The Hon. the Speaker: Senator McCallum, can you please repeat your comment?

The Hon. the Speaker: It is not clear what you are asking. Could you please repeat that?

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate) tabled the reply to Question No. 251, dated September 19, 2023, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

The Hon. the Speaker: So you are not asking for leave?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, although you claimed that your government has not mismanaged the creation of the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan, there are many who would disagree.

Former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour gave an interview on Monday in which she said the Trudeau government chose to “cheat” the winning design team by ignoring their own rules in awarding the design contract to another team. Justice Arbour served as an adviser to the team chosen by a jury.

Leader, I hope you would agree with me that a former Supreme Court Justice using the word “cheat” to describe your government’s actions should not be taken lightly. Who made the decision to overturn the jury’s decision, and did that directive come from the Office of the Prime Minister?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, Conservative MP Michael Chong recently pointed out that the U.K. government’s advice regarding travel to our country states, “Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Canada.” This advice appears to have been updated on November 3.

However, Canada’s official National Terrorism Threat Level is “Medium,” meaning that a violent act of terrorism could occur, and has been at this level since October 2014.

Leader, these are two very different assessments. Does our Five Eyes partner know something that Canadians are not being told?

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate) tabled the reply to Question No. 200, dated February 2, 2023, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding the legalization of cannabis — Health Canada.

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate) tabled the reply to Question No. 200, dated February 2, 2023, appearing on the Order Paper and Notice Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Plett, regarding the legalization of cannabis — Canada Revenue Agency.

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate), pursuant to notice of November 8, 2023, moved:

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at 2 p.m.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Question.

Hon. Mary Jane McCallum: We will keep the vote to 5:30.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator, I can’t comment on how other countries make their decisions on travel advisories. I can say with confidence that work is being done daily in Canada to assess the level of risk to which Canadians are exposed. In that regard, the work that our institutions do to protect us is also informed by the deep and close relationships that we have with our Five Eyes partners and other democratic allies.

Our law enforcement and security services are monitoring all potential threats, and have robust measures in place to protect Canadians.

The Hon. the Speaker: That’s fine. Thank you.

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: Senator Wells, would you take a question?

Senator Wells: Absolutely.

Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Denise Batters: Will Senator Wells take a couple of questions?

Senator Wells: I will, Senator Batters.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Wells, will you accept a question?

Senator Wells: Yes, I’ll accept a question from Senator Quinn.