Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Actually, another former Bank of Canada governor, Stephen Poloz, last month pointed to the fact that Canada was second to last for productivity performance among the OECD — the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development — countries. He said that government red tape and overregulation are impairing Canada’s economic productivity and have created too much uncertainty for businesses.

He said:

I do think that there is a stronger incentive to clean up some of the regulatory issues, the red tapey type of issues that are slowing us down.

Senator Gold, do you agree that we must reduce the government’s red tape? What is the Trudeau government’s plan to reduce red tape and regulatory burden?

Senator Carignan: Leader, are you aware that the filtering systems will be installed in all of the Canadian provinces, including Ontario? Where in Ontario do most of the RCMP’s communications occur? Right here in Ottawa. What is the reason for the RCMP’s communications here in Ottawa, on confidential frequencies used by public servants, ambassadors and foreign visitors?

Are you aware that you gave a Chinese company access to those communications and that that poses a national security risk for all government communications?

Some Hon. Senators: Shame.

Senator Plett: Senator Gold, how can you justify assisted suicide as a service to improve the well-being of veterans?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Let me begin by saying that what happened to those veterans is totally unacceptable. It should never have happened.

Senator Batters: He should get fired.

Hon. Claude Carignan: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Leader, CBC’s Marc Godbout reported this morning that the government awarded a contract for a radio frequency filtering system to a certain company. These systems are supposed to protect the RCMP’s telecommunications.

Why did the government award a contract for filtering systems meant to protect RCMP communications to a Chinese company? Leader, what is going on within your government? I think there is a problem.

Senator Dalphond: Once more, I am learning something from you. All the famous people come from Saskatchewan, obviously. The proof is made on a daily basis here.

Paul-André Crépeau was a great jurist who left us too early in his life. He left a legacy not only in his books, but he also founded at McGill University the Centre for Private and Comparative Law, which I think is one of the leading institutions. It was once led by Justice Kasirer, who is now at the Supreme Court.

I think Mr. Crépeau’s contribution and legacy are important. If he were looking at us today, debating in the Senate about the bijural nature of Canada, I think he would be proud of us — proud of a question from somebody from Saskatchewan and proud to see that ideas coming from Saskatchewanians are the ideas being adopted in Quebec and are the ideas that govern federal legislation nowadays. I think it is quite an achievement, and he would be proud of us.

(On motion of Senator Martin, debate adjourned.)

The Senate proceeded to consideration of the ninth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples (Subject matter of Bill C-32, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 3, 2022 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022), tabled in the Senate on December 6, 2022.

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Senator Gold, the October 2022 report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research recommended:

That the Government of Canada increase the number of scholarships and fellowships to graduate students and post‑doctoral researchers, increase their value by 25% to reflect increases in cost of living since their last adjustment in 2003 and index the amount to the consumer price index.

Will the Government of Canada implement this recommendation in the upcoming budget?

An Hon. Senator: Hear, hear.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Craig Pollett. He is the guest of the Honourable Senator Ravalia.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Departmental Results Reports for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding individual, a Canadian hero and beloved veteran of the Korean War, the late Donald Sudden, who passed away on November 22, 2022, just shy of his ninetieth birthday. He was the last president of the Korea Veterans Association of Canada Heritage Unit, which disbanded at the end of August 2021.

Don proudly joined the Canadian Army on June 7, 1951, and served with the Royal Canadian Artillery, 216 Battery at Petawawa, to train for Korea. He went to Korea in January 1953 and fought in hand-to-hand combat in the Battle of Hill 187 as a front-line gunner in the artillery, alongside the 3^rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. He was on Forward Line Crew until the July 27, 1953, signing of the armistice, then was assigned peacekeeping duties on the White Front, now the demilitarized zone, or the DMZ.

He left Korea in March 1954 and returned to Canada. From 1965 to 1966, he served in Vietnam as part of International Commission for Supervision and Control, and from 1966 to 1967 in Cyprus as part of a peacekeeping mission.

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In 1972, he retired from the Canadian Armed Forces after 21 years of service.

Don’s smile would light up a room, with his contagious laughter and positive outlook on life. He was humble to the core, always appreciating life’s blessings. He was one of my most active Facebook friends. I will miss his thumbs up or hearts and comments on every single post that I made. I will also miss him on our Zoom calls with his signature smile and raspy voice.

To Grace, his beloved widow, I offer my sincere condolences. Don was a devoted husband, and your love was an inspiration. I will miss our visits and hearing Don’s stories. Please know that you are not alone. Don touched so many lives, and his legacy will live on in each of us. We will continue to share his stories and his zest for life and carry a little piece of him in our hearts. Through my advocacy work and that of others, we promise to hold high the torch and uphold the legacy of the Korean War and the selfless sacrifices of our veterans of the Korean War.

Honourable senators, please join me in remembering the late Don Sudden, a Canadian hero of the Korean War. May he rest in peace.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

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

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for underlining the challenges that our economy continues to face. The government will continue to act in a prudent and responsible fashion to help Canadians through this period and to support our economy as it grows.

As I’ve said on many occasions in this chamber, the rising interest rates and inflation are a function of many factors, only part of which is attributable to government spending.

Indeed, I was gratified to read that analysis is also shared by Scotiabank economists, who pointed out that the increase in inflation is due to many factors, the great majority of which are global factors, including supply chains. Only 15% is attributable to government spending to help us through the pandemic.

Indeed, the economists also affirmed that these programs had a large and welcome impact on our economy. The government’s credit rating is solid, and we are well positioned for the future.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question.

The government has been steadfast in its financial support of all scientists and research. That’s why Budget 2022 proposes $38.3 million over four years to the federal granting councils to add new internationally recruited Canada Excellence Research Chairs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Since 2016, the government has provided more than $14 billion in new resources to support science and research.

As I have said, the government is committed to continuing to support a robust science and research ecosystem that reflects Canada’s strengths and advances Canada’s interests. As I mentioned a moment ago, once the upcoming budget has been tabled, details of that budget will be made available to the benefit of all senators.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I think this government and all governments, provincial and territorial, recognize the importance of modernizing our regulatory framework and making it more efficient and effective for businesses to do their business, to grow and emerge while at the same time making sure that the measures in place to save Canadians, whether it is in the areas of fraud or consumer products, remain vigorous and in place. This government, in its areas of jurisdiction, has embarked upon — and we had an example of it in this chamber not that long ago — measures to modernize regulatory frameworks within many areas of legislation.

Of course, the regulation of businesses is a matter of provincial jurisdiction, and each province has its responsibility as well to ease the regulatory burden where appropriate on individuals and businesses.