Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Point of order, please. I would like Senator Gold to read that Notice of Motion in English. The translation was very poor at the start of it, and I could not understand.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, my question concerns, again, the failed $60 million “ArriveScam” app. Last week, two senior officials who have been suspended in relation to the “ArriveScam” told a committee of the other place that there is an ongoing cover-up related to this scandal.

Liberal MPs have shut down committee meetings into “ArriveScam,” including a meeting last fall, just as the Auditor General was about to testify. Last week, Liberal MPs filibustered a motion to compel the two-man GC Strategies to appear before the committee or face arrest by the Sergeant-at-Arms.

The Trudeau government is certainly acting like it has something to hide — is it not, leader? Who gave the order to shut down the meetings and stall for time? I want the name, please.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, notwithstanding the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the sitting of Wednesday, February 28, 2024, continue beyond 4 p.m., if Government Business is not completed, and adjourn at the earlier of the completion of Government Business or midnight; and

That the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to meet after 4 p.m. on that day for the purpose of considering Bill C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, even though the Senate may then be sitting, with rule 12-18(1) being suspended in relation thereto.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, Senator Pate. It is an important question, and the mental health needs of all Canadians — not limited to those in prison, but including those in prison — is an important and challenging measure of how well we, as a society, are taking care of our citizens.

I’m not in a position to answer the specific question, but I will certainly raise it with the minister.

Hon. Leo Housakos: Senator Gold, we heard more explosive evidence on “ArriveScam” last week at a House of Commons committee.

Thank God for the Conservative opposition for trying to hold this government to account. For that matter, thank God for the Conservative opposition in this new independent Senate. It seems this is the only group who is really preoccupied by “ArriveScam.” We’re the only ones asking any questions of you.

Last week, the committee heard again from the only two senior bureaucrats involved with this faulty and fraudulent scheme that the chief technology officer, Minh Doan — who oversaw the whole thing — deleted tens of thousands of emails related to “ArriveScam.” Yet, he received a promotion within your government, and the two whistle-blowers are the only two people who suffered consequences. That’s how much you care about getting to the bottom of these allegations or innuendoes, or whatever you call them. Why is that, Senator Gold? Why is your government protecting Minh Doan? Is it because he was following the instructions of the Trudeau government, and now you don’t want him to point fingers back at this government?

Hon. Yuen Pau Woo: Senator Gold, it has been a month since the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, asked Israel to ensure that humanitarian relief be provided to Palestinians in Gaza. It has also been about a month since any meaningful amount of relief entered Gaza. Senator Gold, what is Canada doing to ensure that we’re not complicit in any finding of genocide or war crimes that the ICJ and its sister organization, the International Criminal Court, are currently investigating?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Canada is not complicit, and I don’t accept the premises of some of the ways in which our international judicial system is being used.

Canada — the Minister of Foreign Affairs — is in regular contact with its counterparts in the G7. Indeed, the minister has just come back from meetings with leaders in all the neighbouring Arab countries, and is working with our allies and Arab states toward enhancing the humanitarian aid, as well as working toward an arrangement whereby the hostages would be released and hostilities would cease. Canada is doing its part to provide relief to all citizens in that region.

Hon. Kim Pate: Senator Gold, Correctional Service Canada received funding in Budget 2018 that it told our Social Affairs Committee was to increase the number of external mental health beds in community hospitals and mental health facilities to which prisoners can be transferred to receive the health care they need. Now, more than five years later, Correctional Service Canada has revealed to at least three Senate committees that, in fact, no new beds were created. Despite promises to provide written answers to the National Finance Committee by December, as well as to the Legal Committee, Correctional Service Canada has failed to clarify how it actually spent some $46 million in allocations, with additional amounts ongoing.

Will you please commit to providing a response regarding how the missing amount was spent?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): My question also concerns the $60 million “ArriveScam” app, specifically the deleted emails. On Friday, the Information Commissioner issued a statement that says:

Based on allegations related to the destruction of records that were the subject of access to information requests, the Information Commissioner of Canada has initiated an investigation into matters related to requesting and obtaining access to records regarding ArriveCAN between March 2020 and February 23, 2024.

Leader, that’s almost four years’ worth of emails which have allegedly disappeared. Based on the statement, the commissioner appears to have launched the latest investigation into “ArriveScam” on her own accord. Why didn’t the Trudeau government ask her to investigate?

Hon. Claude Carignan: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Last week, we learned that another company, with just two employees, was awarded $7.9 million in contracts to develop the notorious ArriveCAN app. Can the leader explain how two people can be awarded $7.9 million in contracts?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The answer is no, I have no explanation. That’s why the contracts of several companies involved in the development of ArriveCAN have been suspended. It’s also why an investigation is under way within the department to shed some light on what happened. If any illegal activity is found to have taken place, a police investigation will follow.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I’m not in a position to answer that question. I think the government is pleased that the investigation is under way, as it is with all the other investigations. Once again, colleagues, politics aside, the situation that we now understand took place with the development of ArriveCAN had so many problems and flaws, as the Auditor General properly pointed out in her report, including lack of documentation, which makes it even harder — impossible, in some cases — for her to get to the bottom of the matter.

These are things that should never have happened and will not happen again if all the measures that are put into place are followed through as they should be.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. It is important to point out that Canada has one of the largest budgets of the 31-member defence alliance; I believe we rank seventh in terms of contributions. As you know, the government increased its spending by more than 70% as part of its 2017 defence policy. Over the past year, Canada has shown that it is ready to go even further.

Rest assured that Canada will continue to increase its military capacity to meet the challenges of today’s world and invest in modern equipment for its armed forces.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Senator and colleagues, it’s important to note that more than half of all the plastic waste thrown out in Canada is from packaging, and most of it ends up in a landfill, incinerators or in the environment, whether on land or in the sea. While plastics, of course, play an important role in the everyday lives of Canadians, getting rid of problematic plastic food packaging, replacing single-use packaging with reuse-refill systems and ensuring that plastics — when and if needed — are designed to be safely reused, recycled or composted, can help Canada move towards zero plastic waste for the benefit of our environment.

Hon. Clément Gignac: Last week, some of my colleagues and I were at NATO headquarters in Brussels for the annual meetings with the parliamentary associations of NATO countries. It would appear as though 19 of the 32 member countries will meet the required defence spending target of 2% of GDP in 2024. With a rate of 1.38% of GDP, it seems as though Canada is still far from meeting the required minimum target.

In an interview last Tuesday with the Canadian channel CTV, NATO’s Secretary General said that he was still waiting for Canada to give him a date as to when it expects to meet its commitment. The U.S. ambassador to NATO added that Canada is the only member country that has not committed by providing a timeline.

On this historic day marking Sweden’s accession to NATO, when does your government intend to honour its commitment to our allies?

Hon. Robert Black: Senator Gold, primary packaging is essential for the sustainability of the global produce supply chain, ensuring that Canadians have access to a diverse range of produce year-round. It plays a crucial role in preserving the quality, safety and affordability of perishable goods sourced from fresh fruit and vegetable producers across this country. The industry continues to strive to enhance packaging sustainability.

However, Canada’s produce sector has concerns with the government’s proposed regulatory and policy actions, which, if implemented, will have adverse and potentially irreversible impacts on Canadians. The proposed regulatory and policy actions single out fresh produce as the only food category subject to a plastics ban.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association, or CPMA, conducted six studies highlighting the negative effects of the proposed regulations on the fresh produce industry. Of particular concern is the impact on fresh produce affordability and availability. Senator Gold, why is the government proposing regulatory and policy actions that will lead to increased food costs and loss in fresh produce availability for all Canadians?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. Again, I’m not accepting the premise that the government at the time provided misinformation. I simply do not know how the evolution of that work evolved. It is quite common for companies in Canada, indeed around the world, to take advantage of subsidiaries in other countries. Beyond that, I don’t have the details to respond to your question.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I’m glad that you have the opportunity to ask me the question, dear colleague, but I simply don’t have the answer. However, I will certainly raise those considerations with the minister as soon as I can.