Hon. Clément Gignac: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, on November 2, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry ordered three Chinese companies to divest their interests in the critical minerals sector. Yesterday, the Government of Canada announced that, from now on, applications for research grants on subjects deemed to be sensitive will be denied if any of the researchers are affiliated with a university or institution with ties to “foreign governments posing a risk to national security.”

Senator Gold, my question is as follows. Given that the U.S. government decided in June 2019 to ban public transit organizations from using federal funds to buy transportation equipment such as trains, subway cars or buses from foreign suppliers that have ties with threatening state actors, does the Government of Canada intend to review its procurement and grants policies for public transit organizations to ensure Canadians aren’t exposed to surveillance controlled by hostile foreign countries?