Senator Gold: I will certainly make specific inquiries, because I don’t want to mislead the chamber. I don’t know specifically what consultations, understandings or plans are in place on particular aspects of our defence policy and planning, but I will say that the Government of Canada has and will continue to work with Indigenous communities in the North and elsewhere whenever appropriate.

With regard to our security and well-being in the North, there is a long-standing tradition of working with local communities, whether it’s in the area of search and rescue or more generally monitoring the North. I will certainly make inquiries more specifically, senator, and be glad to report back when I can.

Senator Gold: I think I can speak with some authority that the Government of Canada, the Jewish community and Canada and Israel have longstanding, fruitful, friendly and mutually beneficial relationships. I can also speak with some confidence, given my own past before I arrived here, that the Government of Canada takes the question of anti-Semitism and all forms of hate very seriously, and it has demonstrated that through its actions.

Again, I cannot comment on a specific case or what steps may or may not be taken to investigate or to determine the steps that may be taken with this or any other individual, but Canadians should remain satisfied that this government takes allegations and situations of this kind most seriously.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question, senator. As I have said here many times, the government continues to take measures to create jobs and support a healthy economy and a healthy environment. To answer your question more directly, I am told that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and the entire government continue to discuss this and various other files with their provincial and territorial counterparts. Beyond that, I have no information to share.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I don’t know how long the review will take, but I’ll make inquiries, senator. I know that the issue of our warning systems and more generally some of the older networks and resources that we have in place to protect Canadians are also a subject of very keen review and consideration.

As I said in response to an earlier question, the money set aside in the budget and the increases in defence funding are part of this government’s ongoing commitment to re-energize, refit and re‑equip the Canadian Armed Forces to do the job that we need it to do — to defend our interests here and also our interests abroad.

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

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is an independent organization that makes its own investment decisions based on its perspective on the economy and market conditions.

The board operates at arm’s-length from the federal and provincial governments, and its mandate is to invest the Canada Pension Plan Fund in the best interests of the 20 million Canadians who contribute to and benefit from the plan.

It is important to note that, as stated in the board’s 2019-20 report, the Canada Pension Plan remains secure as a result of the resilience of the fund. I have been assured that the plan continues to reach its performance objectives and provide a base for Canadians’ retirement even in these unprecedented and uncertain times. I would point out that the board independently made a commitment to establish a plan to achieve net zero by 2050.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I am very aware of the person you describe and the story that appeared in the press.

Canada has a robust system for dealing with those who seek admission to Canada or those in Canada who may be judged or thought to be inadmissible to remain in Canada. Indeed, in that regard, Canada is well recognized — and has been regularly recognized — by the United Nations for its system, whether it’s that of welcoming refugees or otherwise dealing with those who find themselves within our borders.

The CBSA has a legal obligation to remove inadmissible individuals as soon as possible when that determination has been made. I cannot comment on specific cases, such as the one you’ve identified, but everyone who may be ordered removed remains entitled under our system of justice to due process and is subject to many levels of review and appeal.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for your question. I will attempt to answer it as best I can and, in so doing, I might encourage those to consider such questions to be supplementary or additional information to questions that have been posed before.

Thank you for noting that Budget 2022 provides additional funding and that it builds on the previous support the Canadian government has provided to the people of Ukraine. It will ensure that Canada holds Vladimir Putin and his supporters accountable for this illegal invasion.

As colleagues will know, it is not atypical at all for amounts to be set aside in a budget for the ability to provide flexible and timely responses to what is, in this case, a clearly volatile situation. In that regard, I am advised of the following: First, that the Minister of National Defence is in close contact with Ukraine to discuss their needs and with our NATO allies in order to coordinate our responses to the stated needs of Ukraine.

Second, I would also note that, last week, the Minister of National Defence joined with our allies in Germany to participate in the Ukraine Security Consultative Group, and she met again with her Ukrainian counterpart. The minister also had very productive meetings with her American counterpart, most recently at the Pentagon just last week.

Given the nature of this conflict, the government will not be providing more details on the arrival and transit of military support for reasons that I think we would all understand.

Canada, along with our allies, will continue to provide to our Ukrainian friends the tools that they need to keep fighting, and we hope to win this war.

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

Since January, more than 23,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Canada. They continue to arrive regularly. I’m advised that since the launch of the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, aiming to facilitate Ukrainian immigration to Canada and Ukrainians coming to Canada, more than 85,000 applications have been approved. The government will continue to do what it can, not only to get Ukrainians here but also to support them when they arrive. In that regard on behalf of the Government of Canada, I want to thank all the organizations, church groups, synagogue groups, mosques and other not-for-profit organizations who have done their part to raise money and provide support for those who arrive.

The government is working with partners, of course — all of whom I’ve just mentioned — but notably the Canadian Ukrainian community and settlement organizations. The government is continuing to monitor travel volumes and the needs, and will respond as appropriate.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. I have not read the article to which you refer, but I’m aware of the general tenor of the allegation. The short answer, Senator Lankin, is, no, I am not concerned. I think the debate that we had here in the Senate was a fulsome and transparent one. I can’t speak for what motivated those of you who voted in support of the legislation, or what factors influenced you more than others.

I will say this: The government then and now continues to support and encourage the parties to reach a new, negotiated collective agreement. As you know, federal mediators and conciliators worked with the parties for over two and a half years. Unfortunately, the parties were not able to reach an agreement during that period of time, so the act that you referenced, Senator Lankin, was introduced. We debated it and the Senate and Parliament indeed were satisfied that it was necessary, and so we did approve it.

The act, as you know, and one of the features of modern back-to-work legislation — unfortunately necessary in some circumstances — is to provide a neutral mediation-arbitration process to resolve the disputes so that a new collective agreement can be reached. On May 12, 2021, Mr. André Lavoie was appointed as mediator-arbitrator to resolve the issues in dispute between the parties and conclude a new collective agreement. I’m advised that this mediation-arbitration process is under way and meetings are scheduled until the end of the year.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question and your views. We all respect and take it seriously. No, I do not think we failed our duty, senator. I think that we had a proper and appropriate debate based upon all the information which included, Senator Lankin, the issues of the economic impact, Canada’s reputation and the health material necessary to protect Canadians’ health which go beyond simply vaccines, as we have discussed many times here. All the issues were on the table, including the Charter analysis and the Charter discussion.

I think we were correct in our legislative role in ensuring that the legislation complied with the Charter in the sense that the limits on rights that, clearly, back-to-work legislation imposes — that goes without saying — are nonetheless justified under the circumstances, of course.

In a free and democratic society, the courts can also play a role — I was going to say second-guessing us, but that’s not correct — in reviewing legislation once it is passed and given Royal Assent. We look forward with confidence to the decisions of the courts in this regard. The respect we have for our Canadian judiciary is no less than we have for our own good work. We did good work on that, even if we disagree on the results.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for underlining the challenge to Canadians, especially those seeking to buy their first home, not only in Toronto, where I had the pleasure of living for many years, but really all across this country, even in smaller communities.

The government continues to try to do its part along with the provinces, municipalities and the private sector to address this very pressing problem for Canadians. It designs programs based upon the best judgment and information as to what would help, and when experience shows that adjustments need to be made it will make those adjustments. That’s the prudent and responsible thing to do.

I don’t want to go off on a tangent, but public policy-making is and should be a matter of, in some sense, trial, and when there is error, failed results, incomplete results or inadequate results, to make adjustments.

This is not a matter, senator, of doubling down on a failed program. This is a matter of doing the government’s part and its best to tailor programs and adjust as circumstances change, as they certainly have changed in our economy throughout this pandemic and as we emerge from it.

So in that regard, the Canadian government will continue to work to do its part to assist Canadians seeking to enter this rather overheated and challenging housing market.

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

The Canadian government has provided and continues to provide important financial and military assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainians. It stands in solidarity with the people fighting this war. We are opening our doors to Ukrainians seeking to come to Canada, and we will continue to work with our allies and the Ukrainian government to respond to their needs, as we should.

Senator Gold: The Government of Canada is considering all steps that it can take to reopen the embassy and provide consular and other services to those who need it. When a decision has been made, it will be announced.