The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, Senator Lankin.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Well, that is quite an accusation. I have no knowledge of this story or any of the facts. I am not in a position to comment at all.

Senator Gold: If I understood the question correctly, I do indeed find that interesting. We are, for example, debating Bill S-5 on the environment. It is a very important bill. We have done very good work in committee. We will see how the House of Commons receives the work we have done, and we will continue the debate this week.

As I said in response to your question, it is normal for us to receive bills after they have been studied and debated at the other place. In other words, there is room for both ways of legislating.

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Are senators ready for the question?

Senator Cotter: I would invite you to agree with me that the provisions of the bill included in proposed section 715.23 make it crystal clear that the question of whether a video trial would proceed is in the hands of the judge. Furthermore, the judge is required to take into account a series of criteria, including the accused or the offender’s right to a fair public hearing, before he or she would make a decision to conduct a video trial. Second, with respect to trials, the provision includes the authority and the ability of an accused to decline to participate in a video trial.

Would you agree with me that those provisions are presently in the bill, despite your concerns?

Senator Batters: Yes, a number of those concerns are already taken care of. However, Senator Carignan tried to bring in an amendment to make more precise changes. As I discussed in my speech, there are a number of different reasons that the judge may not realize immediately. Just from human nature, they may not realize the difficulties they are having, but we have seen that from the research that has been provided in other countries.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Are senators ready for the question?

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association concerning the Joint Meeting of the Defence and Security, Economics and Security, and Political Committees, held in Brussels, Belgium, from February 17 to 19, 2020.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association concerning the Sixty-sixth Annual Session, held by video conference from November 18 to 23, 2020.

Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association concerning the Spring Session, held by video conference from May 14 to 17, 2021.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate. Senator Gold, on Monday morning, police were once again called to the Service Canada office in Montreal, in the suburb of Laval. Hundreds of Canadians who had lined up to receive a passport were told to leave. Many of them had been there since Saturday, leader.

Yesterday, leader, you told us the government’s focus is on ensuring anyone who has travel planned within 25 business days is given priority for service. Last Friday, Minister Gould’s parliamentary secretary said Service Canada agents were going through the lines to accommodate those with immediate travel within two business days, leader. Yesterday morning in Laval, people were told they would be helped if they had travel booked within 24 hours, despite a sign on the office door saying they could be helped if their departure was planned in the next 24 to 48 hours.

There are three or four different times there, leader. Which information is correct?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The short answer is, Senator Plett — and thank you for your question — there clearly is inconsistent information being provided both, as you described, at the site in Laval and, perhaps, elsewhere. The information I have was the answer that I gave you the other day, and that’s the only information I have.

It is a deplorable situation. I will try to find out, to the best of my ability, what’s happening in that particular centre. It is a busy one, but it is not the only one that is plagued with problems. I’ll do my best to sort it out if I can.

Senator Plett: Hopefully, the minister can give you the correct information.

Our passport system, leader, is in utter chaos. No one in the Trudeau government knows how to fix it, and each day it seems to get worse. I hate to think what will happen next week when most schools close for the summer and more families start travelling. As I said yesterday, over 18,000 Service Canada employees who process passports still work from home as a pandemic precaution.

The insistence of this Trudeau government to prolong the pandemic as long as possible while the rest of Canada, and indeed the rest of the world, has moved on means the government can’t keep pace with its citizens.

Fewer than 48,000 passports were issued last week, leader. The average before the pandemic was more than 90,000 passports per week — almost double.

Leader, a written answer tabled in the House of Commons states that as of May 12, 2022, 249 Service Canada employees were on leave in relation to the vaccine requirement.

How many of these workers process passports, Senator Gold, and are they now back at their jobs?

Senator Gold: I will certainly make inquiries as to the specific question with which you ended your comments.

Again, I will repeat: This is an unacceptable situation. The government is doing what it can. It is devoting the resources it has to resolve it. One hopes that the situation will improve such that Canadians can travel abroad, or receive their passports for whatever purposes they need them, as quickly as possible.

Senator Dasko: Do you have any explanation that somebody might have offered as to why this bill didn’t go to committee in the Senate?

Senator Dawson: You could put the question to somebody who would be in authority to give an answer. I’m not in authority to give an answer to that.

[Translation]

Hon. Dan Christmas: Honourable senators, I rise to speak in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day, celebrated each year on this day. While it’s a day on which we recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, it’s also a perfect opportunity for recognizing innovations and best practices across national institutions seeking to play their part in achieving reconciliation between Canada and Indigenous peoples.

I’d like to share one such example with you and spotlight the incredible progress being made by a federal institution that’s been around since Confederation — Canada Post. Weeks ago, in early May, Canada Post opened a new community hub post office in my home community of Membertou, only the second of its kind in Canada.

The new Membertou location includes meeting rooms available to rent, along with a parcel packaging area and secure printing and shredding services. There’s also a space for public, wireless internet service, with computers and video conferencing capabilities. There’s even a soundproof podcast room. The new post office includes electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle racks, water bottle refilling stations, accessible parking and automatic doors. The hub’s signage is in Mi’kmaq, French and English, and the space showcases local artwork. As our Chief Terry Paul affirmed, “This is more than just a post office, it is a meeting and gathering place.”

This is all part and parcel of Canada Post’s national strategy to renew its long-standing relationship with First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, as well as with Northern communities. The Indigenous reconciliation strategy reflects Canada Post’s commitment to undertake shared partnerships with Indigenous people and Northern communities, and to make real, sustained progress throughout Canada. It features four key pillars: Improving postal services to Indigenous and Northern communities; developing and implementing an Indigenous procurement strategy; improving Indigenous employment and retention; and supporting the viability, wellness and safety of Indigenous communities. The elements of this strategy are great examples of where reconciliation and retail commerce wonderfully collide with Indigenous culture, community health and sustainable economic development.

As if that weren’t enough, in commemoration of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Canada Post is releasing three new stamps today honouring past Indigenous leaders Harry Daniels, Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier and Jose Kusugak in recognition for their commitment and contributions to the Métis, First Nations and Inuit communities they served.

Canada Post is to be highly commended for manifesting such a game-changing policy undertaking that makes Indigenous reconciliation a key item of the corporation’s business. It seems highly appropriate that we shine a light on these very best practices on National Indigenous Peoples Day. Canada Post has indeed delivered a wonderful parcel of initiatives which all Canadians should be both proud of and thankful for. This is true reconciliACTION at work. Wela’lioq. Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, senator. The government does recognize that these longstanding issues have been causing stress and hardship for employees and their families. The government is committed to fixing this. I’m advised that the government has recently seen an increase in new transactions received at the pay centre, though the majority are processed within service standards. Pay teams prioritize cases with financial implications for employees.

The government has taken significant steps to help stabilize the Phoenix pay system and continues to work with all stakeholders, including unions and employees, on the way forward. To be sure, there is still work to do. However, the government continues to progress toward pay stabilization to ensure that federal employees across the country are paid accurately and on time. The government continues to focus on addressing outstanding transactions while also working toward processing new transactions within service standards 95% of the time.

Finally, the government is also working toward the implementation of the next-generation pay system. This includes running pilot projects and tests to ensure the new system will provide pay to public servants accurately and on time, which is their right and due. This will take time, and Minister Tassi is focused on moving it forward.

Senator M. Deacon: Thank you for that response.

Regarding the last part to do with the new system and implementation, piloting, testing and starting, could you please elaborate? I think I heard most of what you said, but I believe the new system is running in parallel while finishing off the old system. Do you have a sense of, with fair training and pilot time, how long it might be before the new system is running independently of the old?

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: Senator Gold, if I may, I would like to return to the issue of the passport crisis, particularly in Montreal.

A colleague from Montreal told me a rather incredible story. He wanted to submit his passport application at the Service Canada office on Décarie Street in Montreal, six weeks before he was supposed to leave on a trip with his children. The clerk told him, “No, don’t do that, get in line now.” That means that some people in these lineups are leaving in six weeks and have been told that the system is so lousy that it is better to wait in line now than to submit their application. By doing this, by giving this kind of advice, is the government making the crisis worse?