Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. This is an important issue and part of Canada’s commitment to advance economic reconciliation by supporting Indigenous businesses through a variety of means, including federal procurement policies.

It’s premature for me to be able to measure the success of this program, but I can say that as of March 24, 2022, PSPC has awarded 42 contracts worth over $197 million to self-identified Indigenous businesses in response to the pandemic and issues that flowed from that. I am also advised that the government does expect that all departments and agencies will meet or exceed the 5% target no later than the end of fiscal 2024-25.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for that and for reminding those of us, shamefully, who are not necessarily aware of the details of that incident in our history.

This government will do everything that it can in this program to provide for recreational and conservancy space for all of its citizens, and I have every confidence that will also include treating the residents in the area with respect. I will certainly undertake to make inquiries and pass on the understandable preoccupations of the residents of your area.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I will say a number of things.

First, these are very troubling allegations of a superior lying, and I have no comments on the truth or otherwise of the claims of one employee to his former superior.

As you know, colleagues, the CBSA has suspended contracts with GC Strategies, with Coradix Technology and Dalian Enterprises. The government is aware that the RCMP is investigating these allegations.

Misconduct of any kind in procurement is never acceptable. To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigations, the government cannot provide any further comment.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you. I’ll certainly make inquiries and pass that on.

Measuring progress is a critical aspect of any plan. Plans aren’t fully successful unless there are measures taken to account for progress so that course corrections can be taken. I’ll certainly bring this to the attention of the minister.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for underlining this important issue, an important one and a moral one for those who have served our country admirably, and their families as well.

I’m advised that the government is investing $445 million over the coming years to tackle the important issue of housing. It’ll be used to build new housing, bases and wings, and renovate a number of existing housing units. That’s one piece of it. In addition, I’m advised that the government has put into place a number of policies to support veterans and their families. For example, increasing rates of pay for military members to assure alignment with increases in the federal public sector; implementing an interim relocation policy to enable remote work options; and covering some additional expenses for dual residency for up to six months if a Canadian Armed Forces member cannot sell their residence. This is not a complete answer to the problem, that is for sure. It continues to work on this important matter.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The issue of food insecurity for a growing number of Canadian families is a serious one, it is a challenging one and it is one that the government is taking seriously within its areas of jurisdiction.

Not being an economist and not wanting to minimize at all the impact of every aspect of the increased cost of living on Canadians’ ability to feed their households with the nourishing food that they deserve, the evidence is not at all clear that the price on pollution adds a significant amount to the growing food costs. We heard that expressed quite clearly in a recent intervention in this chamber.

The fact is Canadians are struggling; the federal government is doing its part, as are our provinces and, thank goodness, the non‑profit sector. We should all continue to do our part to help Canadians in need.