Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Leader, I want to return to the topic of illegal crossings into Canada at Roxham Road.

Last week, I raised the report of free bus tickets being distributed by U.S. National Guard members to asylum seekers in Manhattan to bring them closer to our border. On Friday, leader, it was reported that off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in upstate New York are not only providing bus tickets, but are also driving asylum seekers to the border in exchange for money. Canada Border Services Agency confirmed to the media that they are aware of this situation, leader.

Last week, I asked you how long the Trudeau government has been aware of the free bus tickets. Today, I would also like to know how long your government has been aware that some U.S. border patrol officers have been doing this. What is your government doing about this, leader? I hope I can have the answer before 2024.

Senator Plett: I don’t doubt that you’re doing your part; it’s the Trudeau government that has a long history of denying Canadians, including parliamentarians, access to information about what their government is doing and how taxpayers’ money is spent. For example, I find it hard to believe that the CBC still doesn’t know how much it spent on its failed lawsuit against the Conservative Party of Canada. My question asking for that information has been on the Order Paper since May 25, 2021.

I also find it hard to believe that no one in this government has any idea on how many middle-class jobs were created in Canada by sending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to China through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. That question has been on the Senate Order Paper since March 30, 2021.

Leader, if this situation isn’t a perfect example of the absolute contempt shown by this Trudeau government toward the Senate, Canadians and accountability, then what is it, leader?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): About three weeks ago, leader, the Commissioner of the Canada Revenue Agency told a committee of the other place that to further investigate the $15.5 billion paid out to recipients for the wage subsidy “. . . wouldn’t be worth the effort.”

To provide some context, $15.5 billion would pay for more than three years of new spending — announced last week — for provincial health care services.

I think the middle-class Canadians that the Prime Minister likes to talk about would be mystified that billions of their tax dollars are considered inconsequential by this government.

Last week, the Parliamentary Budget Officer told our National Finance Committee that this is disconcerting, and I quite agree with him.

Why doesn’t the Trudeau government believe this work is worth the effort?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): As per usual, my question is for the government leader.

Leader, today on the Senate Order Paper, there are currently 63 written questions that remain unanswered after six months, including 51 that were filed over a year ago. In fact, at least eight of my questions were tabled in the previous Parliament, with one question stretching all the way back to October 27, 2020.

Under the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, the government has 45 days to answer questions. This proves that providing responses to parliamentarians can be done in a timely manner.

Senator Gold, these delays in answering questions from honourable senators are unacceptable. What are you doing to correct it?

Senator Plett: It seems like they are certainly working with the United States on this matter. They are allowing U.S. customs officers to drive illegal immigrants to the border, and they can walk across. So, yes, this government is very complicit and very helpful to their U.S. counterparts in doing this.

Leader, many Canadians, especially in your province of Quebec, have zero confidence that the Trudeau government can close the loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement, or address the massive backlogs in the immigration department for people waiting to illegally come to Canada.

The RCMP intercepted over 39,000 people at Roxham Road last year, and there is nothing to indicate that this number will decrease in 2023.

Leader, last week, you said the Prime Minister was being transparent, open and honest with Canadians by admitting there won’t be a resolution to Roxham Road when he meets with President Biden.

Instead of admitting failure a month before the meeting takes place, why doesn’t the Prime Minister work to fix this mess?

Senator Plett: Leader, in May 2020 I asked you why the Trudeau government instructed public servants to ignore potential cases of fraud, and pay out emergency benefits, even when abuse was suspected. At that time, 200,000 applications were reportedly red-flagged for possible fraud.

You said:

There will be time — and the government is committed to ensuring this — when the tax season and taxes are filed in the coming year that all cases where there have been instances where monies were given incorrectly, either mistakenly in good faith or by fraud, will be pursued. Money will be reimbursed. In cases of fraud, appropriate sanctions will be applied.

Those were your words.

Leader, the Trudeau government said back then, “We’ll deal with it later.” Now your government is saying, “We won’t deal with it at all.”

Millions of Canadians will be doing their taxes soon, leader. Will you be so lax in going after them if they owe money or make mistakes?