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. 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. 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.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question.

As I said, the minister did not intend to insult the Auditor General. She has expressed her support and respect for the Auditor General’s role, and she will continue to work hard for the well-being of Canadians.

Senator Gold: I will begin again, colleagues.

Senator Gold: Your passion on behalf of veterans is justified. The implications that this government doesn’t care is odious. It is simply not the case. Please allow me to express my feelings and my statement.

My understanding is that it may have been simply one person who made this offer. The investigation is under way. The government is taking this seriously —

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. It is a serious issue.

The government is aware of the concerns expressed not only by several doctors and doctors’ groups, but also by some provinces and territories that are taking the issue seriously and reflecting on what should be done.

That being said, a report being prepared for February will contain some recommendations on this subject, and the government will take all of this into consideration before making a decision.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question.

The C.D. Howe Institute plays an important role. It is one of many think tanks in this country with a range of different ideological stripes.

The fact is that Canada remains an attractive place. It is a stable, democratic country with a healthy economy and an educated workforce, and Canada will continue to be a place where businesses can flourish.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question.

As the Minister of Finance has announced in various speeches surrounding the Fall Economic Statement, the projections of the government are on track for the budget to continue to come down.

The Government of Canada, I repeat, has acted in a prudent and responsible fashion. Indeed, as former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge, in expressing his agreement with how quickly and effectively the Government of Canada responded to the challenges of the pandemic, noted more recently than the beginning of the pandemic, “We’ve never had a recovery as rapid as the one we had in 2021. It was incredible.”

In that regard, Senator Plett, the government will continue to work in the best interests of Canadians, as it was elected to do.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, senator.

The government understands, as I’ve said before in this chamber, the importance of investing in research and our students, including graduate students. Indeed, the government has made historical investments in fundamental research over the last five years.

Colleagues, I note that the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System was launched on October 6, 2022, and this panel will provide the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and the Minister of Health with policy advice on the structure, the governance and the management of the federal system that supports research and talent. As well, the panel will advise how to ensure that federal support for Canada’s academic research enterprise is coordinated, cohesive, responsive and agile.

The government looks forward to the panel’s work, and it is always looking for ways it can better serve Canadians.

Details of the upcoming budget for this initiative will be made available once it has been tabled.

Senator Kutcher: Thank you very much, Senator Gold. Sadly, we are all aware of the number of panels and reports that have happened before with little action resulting from them. I’m hopeful that it won’t be the same with this one.

But that same report lamented Canada’s inadequate and globally lacking investment in fundamental research; we are way behind. It recommended:

That the Government of Canada review and increase its investments in fundamental research through increases to the budgets of the three granting councils.

Thousands of scientists from across Canada have called for a doubling of the funding for the Tri-Council. Will the Government of Canada heed those calls and provide that essential funding for the upcoming budget, or will we continue to languish behind other countries?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): My question to Senator Gold this afternoon is in regard to the unbelievable debt that our government is accumulating on behalf of all taxpayers.

Last month, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, or PBO, released a report containing a risk scenario analysis “to help parliamentarians gauge potential economic and fiscal implications of central banks over-tightening monetary policy.” Under the PBO’s risk scenario analysis, they estimated that public debt charges could reach $53.4 billion in 2024-25. That, Senator Gold, would be an increase of 118% over the debt charges of 2021-22. To put that number in perspective, debt charges basically equal, in two years, what we will spend on our entire defence and on services to Indigenous and northern communities.

Senator Gold, what is your government’s long-term plan to pay the interest costs for this pile of Justin Trudeau-Jagmeet Singh debt? Will you cut services to vulnerable Canadians? Will you raise taxes? Or will you continue with the spiral of unending deficits?

Senator Housakos: Senator Gold, the Auditor General said that it was not effective at all. She found $27 billion in suspicious payments.

Like many of her colleagues, Minister Diane Lebouthillier is making blunder after blunder and, like her colleagues, she never apologizes. Your government is always ready to apologize for mistakes made by others years ago, but it is never ready to take responsibility for its own.

When will the minister apologize to the Auditor General of Canada?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question.

The government takes seriously any allegation of foreign interference in our system.

The government relies on a rigorous screening system for all partners and all initiatives, including procurement processes. I’m told the government is aware of the allegations regarding the contract that you just mentioned with Sinclair Technologies. As the Prime Minister said, the government looked into the allegations, and it will take all the necessary measures to ensure the integrity of our critical infrastructure.

I’m also told that Minister Mendicino has instructed his senior officials to review the details of that contract carefully in order to reassess the process under which it was awarded.

Senator Plett: Let me repeat what Senator Batters alluded to: Who is going to get fired, Senator Gold? Something happened here. Somebody dropped the ball, Senator Gold. You can say all you want that this will never happen again. But it is happening — over, and over, and over again. The lives of our veterans mean nothing to this government. They have put their lives on the line for you and me, Senator Gold. How can this even happen, Senator Gold, not once or twice, but on four occasions — four times — with more cases expected to come forward.

Minister MacAulay’s mandate letter said the following:

Your top priority is to ensure that services and benefits necessary for the physical, mental and economic wellbeing of Veterans and their families are easily accessible, responsive, and available in a timely manner.

Obviously, this is rhetoric. These are only words. The reality — let me finish — is quite different, Senator Gold. Under the Trudeau government, we have seen wait times increased, veterans brought to court and now assisted suicide offered to our courageous veterans.

Senator Gold, shuffling ministers out of this portfolio has not been successful for your government. At what point will our veterans get the respect and the services that they need and died for?

Senator Gold: What happened was unacceptable. The government is doing what it can to find out what happened, and through what agency it happened, meaning by what person or persons it happened. It may very well have been only one person, but I’m not affirming that because the investigation is under way.

This government cares deeply about its veterans. It is committed to their well-being. Indeed, they put themselves on the line for all of us. It is simply repugnant for the Leader of the Opposition in this chamber to suggest otherwise. The government considers what happened unacceptable. It is not a service offered by Veterans Affairs. It was an example of someone doing something that should not have been done. When the investigation is completed, I have every confidence this government will take the appropriate action.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you very much for your question.

The government knows that it is very important for us to take stock of the lessons that we learned during this pandemic and prepare for future health emergencies and, indeed, any kind of emergency.

I’m advised that some on this work is, in fact, already under way, colleagues, through internal reviews by the Public Health Agency of Canada in addition to external, independent reviews by the Global Public Health Intelligence Network and by the Auditor General.

Now, the government knows, as well, that more can be done, and that is why I’m advised that the government will, in fact, have a COVID-19 response review in a format yet to be determined that will be announced when the details are finalized. In the meantime, I’m assured that the government will keep working with provinces and territories to improve our healthcare system to keep Canadians safe.

Senator M. Deacon: Thank you.

I’m hopeful that these processes and the number of examples that you’ve described this afternoon do keep us on that path to transparency and a picture that is as clear, open and honest as possible. Thank you.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table the answers to the following oral questions:

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on June 15, 2022, by the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., concerning female genital mutilation.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on October 26, 2022, by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, concerning the Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Frances Lankin on June 15, 2022)

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) constitutes a serious threat to the health of women and girls. The Department of Justice is not aware of any charges or prosecutions in relation to this conduct. The provinces are responsible for enforcing Criminal Code offences within their respective jurisdictions, and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada prosecutes criminal offences in the territories.

The Federal government’s approach to addressing FGM/C domestically includes supporting community-based work. Through Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender‑Based Violence, Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) is working to prevent and address all forms of gender-based violence, including FGM/C. Currently, WAGE is providing funding to the End FGM Network to address knowledge gaps in medical, education, and child protection areas; Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre to develop a tool kit for survivors, health care and community service providers with regards to FGM/C; and, the Centre d’établissement des Nouveaux Immigrants de Peel to increase advocacy against FGM/C.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Raymonde Saint-Germain on October 26, 2022)

The federal government is committed to supporting Canadian thalidomide survivors. This includes providing a fair and compassionate approach for assessing unconfirmed individuals that apply to the Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program.

Epiq Class Action Services Canada, a well-established service provider, is the independent third-party administrator responsible for delivering the program and brings expertise and impartiality to the process. Epiq has established a reconsideration process to ensure that applicants denied at any step of the assessment process are given an opportunity to submit additional information in support of their application, without the need to reapply.

At the last step of the assessment process, the multidisciplinary committee of medical and legal experts will consider all information available before making a recommendation to the program administrator on whether the applicant should be eligible under the Program. Applicants denied at this last step will have the opportunity to request reconsideration in writing, via virtual meeting or in person. For details on the options for reconsideration at Step 3, applicants are encouraged to contact the administrator directly. All individuals are treated with respect and compassion.