Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I think a number of your assertions deserve correction.

The bill was indeed amended. It was not gutted. It was amended by the committee, as is its prerogative to do so. First of all, the record will show who was present and who voted, which is a somewhat different narrative than what has been fed to the media and propagated.

With regard to the barn, it is more than a barn, Senator Batters. It is a two-level, partially heated storage and vehicle garage, which would also include 70 roof-mounted solar panels producing enough energy to completely offset the electrical needs of Stornoway. Those are the facts.

Again, I encourage senators — as I have done on many occasions — to ask me the proper questions that assume the proper facts underlying them.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The government is well aware that small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and play a critical role in Canada’s economy. They employ over 10 million hard-working people in all regions of the country.

Small Business Week just ended, and at that time, Minister Valdez announced new funding to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, including funds to help 2,000 women entrepreneurs across Canada to start a business and put their plans for growth into action. Funding for the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business will help to increase the tools and resources that small business owners and Indigenous entrepreneurs need to prosper.

The government will continue to support small businesses across the country, whether they are just getting started, growing or trying to expand into new markets.

Hon. Bev Busson: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, from the study of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans that is presently under way, we know that both coasts of our great country have an overabundance of seals. We do not, however, have an overabundance of senators from the West Coast. British Columbia has only six seats and is the third most-populated province in Canada, behind Ontario and Quebec, yet we have not had a full complement of senators since I was appointed in 2018.

Senator Gold, will you immediately raise with the Prime Minister the issue of the vacant seat in British Columbia and ask that a new appointment be made, signed, sealed and delivered as soon as possible?

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

The Government of Canada has made its position very clear. Violence must cease, civilians must be protected and hostages must be freed.

I feel that Minister Joly emphasized Canada’s grave concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the importance of ensuring that aid can reach Palestinian civilians.

In fact, Canada is contributing $50 million in humanitarian aid to meet the acute needs of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring regions while ensuring that none of that money ends up in the hands of Hamas.

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

This is an issue that I and my colleagues in my office raise regularly with the Prime Minister’s Office. We, as much as all of you, would like to see the Senate vacancies fully filled as quickly as possible.

There are many factors that appear to have contributed to the delay in some appointments. I will continue to raise this issue with the government at every opportunity.

Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Senator Gold, last session, we hurried to complete the study and third reading of Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act. We were told that rush was necessary in order to ensure the other place could study the bill and send it back to us with plenty of time to meet the court’s deadline of October 28. However, that date is fast approaching, and the Senate will soon find itself in the position, once again, to have to quickly consider the message with its 11 amendments. No one wants to see a gap in registering sex offenders, but your government has delayed sending us the bill.

Will your government seek an extension in court to give the Senate the time required to properly consider the message?

Hon. Amina Gerba: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

The Business Development Bank of Canada recently published a study that makes a very worrisome observation.

Canada has 100,000 fewer entrepreneurs than it did 20 years ago.

Two decades ago, nearly three out of every 1,000 Canadians were becoming entrepreneurs. Now, we are down to one out of every 1,000 Canadians.

In 2021, small businesses employed 8 million people in Canada, accounting for two thirds of private sector jobs.

Senator Gold, obviously, there are not enough initiatives in place for entrepreneurs. What does the government intend to do to better support them?

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Senator Gold has the floor.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. Once again, we need to be clear about the facts. The Supreme Court has affirmed the jurisdiction of the legislature of the Parliament of Canada with respect to the environment. This remains an important aspect of the law and of the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada.

Yes, some aspects of the bill were ruled unconstitutional by the court. The government has already responded. The Government of Canada will read the ruling and learn from the ruling with respect to the Supreme Court’s motives for its decision. The federal government will work with the provinces and Indigenous groups to ensure that the process serves Canadians, and will work quickly to correct the problems and ensure that the legislation serves Canadians.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I am anticipating the conclusion of your question. We have strict times, as I do in my answer.

My understanding is that a third-party expert was named to investigate once the ministry heard of these general allegations. The government has received their report and is taking it seriously, following immediately with corrective action, including implementation of an action plan by December.

I am not aware, Senator McPhedran, of the issue of non‑disclosure agreements. I certainly will inquire into that matter so that the next time you ask me I may have a more fulsome response.

Hon. Leo Housakos: I want to shift now from one fiasco to another. It’s now been a year and a half since Trudeau’s Housing Accelerator Fund for building new homes in Canada was announced. We look to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and find record lows in building homes. When will your government realize that its home-building plan is a failure and go back to the drawing board or, better yet, just resign for the betterment of future generations of Canadians?

Hon. Marilou McPhedran: This is my lucky day, Your Honour. Thank you. I have a question for Senator Gold.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada is a federally funded agency mandated to find, fund and foster Canadian innovation in the green/clean technology field, providing more than $1.5 billion to Canadian start-ups to date.

Unfortunately, it has also been rocked by allegations of financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest, workplace harassment and a volatile, toxic work environment. Canada’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development ordered a review of the agency’s practices, which is now done.

Senator Gold, I was contacted by some potential whistleblowers with knowledge of this workplace who indicated that some staff were pressured to sign non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, to conceal information about their negative experiences. Because the review has been described —

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Well, coming from someone with a business background, a question that evidences such minimal understanding of the economics of the housing market is really stunning.

The government is delivering on its plan to double housing construction to make housing more affordable. Since announcing the new measures of the Tax-Free Savings Account, or TFSA, in April, over 150,000 Canadians have opened a First Home Savings Account, or FHSA.

The actions taken by this government to remove federal GST on the construction of new rental apartment buildings, while urging all provinces to follow suit, has unlocked entrepreneurial willingness across the country. Indeed, it has also unlocked $20 billion in new financing to build 30,000 more apartments per year. In addition, the government announced Housing Accelerator Fund agreements with the cities of Hamilton, London and Vaughan, and it continues to have discussions with other communities.

This is real leadership. This is practical, on-the-ground leadership to address a problem that affects all Canadians and demands proper solutions — not rhetoric.

Hon. Claude Carignan: Leader, on October 13, the government suffered a crushing defeat before the Supreme Court, which ruled that a significant portion of Bill C‑69 on environmental assessment was unconstitutional and infringed on the provinces’ jurisdictions.

We warned you, leader. Premier Kenney, of Alberta, warned you. Quebec’s Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, warned you. All the opposition members warned you on a number of occasions. Minister McKenna and I myself warned you that Bill C‑69 was unconstitutional.

Why is your government ignoring the calls from the provinces when they are being voiced, as well as the advice of its loyal opposition?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Well, vis-à-vis the troubling allegations surrounding ArriveCAN, as senators know, the matter is not only under investigation by the RCMP, but there is also an internal investigation going on under the auspices of the CBSA.

It is also the case, colleagues, as you know, that Minister Anand has recently announced new public service guidelines for outsourcing and procurement, on when they are required and what tools to use to mitigate risk and ensure processes are transparent and appropriate.

There is nothing more on which I can comment in terms of the investigations except to say that they are ongoing both at the RCMP level and within the CBSA, which are the appropriate ways for those investigations to take place.

Hon. Leo Housakos: Senator Gold, last week, I asked Minister Duclos who is responsible at the Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, and Public Services and Procurement Canada, or PSPC, for verifying outside consultants and subcontractors. We saw disturbing information this morning in The Globe and Mail about how $54 million of taxpayers’ money has been spent on ArriveCAN — on consultants who not only fudged their CVs but fabricated expertise for companies that, it seems, do not even exist. Given that information — and the fact that your government, since 2015, has increased spending on outside subcontractors and consultants by 74% — how can you possibly justify all this?

Can you tell this floor who in the Trudeau government is responsible for vetting these contracts? At the end of the day, ArriveCAN has become a fraud, a fiasco and an “ArriveScam.” Who is accountable for this?

Hon. Renée Dupuis: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, are you going to convince the Privy Council to systematically table a gender-based analysis plus for each committee that examines a bill?

Hon. Karen Sorensen moved second reading of Bill S-14, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, the Rouge National Urban Park Act and the National Parks of Canada Fishing Regulations.

She said: Honourable senators, I rise to speak to second reading of Bill S-14, the protecting Canada’s natural wonders act. This bill adds to the terrestrial and aquatic areas protected under the Canada National Parks Act and the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act and strengthens some of the provisions associated with those acts. These two acts and their associated regulations ensure protection for natural ecosystems, native wildlife and cultural heritage.

In my previous career, I spent years working closely with Parks Canada as a municipal councillor and mayor of the Town of Banff located within Banff National Park. I can attest to the stringent regulations preserving Canada’s priceless natural wonders and the diligence of Parks Canada officials in enforcing them. In sponsoring this bill, I’m proud to play a small role in granting even more wild places this protection.

The bill would complete the establishment process for Akami‑Uapishk^U-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve in Labrador. This mountainous region, looming over Lake Melville, encompasses a diverse ecosystem of tundra, forest, coast, islands and rivers. Bill S-14 will secure the preservation of this gem while permitting and regulating traditional land use activities in the region.

This bill will also complete the establishment process for Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area.

Located in the Arctic Ocean, this marine conservation area is considered one of the most significant ecological areas in the world and a critical habitat for some of Canada’s most iconic species, including polar bears, beluga and bowhead whales, narwhal and others. It covers an area stretching from Resolute Bay in the west to the eastern entrance of the Northwest Passage, close to 110,000 square kilometres altogether.

In addition, Bill S-14 will formally extend the boundaries of seven existing national parks and one national park reserve located in five provinces and two territories.

I would like to use some of my time to take you on a tour of these remarkable places. Nunavut is home to Canada’s most northerly national park, Quttinirpaaq National Park on northern Ellesmere Island. This park is home to herds of muskoxen and Peary caribou and a range of ecosystems uniquely adapted to life in this fearsome environment of glaciers, mountains, as well as archaeological sites dating back thousands of years.

This land is critically important to multiple groups, including Inuit from the communities of Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord. It also plays a global role in understanding the impacts of climate change. Bill S-14 would formally add 1,300 hectares to this 3.7‑million-hectare park.

Further south is Riding Mountain National Park in southwestern Manitoba, which was established in 1929 to protect the Southern Boreal Plains and Plateaux Natural Region of Canada. Reflecting its distinctive ecology, geography, flora and fauna, Riding Mountain is now part of the global network of biosphere reserves established by UNESCO. Bill S-14 will add 1,100 hectares to Riding Mountain National Park.

Travelling west, you will find Grasslands National Park in southwestern Saskatchewan, which will expand by 29,000 hectares.

Canada’s Prairie grasslands are considered one of the most endangered and least protected ecosystems in the country. It is estimated that less than 20% of what was once a veritable ocean of Prairie grasslands remains.

Grasslands is the only national park protecting a representative example of this ecosystem, a place where you really can see the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play. This bill will increase its size by almost one third.

On the opposite end of the country, you will find the picturesque Prince Edward Island National Park, home to some of the island’s most beautiful beaches, cliffs, sand dunes and woods, a favourite stomping ground for waterfowl, foxes and families from across Canada. Bill S-14 will add 587 hectares to this national park.

This bill also adds land to Point Pelee National Park near Lake Erie, an area long beloved by birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Due to its ideal location along the migration route, over 390 species of birds have been known to land in the Point Pelee Birding Area. It’s also a favourite stop for migrating monarch butterflies.

Quebec’s Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, home of the largest concentration of some of Canada’s most distinctive rock formations, will also grow by 41 hectares.

Bill S-14 would further protect lands in one of Canada’s most accessible national parks: Thousand Islands National Park along the St. Lawrence River in Ontario. More than 15 million Canadians live within a three-hour drive of the park.

Tuktut Nogait National Park may be Canada’s least accessible park. Located 170 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, this national park offers an environment that is as unforgiving as it is magnificent. Bill S-14 would officially increase the size of Tuktut Nogait National Park by more than 10% — some 184,000 hectares, an area somewhat larger than Jamaica. The proposed expansion includes measures to protect the rights of participants under the Sahtu final agreement to use this area for harvesting wildlife and plants.

It’s important to note that these lands are already owned and controlled by Parks Canada, but do not yet benefit from the standards of protection offered by the aforementioned acts. Specifically, there have been concerns about poaching and, most significantly, illegal dumping. It’s imperative that we act quickly to enable Parks Canada to enforce laws to prevent illicit activities from damaging these ecologically rich ecosystems.

Bill S-14 also contains housekeeping amendments to clarify and strengthen the regulatory tools with which Parks Canada protects and conserves the areas under its authority. One of these amendments, for example, would broaden and clarify offences in relation to the discharge or deposit of substances in a national park, national urban park or a national park reserve.

The government is introducing this expansion and these regulatory tools at a time when, in Canada and around the world, terrestrial and marine ecosystems are in urgent need of protection. The ecological health of many natural places is in serious decline. Sensitive landscapes are degraded. Vital ecosystems are disrupted. Habitats are being lost, putting species at risk. Meanwhile, the crisis of climate change accelerates the pace of these changes and increases their impact.

However, nature can be very resilient if given half a chance. When we withdraw lands and water from the stresses of direct human development and protect them under Parks Canada’s various forms of legislation and regulation, we take a vital first step away from a vicious cycle of environmental degradation and damage and take a step toward a virtuous cycle of ecological protection and restoration. We apply the regulatory tools to protect biodiversity and improve the health of the ecosystems.

The ultimate benefits accrue not only to the immediate habitat and its inhabitants, it creates a healthier planet, including mitigation of climate change. In the process, there are also benefits that accrue to how we develop as a society, as a culture and as a nation. Conserving and protecting natural areas, whether lands or waters, brings together stakeholders who must partner together to pursue shared goals.

Parks Canada has undergone extensive consultation with Indigenous rights holders to ensure that the traditional territories they’ve cared for since time immemorial are protected while ensuring their inherent rights to hunting and harvesting are not infringed. For decades, Indigenous voices were frozen out as vast tracts of their traditional territory were incorporated into the national parks system. Today, Parks Canada is engaged with more than 300 First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada in conserving, restoring and presenting Canada’s natural and cultural heritage. Bill S-14 is a prime example of what can be achieved when Indigenous communities are respected, consulted and included.

I’d like to spotlight the parts of the bill that would complete the process to establish Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve and the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area and enable the expansion of the Tuktut Nogait National Park. Amendments in Bill S-14 ensure that traditional activities, including Inuit harvesting rights, will continue to be guaranteed in these areas in accordance with the federal-provincial land transfer agreement, the Labrador and Inuit Land Claims Agreement, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement and the Sahtu final agreement. These measures are imperative in order to honour Canada’s obligations with our modern treaty and self‑government partners, upholding the honour of the Crown.

Additionally, the bill will change the name of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve of Canada to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, better recognizing the history and continued role of the Haida people, who have long called the region home.

Bill S-14 doesn’t only enhance the protection of millions of hectares of unique terrestrial and marine ecosystems, it also helps sustain cultures and ways of life that have endured for centuries. These natural wonders are part of our history and identity. Canada is known around the world for our vast array of landscapes that you won’t find anywhere else.

These lands are who we are. They’re part of us, but they’re also much bigger than us. They existed before we were born, and if we work to preserve them, they’ll be around long after we’ve left this place.

I hope you will all join me in helping Canada’s foremost conservation experts protect our natural wonders.

Thank you. Hiy hiy.