Senator Gold: Thank you. They have not given up. As the polls suggest, Canadians expect the tech giants to pay their fair share and to support news and information sharing in Canada on their platforms. Meta’s decisions are unfortunate, reckless and irresponsible, particularly affecting Canadians who will have come to rely upon their news through those platforms. I’m assured the government remains open to discussions and has sought to work collaboratively with Meta during this period.

[Translation]

Senator Martin: — type of discretionary bonuses since 2019?

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order, or usual practice, until the end of the day on June 30, 2024, any joint committee be authorized to hold hybrid meetings, with the provisions of the order of February 10, 2022, concerning such meetings, having effect; and

That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that house accordingly.

Senator Cordy: Thank you, Senator Gold. I know that families with children 12 and younger have had access to dental benefits under the interim Canada Dental Benefit. Have there been lessons learned from the rollout of the interim Canada Dental Benefit that will be applied to the new Canadian Dental Care Plan when it becomes accessible to eligible seniors?

How will the Canadian Dental Care Plan be communicated to eligible Canadians when it finally becomes available because it’s important that seniors know what the program is and whether or not they are eligible?

Senator Boisvenu: Senator Gold, the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs disproved that in its report on the Arctic by indicating that, instead of making cuts, we need to reinvest in the Armed Forces.

How can the Prime Minister reconcile his firm commitment to National Defence and his support for Ukraine with the cuts he is making to our defence budgets, which are essential to keeping that commitment? Don’t you think that this is rather hypocritical and that it suggests the government’s statements of support for Ukraine are more about grandstanding than about taking concrete and consistent action to help that country?

Senator Gold: Well, I certainly won’t comment on what mess Pierre Poilievre will clean up, create or otherwise if and when he becomes prime minister.

Again, Bill C-11 was the subject of rigorous study and debate in this chamber. We did our job well. We studied it. We improved it with our amendments. The other house considered them, and the bill was passed into law. There are now further processes under way, and I have confidence in them.

[Translation]

Senator Woo: Yet, Senator Mockler, the bill is ostensibly a finance bill. It has to do with the fiscal position of the government. It has to do with modes of taxation or exemption from taxation. It has questions around the design of systems to encourage lesser emissions of greenhouse gases.

Did you consider any of these factors? Will your committee as a whole reconsider taking on this request from the chamber?

[Translation]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order, or usual practice, until the end of the day on June 30, 2024, any joint committee be authorized to hold hybrid meetings, with the provisions of the order of February 10, 2022, concerning such meetings, having effect; and

That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that house accordingly.

Senator Plett: One of the reasons why the Trudeau government refuses to admit it was wrong is the massive cost attached to changing the passport design. Leader, a project budget of $161 million was set in 2016. However, three years later, leader, a contract was awarded worth $284 million — over a quarter of a billion dollars. That’s a high price for Canadians to pay for having images of our history removed from passports.

Leader, the new passports are poor quality. They have covers that damage and curl easily. Does that mean your government is going to pour even more money into this? If so, how much?

Senator Mockler: As I said earlier, the steering committee of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance made that decision after examining the issue. After careful consideration, the committee decided that Bill C-234 should be examined and that the clause-by-clause consideration should be done after the report was tabled in this chamber.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. I’m not in a position to know, frankly, what data is being collected, much less analyzed. It is still relatively new, but I can assure this chamber that all lessons from this program will be applied to future ones, and that information — I am sure — about the details of the rollout will be communicated well in advance of its implementation.

[Translation]

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Denise Batters: Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to a true legend — George Reed. This Canadian Football League great passed away Sunday in Regina, one day shy of his eighty-fourth birthday. George Reed was beloved throughout Saskatchewan and Rider Nation, which extends across Canada and far beyond. Reed excelled in his 13 years with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, tearing up the field with 16,116 rushing yards and 137 touchdowns. George Reed and his perennial and also legendary on-field partner — quarterback Ron Lancaster — led the Roughriders to their first Grey Cup championship in 1966, and made the Green Machine a top-level team for the next decade.

In 1973, George Reed became pro football’s all-time leading rusher, passing Jim Brown’s record in the NFL — and achieved all of this despite constant and often major injuries. During one season, he played six games with a broken leg. He embodied “Saskatchewan tough.”

George Reed was also a strong leader for all CFL players off the field, serving a long and accomplished tenure as president of the CFL Players Association. The Saskatchewan Roughriders and their devoted Rider Nation were quick to honour George Reed after his retirement in 1976. That fall, Reed’s iconic number 34 was retired. He was inducted into the SaskTel Plaza of Honour in its very first year of existence. When our beautiful new Mosaic Stadium was built, bronze statues of George Reed and Ron Lancaster were installed there — Ronnie and George, together again.

Reed attained his rightful place of prominence in CFL excellence in a 2006 TSN poll where he was named the CFL’s second-greatest player of all time; Doug Flutie was named number one. After his outstanding football career, Reed used his fame for significant charitable causes, like his George Reed Foundation to assist persons with disabilities and the key role he played in the formation of Special Olympics Saskatchewan.

Even with all the deserving accolades Reed received, he remained humble — yet his legendary status could not be denied. Whenever I had the privilege of seeing him around Regina, the last time being this summer, it always made me catch my breath for a second and say excitedly, “There is George Reed!” He continued to attend Roughrider home games, including several this season, and every time they showed George on the giant screen, he’d receive a long and sustained ovation — no matter what the score was.

It is fitting that the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ annual Legends Night game is this weekend, and George Reed will be honoured there — the legend among legends. Sincere condolences to his family, his many friends and his legions of fans. Rider Nation will love George Reed forever. Thank you.

Senator Plett: The only reason Canadians know about this waste is because a group of whistle-blowers came forward. I hope the Prime Minister isn’t going to go after them the way he did with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, or CSIS, whistle-blowers earlier this year.

The investigators also found issues with conflict of interest and other mismanagement of funding. Yet, this past summer, the foundation said the allegations were all unfounded.

Leader, how many taxpayers’ dollars have been spent on salaries, expenses and bonuses at this foundation under the Trudeau government?

Senator Gold: I do not have the information that you have requested.

I will repeat: The government, upon learning of this, took the appropriate remedial action, and expects all of the organizations funded by the government to comply with the appropriate and strict standards.

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: 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, May 19, 2022, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology in relation to its study on the Canadian assisted human reproduction legislative and regulatory framework be extended from October 31, 2023, to June 30, 2025.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

[Translation]

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Omidvar, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)