Senator Mockler: It is quite a bump in the road. To the Government Representative in the Senate, Senator Gold, for the people in Atlantic Canada to meet their 2030 clean energy targets, the federal government must follow through on its commitment to support the Atlantic Loop as a nation-building project: a $5-billion initiative.

To inform the house, this project has had the verbal support of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities and the Minister of Economic Development. However, it is not clear, honourable senators, how much money the federal government is willing to invest in a nation-building project for Atlantic Canada.

Senator Gold, this project is essential for the people of New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada to meet our 2030 clean energy targets. Can you please tell us if the federal government is committed to getting the Atlantic Loop back on track without any bumps in the road? How much money are they willing to commit to this project?

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. The government is committed to this project. I will repeat: Although I do not know the exact number of meetings, I am advised that there has been constant engagement on this project. Cooperation and collaboration between the federal government, the Government of Quebec and the governments of the Atlantic provinces and their respective utility companies continue and will continue through the Atlantic Loop backbone working table.

The Government of Canada is a steadfast and committed partner to this project. It is committed to working with the other Atlantic provinces and all partners on this important project. The government remains committed to seeing the Atlantic Loop see the light of day.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, esteemed colleague. I don’t have the information you’re asking for, but I will try to find it and get back to you as soon as possible. That said, it is the position of the Government of Canada that connecting the electrical grids of the four Atlantic provinces and Quebec is key to eliminating our dependence on coal, creating new jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

All communities in Atlantic Canada will benefit from the Atlantic Loop, an initiative that is in the interest of all Canadians, who recognize the need for a clean energy transition. The government remains convinced that this is an excellent project for the Atlantic provinces and for Canada. As Mr. Wilkinson, the Minister of Natural Resources, said recently when he was talking about the problems and barriers we are seeing, this is just a bump in the road. The government remains committed and determined to see this project through.

[English]

Hon. Lucie Moncion: Thank you for the question, Senator Omidvar, and thank you for providing the question before I arrived at the Senate.

There are quite a few questions within your question, so I will start with the first thing about the headsets. The witnesses have a choice: They can either have headsets that are sent to them, or they can purchase the headsets. It depends upon when they are going to be appearing and how long it is going to take for the headsets to get to them. If they ask the Senate to ship the headsets, the headsets will be shipped to them as long as we have enough time for the shipment to get to the witness. If their appearance is within a limited time that does not give them enough time to receive the headsets, they will be asked to purchase headsets and the Senate will reimburse them.

For the House of Commons, they do not always provide headsets automatically. They do when they are asked, but it is not an automatic situation.

The Senate, right now, for all of the witnesses who are going to be appearing on every committee, there is a 48-hour timeline where they are called by Senate Information Services Directorate employees. They do the sound tests with the proper equipment. If they do not have the proper equipment, they are asked to get it or it is shipped. We do the testing before the witnesses will appear. We check internet connections to make sure that when they do appear at committees, it will be working properly for the interpreters.

One thing that is so important — including for all senators — is to be careful. Just a few minutes ago, we had a colleague asking questions and putting his hand over the microphone. You have to remember that these microphones are directly linked to the interpreters’ ears. We have to be careful. When we shuffle papers over the microphone, that is also going directly into the ears of our interpreters. We have to be very careful when we are using these systems, whether in committee or in the chamber.

Now, with committee chairs, the Internal Economy Committee is bringing forward a set of rules where, if witnesses are appearing and they do not have the proper headsets, they will not be allowed to testify. That is a rule that will be coming forward.

Sound levels are being monitored in every committee room, so we have to be extra careful, especially the committee chairs, to make sure we do not ask the technicians to raise the volume. There is a mandatory volume level that is safe for our interpreters. That level has to be kept in mind.

Also, regarding witnesses having proper equipment, that is going to be on the chairs of the committees to make sure that this happens.

The other portion of this is that we have been working with the interpreters for quite a while to understand all the problems. We are trying to work with the interpreters to make sure they work in a safe environment and that we, as senators, are able to do our work.

Hon. Jane Cordy: My question is for Senator Gold.

Senator Gold, as we enter cold and flu season, on top of the increasing COVID numbers that we are seeing, families are experiencing an alarming rise in children’s illnesses across the country. The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario here in Ottawa has reported that between the months of May and September, the hospital saw the busiest months in the organization’s 50-year history. Officials with the hospital are pointing to a surge in flu and COVID-19 cases. They have seen about 10 times more patients with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, now than before the pandemic. The virus, which disproportionately affects small children, features symptoms including fever, runny nose and coughing, and can lead to difficulty breathing.

As parents try to alleviate these symptoms for their children with medications from the local pharmacy, they are often finding empty shelves. Last week, Health Canada released a statement recognizing the shortage of infant and children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen, but gave little to no details about how they plan to address this situation. Health Canada says the shortages are because of an increase in demand, but shelves have been empty for months, Senator Gold.

Why are the shelves empty? Also, Senator Gold, could you provide us with details on how Health Canada plans to increase the supply of these much-needed products and get them to families who most need them?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for raising this very preoccupying situation for families across the country.

The government shares the concerns of many parents and caregivers about their families and their inability to find pediatric analgesics such as those you have mentioned.

I’m advised that Minister Duclos and Health Canada have spoken to several manufacturers, including Johnson & Johnson, Haleon and Pharmascience to reiterate the urgent need to collaborate to find immediate solutions to this shortage so that parents and caregivers can have the medicines they need to take care of their children.

Companies that supply Canada have also been provided pathways to import foreign products, and the government is reaching out to additional suppliers to attempt to fill the gap.

Health Canada has issued a public advisory that offers parents and caregivers advice and important safety information. And as the health and safety of children remain the government’s top priorities, all options to solve this shortage are on the table.

Senator Cordy: Thank you, Senator Gold. I am very pleased to hear that Minister Duclos is speaking to the manufacturers and that they are looking for other producers for those types of medication for families.

The assumption would be that demand for such products would be very similar to that for the same products south of the border, but anecdotal evidence — and that is people telling stories to the media — from families who have been to the United States report that they are not seeing the same empty shelves in the U.S. as we are seeing here in Canada.

What is the reason for the drastic shortage of infant and children’s products in Canada? What are the barriers that are specific to Canada and Canadian distributors that are preventing these products from getting to Canadian shelves, and what will Health Canada do to ease these barriers so that we will have products? I am really pleased that you told us earlier that Minister Duclos is speaking to providers, but it seems that if we are having shortages in Canada, very often it is reflected in the United States or the reverse. But that does not seem to be the case. Is there a reason for that? If there is, can we work at finding solutions?

Senator Gold: Thank you for the supplementary question. I do not know the answer as to why — at least anecdotally — there appears to be less of a shortage south of the border than here. My understanding is that Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s Chief Medical Advisor, is of the view — and it is indeed confirmed — that the drug shortage is expected to be resolved soon, as manufacturers of these analgesics have significantly increased their production to meet domestic demand. As I mentioned before, I understand that the minister has recently spoken with a number of manufacturers who are committed to maintaining their increased production capacity over the coming months.

I do not want to speculate — that is not helpful — but we do have labelling requirements in Canada. If that is, in fact, one limiting factor for medications that come from outside of the country, I have been told that work will be done in partnership with providers to add information to the labels in both official languages to ensure that patients and caregivers have the information they need to understand the medication they are taking.

I will make some inquiries, senator, and be happy to report back.

Hon. Percy E. Downe: My question is to the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. In 2010, I was contacted by residents of Prince Edward Island who collect a United Kingdom state pension. These pensions are indexed to inflation for pensioners in the United Kingdom as well as for those living in many other countries, including the United States. However, for U.K. pensioners living in Canada, that is not the case. Not only is this unfair to those who face pensions of declining value as a result of inflation, it represents hundreds of millions of dollars — $450 million, according to one estimate — that is not coming to the benefit of the Canadian economy.

The U.K. government policy stands in sharp contrast to Canada where pension payments are always indexed regardless of where in the world the recipient lives. When I first learned of this situation, I wrote to the finance minister at the time, Jim Flaherty, to ask what the Canadian government was doing to alleviate this problem. He responded that they had been working on it for years, but the U.K. government would not change its position and fix the problem.

Senator Boehm, as the United Kingdom is trying to negotiate a new free trade deal with Canada, this would appear to be an excellent opportunity for the Government of Canada to impress upon its U.K. counterpart that correcting this disparity in order to have all U.K. pensions in Canada indexed is a precondition of any negotiations of a free trade deal.

Taking this into account and the role of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade in examining free trade agreements, could you advise the Senate on what issues your committee intends to study over the next year, and if the concerns I just raised could also be considered by your committee, hopefully before the conclusion of any free trade agreement with the United Kingdom?

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 March 23, 2022, by the Honourable Senator Housakos, concerning the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on June 7, 2022, by the Honourable Senator Seidman, concerning the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on June 15, 2022, by the Honourable Senator McPhedran, concerning the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on June 21, 2022, by the Honourable Senator Plett, concerning the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on June 23, 2022, by the Honourable Senator Cormier, concerning Canada’s Commitment to the Fight Against HIV/AIDS — Global Affairs Canada.

Response to the oral question asked in the Senate on June 23, 2022, by the Honourable Senator Cormier, concerning Canada’s Commitment to the Fight Against HIV/AIDS — Health Canada.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Leo Housakos on March 23, 2022)

On March 18, 2022, Global Affairs Canada responded to the letter from B’nai Brith Canada related to the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory of the UN Human Rights Council.

Canada shares some of the concerns expressed in the letter from B’nai Brith Canada regarding the Commission of Inquiry. Canada has raised its concerns about the Commission’s scope, unprecedented ongoing nature, and budget in numerous settings. This approach is in keeping with Canada’s longstanding opposition to the disproportionate focus placed on Israel in multilateral fora. It also reflects Canada’s concern that the Commission of Inquiry may contribute to a politicization of the situation and move us further away from a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Judith G. Seidman on June 7, 2022)

In March and April 2022, Health Canada sought input from Canadians to inform this review and is reviewing the feedback received. The final report will be tabled in Parliament in fall 2022. It will also be made public on Canada.ca.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Marilou McPhedran on June 15, 2022)

Canada remains steadfast in its commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons. The Government participated in the Conference on the Humanitarian Impacts of Nuclear Weapons, which was a valuable forum to better understand the impacts of nuclear weapons use.

Canada has not signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as its provisions are incompatible with Canada’s NATO commitments. As such, Canada did not observe the Meeting of States Parties. That said, Canada remains concerned over the slow pace of nuclear disarmament.

Our efforts are rooted in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This Treaty is the foundation for the global pursuit of disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Canada will continue to work with partners and advocate essential steps such as the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and commencing long overdue negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Donald Neil Plett on June 21, 2022)

Testifying before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, on July 25, 2022, the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Brenda Lucki said:

“I did not interfere in the investigation around this tragedy. Nor did I experience political interference. Specifically, I was not directed to publicly release information about the weapons used by the perpetrator to help advance pending gun control legislation…

Keeping the government informed through timely and accurate information sharing is not interference. It’s standard procedure and these situational updates are provided without compromising the operational integrity of an investigation.”

Further, regarding the April 28, 2020, meeting with Nova Scotia RCMP officials, the Commissioner explained:

“Regarding my use of the word ‘promise’ during the meeting I had with my team following that press conference, at that time and in that context, I was trying to convey that I had confirmed to the Minister that the information about the weapons would be released during the press conference – a confirmation made based on information I had been provided.

Due to a miscommunication, this was not the case, and I felt I had misinformed the Minister and, by extension, the Prime Minister.”

(Response to question raised by the Honourable René Cormier on June 23, 2022)

Canada remains a strong and generous supporter of the Global Fund, our largest investment in global health. Canada has contributed over $3.9 billion to the Global Fund since its inception, and this funding has helped save 50 million lives. Recognizing the critical work of the Global Fund in increasing access to prevention, treatment and care for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria around the world, Canada is contributing an additional C$1.21 billion to the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment, as announced by Prime Minister Trudeau on September 21, 2022. This contribution will support the Global Fund’s work to save 20 million more lives and to achieve our collective goal of ending HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics by 2030.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable René Cormier on June 23, 2022)

Canada is committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The twenty-fourth AIDS Conference showcased Canada’s response on the world stage including innovations by community-based organizations.

In 2020, an estimated 62,790 people were living with HIV in Canada. In 2021, $88.5 million was invested by the Government of Canada to address Sexually Transmitted and Blood Borne Infections (STBBI), including $33.4 million by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to support community-based organizations. HIV stakeholders have called for increased funding to $100 million annually as per Standing Committee reports in 2004 and 2019. Senator Cormier met with the Minister of Health on March 25, 2021, to discuss his motion.

From 2016-17 to 2020-21, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research invested over $228 million on HIV/AIDS research and over $63 million on Hepatitis C research. From 2017 to 2022, Indigenous Services Canada allocated $37.5 million and $11 million ongoing for STBBI programs and services for First Nations and Inuit communities.

On August 1, 2022, the Government of Canada announced that PHAC would invest $17.9 million to expand HIV testing in Canada. Of that, $8 million will go toward a community-based self-testing initiative and $9.9 million to the National Microbiology Laboratory to expand HIV testing in northern, remote or isolated communities.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Boisvenu, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)