gold, was 12. That’s it — 12 houses built in eight long years. With a track record like that, it’s no wonder the Trudeau government is unable to fix Canada’s housing crisis.

Leader, how can you honestly continue to say your government is showing any type of leadership on housing?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. I’m not aware of what other measures may have been put in place. Respectfully, let me remind this chamber of how things work in matters of protocol and security for events such as what occurred last week. Here I can do no better than quoting from the former Chief of Protocol, Mr. Roy Norton, who was talking about the event and its immediate aftermath — a most unfortunate, embarrassing event.

Let me quote for the record. I’m giving information based upon a former chief of protocol:

This event is happening in Parliament because the Speaker has agreed on behalf of parliamentarians to let it proceed. Parliamentary protocol, who report to the two Speakers — both the Speaker of the House and the Senate — would determine who was going to be invited.

. . . the government would have had zero role in inviting Mr. Hunka or, for that matter, most of the people who sat in the gallery.

So I raise that for the benefit of this chamber to advise you that whatever steps are being taken will involve in some cases the Speaker, whether of the other place or here, and I’m not aware at this juncture of what changes, if any, are being contemplated.

Hon. Senators: Question.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Well, the housing crisis that is affecting Canadians is a matter with which all levels of government are seized. This government along with provincial governments and territorial governments and municipal governments, in partnership with the development community and others, all have a part to play. This government is taking an important step forward in the measures that have been announced more recently. Further measures are under review.

In this regard, the government is not making an idle claim — and it never did claim — that it can solve the problem, nor does this government accept the proposition that it is responsible for the problem. But it is seized with it and it is addressing it responsibly, along with its partners at all levels of government and the private sector.