(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, to receive a Minister of the Crown, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P., Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, appeared before honourable senators during Question Period.)

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, we welcome today the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P., Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, to ask questions relating to her ministerial responsibilities.

Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, senators do not need to stand. Questions are limited to one minute and responses to one-and-a-half minutes. The reading clerk will stand 10 seconds before the expiry of these times. Question Period will last one hour.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my wife Betty and I had the privilege of watching a wonderful sporting event recently, the 2022 Under-18 Canadian Boys and Girls Curling Championships. This week-long event was hosted by the Oakville Curling Club from May 1 to May 7, and they put on a world-class event. There were more than 200 curlers in attendance, along with 42 coaches and a multitude of parents, grandparents, siblings and friends.

I want to thank the City of Oakville and the Oakville Curling Club for hosting the championships and congratulate them for putting on a professional, well-organized event. It truly was exceptional and no small undertaking, with most provinces putting forward two women’s and two men’s teams.

I had the privilege of taking part in this fabulous event over the past two weekends as an active and enthusiastic participant from the bleachers. However, colleagues, I must confess that I was not cheering for a Manitoba team like I normally would. Instead, I was rooting for the Alberta provincial champion, skipped by none other than my granddaughter Myla Plett, as they competed tirelessly for the win.

Honourable senators, what a competition it was. Alberta had two women’s teams at the championships, with the second Alberta team skipped by a young lady named Claire Booth. Over the last two years, Claire and her team have given Myla’s team their biggest challenges on the ice, and the Canadian Under-18 Championships were to be no different. Team Booth went into semi-finals with a record of five and one, while Team Plett had four wins and two losses. When Team Booth beat Saskatchewan in their semi-final game, and Team Plett beat Quebec in their pool, the Alberta teams found themselves again face to face for an all-Alberta final. In the end, patience combined with strategy worked to the advantage of Team Plett, as they scored a 5 to 1 win, becoming the gold medal winners of the Under-18 Canadian Girls Curling Championships.

I want to offer my congratulations to the entire team for their victory, including Myla Plett as skip, Rachel Jacques as third, Alyssa Nedohin as second, Lauren Miller as lead and Chloe Fediuk as alternate, along with their coach, Blair Lenton. I am proud of them all, but it probably goes without saying that I am beyond proud that the best women’s under-18 curler in Canada calls me grandpa.

Myla, you have my love and my congratulations. And to paraphrase my good friend, colleague and Paralympian gold medallist Senator Chantal Petitclerc’s kind words, I am delighted to see that we both share the same fighting spirit. Colleagues, please join me in congratulating not only Team Plett but all of the athletes who competed, wishing them the very best in all future competitions. Thank you.

Hon. Patricia Bovey: Honourable senators, I rise today to congratulate the winners of the international public competition to create the National LGBTQ2+ Monument in Ottawa. The selected group for this major monument is the only all-Canadian shortlisted group — Winnipeggers Liz Wreford, Peter Sampson and Taylor LaRocque of Public City, a multidisciplinary architecture and landscape architecture studio; visual artists Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan; and Indigenous and two-spirited people subject-matter expert and adviser, Albert McLeod.

Their winning design, “Thunderhead,” will be installed in 2025 on Wellington Street, next to the Ottawa River, close to the Judicial Precinct. It meets all the competition goals: to educate, memorialize, celebrate and inspire. Minister Rodriquez said in the March 24 announcement that “Thunderhead”:

. . . embodies the strength, activism and hope of LGBTQ2+ communities. It will be a lasting testimony to the courage and humanity of those who were harmed by the LGBT Purge, homophobic and transphobic laws and norms, and Canada’s colonial history. . . .

In selecting this team, the jury sought public input through a national survey, which had 5,469 valid responses. The shortlisted teams were graded on each of the principles and goals in the call, with the winning group being a favourite. This team was set on creating a dynamic place “for gathering and honouring, for contemplation and performance.” Meant to be a people place, its landscaped park traces the history of LGBTQ2+ people in Canada and includes a healing circle, the stones for which will be hand-picked by two-spirit elders. The monument is a cylinder containing the impression of a thundercloud. It is solemn and luminous. As artists Dempsey and Millan say:

The thundercloud is an expression of energy transmuting, rising and transforming. It is a symbol of renewal and hope, cleansing the earth through life-giving rain. . . .

This inclusive, innovative, inspiring, commemorative design bears both truth and optimism. Reflecting on past wrongs and looking to the future with hope, this visionary landmark will be timeless.

I extend my sincerest congratulations to my fellow Manitobans for their integrity, honesty and innovative approach. I wish them all the best as they undertake the next steps for this important installation — the development of the detailed design and then its construction. I will follow the project with interest and pride. Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of representatives from Canadian charities attending Imagine Canada Hill Day. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Omidvar.

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

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of recipients of the Global Pluralism Award. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Omidvar.

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

Hon. Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P., Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Again, thank you for this very important question.

[English]

It is a truly important question, and one I take to heart. In our official languages legislation in Bill C-13, we have made it clear in two or three areas of the legislation that through our legislation we absolutely do not want to infringe or impede on any part of Indigenous languages.

[Translation]

We recognize that there are 70 Indigenous languages in Canada. As Minister of Official Languages, I want to be clear that we absolutely do not want to impede the development of Indigenous languages. A bill on official languages designed to promote and protect the 70 official languages of Canada received Royal Assent in 2019. Furthermore, our government has allocated funds to ensure that these official languages will continue to be taught.

[English]

It’s important to make sure we recognize that our language is a part of our identity, a part of our culture. That is why the Indigenous language legislation that passed in 2019 was so critical.

For myself, as the Minister of Official Languages, I was eager to speak to the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages, Commissioner Ignace. We spoke about the work we could do collaboratively. They also indicated that while they are putting the Indigenous language office together, that if the Commissioner of Official Languages could work collaboratively with them, they were absolutely pleased to do so.

[Translation]

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, I rise today to applaud the second-largest contributor to Nunavut’s economy: mining. This week, hundreds gathered in my hometown of Iqaluit for the Nunavut Mining Symposium.

According to the latest numbers from the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines, mining in Nunavut has accounted for almost 5,000 person-years of Northern employment between 2009 and 2019 and contributed $4.98 billion in Northern spending over that same time frame. In 2019 alone, the Hope Bay, Meliadine, Meadowbank and Mary River Mines have spent $897.3 million in the North. Focusing on 2019 as the last normal year of activities prior to COVID, Agnico Eagle’s 2019 Socio-Economic Monitoring Program Report shows that 20% of its employees are Inuit, and Agnico Eagle Mines spent 58% of its total spend of $501 million contracting dollars on registered Inuit businesses.

These numbers are reflective of the contributions mining has made, not just in terms of salaries and contracting, but to propping up secondary and tertiary sectors. Mining operations have paid many tens of millions of dollars in royalties to regional Inuit organizations as well as Nunavut Tunngavik. These monies are then spent on important priorities to Inuit including, but not limited to, elder supports, education initiatives and scholarships, as well as hunter support programs. Nunavut News reported that:

Since the development of Baffinland Iron Mines’ Mary River project, approximately $1.1 billion worth of contracts have been awarded to Inuit-owned businesses and joint ventures.

Baffinland and other Nunavut firms have also funded a myriad of valued community projects, ranging from arenas to training centres and daycares in impacted communities.

According to Duane Wilson, Vice-President of Stakeholder Relations for Arctic Co-ops:

Honourable senators, while there is still always work to do in increasing the percentage of Inuit employment and balancing protection of the environment and traditional values with development, mining has presented a source of jobs, training and revenue generation for Nunavummiut across the territory.

Thank you, qujannamiik, taima.

Hon. Nancy J. Hartling: Honourable senators, on this National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada, it is time to celebrate and share achievements. I would like to offer my congratulations on the recent opening of our new hospice residence Maison Albert House in Moncton, New Brunswick. My gratitude to Dennis Cochrane, former chair of the not-for-profit Hospice SENB, and to the board of directors and volunteers whose tireless efforts over the past 15 years made this project possible. It is truly a labour of love and compassion with so many people working to make it a reality. I toured the facility before it opened and later attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and I am so proud to see such an outstanding project in my hometown.

It was named in recognition of Albert Arseneault, a prominent member of our community whose family donated $1 million to the project. In addition, financial backing from all levels of government ensured success. The residence was built on land generously donated by the Hum-Lew-Sun Lions Club. This is truly a community effort.

Maison Albert House in southeast New Brunswick is the first residential hospice and will eventually serve up to 150 palliative care patients a year. The residence operates in close collaboration with the New Brunswick Extra-Mural Program run by Medavie.

The type of care most of us will need at the end of our lives can be very complex and it needs to include consideration for physical comfort, emotional and spiritual needs, daily care and other practical considerations. In Canada, hospitals have become the default providers of end-of-life and palliative care because of the multitude of tests and scans that are needed at this stage of life, and because alternatives are sometimes difficult to find. This is very taxing on hospitals and stands in contrast to most patients’ stated desire to spend their last treasured days at home or in a quiet, private place. Maison Albert House and the Extra-Mural Program are working to provide better options.

The need for this new facility was clear. Despite Moncton being the fastest-growing region in New Brunswick, there were only 13 palliative care beds available at our two major hospitals.

Maison Albert House will be able to provide personalized palliative care free of charge for up to 10 residents who will each have their own private room. Families from out of town will be able to visit their loved ones and stay in one of four guest rooms. Residents will be served by 12 full-time and 9 part-time nurses and support care workers, along with trained volunteers. An in-house chef will prepare healthy, delicious meals. Also, it’s pet friendly — a wonderful policy, as our furry companions can bring us much joy and comfort. Sweetpea is the in-house therapy dog and will also be doing her rounds, visiting the residents on a daily basis.

My sincere thanks to all the volunteers, the staff and the board of Hospice SENB for making Maison Albert House a reality through this wonderful, much-needed initiative. Thank you.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, Question Period will begin at the later of the end of Routine Proceedings or at 2:30 p.m.

Hon. Marty Deacon: Honourable senators, first let me thank my colleague Senator Martin for generously giving her statement spot to me today.

Senators, I stand today to speak to what I call those “5 Days in May,” after the song. If I can borrow a few lines from Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo:

How will you ever know

The way that circumstances go?

Always gonna hit you by surprise

We are entering that time of year when emotions run high and debate runs deep but, as I left Ottawa last week after finishing the first five days in May, I was struck by a number of thoughts and emotions — and I am sure I was not alone.

Very quickly a number of things were at play that required our thought, being truly present, time for celebration and time for empathy. We celebrated the life and accomplishments of our colleague Josée Forest-Niesing. Behind this, we had staff and a senators team attending to every detail with a grieving family who still deeply mourn the loss of their loved one. From the music, the planning, the speeches, thank you to so many. To mention one person would result in leaving someone out. However, this loss and celebration gave us much to think about.

Layered on top of this, we celebrated the departure of a senator who has left a deep and solid history in the Senate. Senators spoke beautifully from all corners of the Senate. We learned more about Senator Mercer, and this had to remind each of us of why we are here, what we are doing and how we can collectively be great.

As one senator is moving on to his post-Senate life during these five days in May, we listened to Senators Gignac, Sorenson, Audette and Clement as they gave their inaugural speeches. We learned more about each of you and your diverse contributions.

One of the greatest joys I have in the Senate is meeting and listening to colleagues from all groups of the Senate. All perspectives inform me. Last week we had much common ground to share, mourn and collectively celebrate.

So the five days in May will evolve into a rush to the June finish. For today, let us just stand or sit still for this moment. Let us not forget this past week — the kind of week that we had. I continue to show great gratitude to be here in the Senate with such an impressive array of Canadians.

Thank you, meegwetch.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Victoria Perrie from Nunavut Legal Aid. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator McPhedran.

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

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boniface, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., for the second reading of Bill S-7, An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Preclearance Act, 2016.

Hon. Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P., Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: First of all, I thank honourable senators for inviting me to this Question Period. This is the first time I have met you for such an exercise, and I am very pleased to appear before you today.

Thank you for this very important question about our veterans. It is completely unacceptable that our francophone veterans have to wait longer to access services. As Minister MacAulay mentioned in the House of Commons a few months ago, the government has hired additional staff to address the issue of wait times, so that veterans have access to services in their first language.

It is vital that Canadians have access to services in the language of their choice. That is why Minister MacAulay made it very clear that additional staff were needed to address this situation, and that is exactly what has been done.

[English]

Hon. Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P., Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Thank you so much for that question. Once again, I want to be extremely clear that our goal with respect to Bill C-13 is to make sure that we have real and substantive equality between our two official languages.

I made it very clear when I put forward Bill C-13 that I wanted to make sure that all Canadians could see themselves in this legislation. All official language minorities need to be reflected within this bill. Our official languages legislation is to make sure we are there as a federal government to defend official language minorities.

Coming from the province of New Brunswick, I am a francophone who lives in an official language minority situation, and I know the importance of our Official Languages Act to make sure that our rights are protected and upheld.

I have also made it extremely clear to anglophones in Quebec that we will always be there to protect their rights as the federal government. In Bill C-13, we have made sure as well that we have enshrined in the legislation the protection of the Court Challenges Program, a program that was abolished by a previous government, which had a detrimental impact on official language minority communities. That’s why in Bill C-13 we wanted to make sure it was in the legislation so that future governments would not be able to withhold that type of tool, which is so important to minority communities.

Furthermore, I had the opportunity over the past few weeks to meet several stakeholders in the province of Quebec, English-speaking stakeholders, to hear from them about their issues with respect to Bill C-13 and their reality on the ground, and I look forward to continuing to work with all official minority language communities to make sure that I have a good understanding of their situation.

[Translation]

Hon. René Cormier: Minister, welcome to the Senate of Canada. We all know what a critical role deputy ministers play in implementing our public policies.

In its final report on the modernization of the Official Languages Act, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages recommended the following:

Amend the Official Languages Act to require that, on appointment, deputy ministers have a sufficient understanding of English and French to be able to perform their duties in both official languages, orally and in writing.

Bill C-13, currently at second reading stage at the House of Commons, has no such provision.

Minister, my question is the following. Do you believe that deputy ministers should be bilingual on appointment? If so, how precisely does your government intend to follow through on this important recommendation from the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, particularly in the context of the current review of the Official Languages Act?

Hon. Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P., Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Thank you for your question, senator, and thank you for your work on official languages.

Respect for both official languages is more than an obligation. For our government, it’s a priority. As we acknowledged last year in our reform document, we know that, too often, executives do not have the capacity to supervise their employees in the official language of their choice and are slow in setting an example for their organizations.

The result is that some government employees do not feel comfortable using their mother tongue at work. That must change. We must maintain the use of both official languages in federal workplaces because, in my opinion, the right to work in French in the public service is non-negotiable.

The reforms we will make to the Official Languages Act will give more power to the Treasury Board to realize the vision of a public service where everyone can work in the official language of their choice. We will also ensure that employees have the tools they need to work in the official language of their choice.

As we announced in our reform document, we are also revising the official languages qualification standards, the standards for second-language evaluations and the minimum second-language requirements in the case of bilingual supervisory positions in designated bilingual regions.

We’re also developing a new training framework for the public service that will ensure quality instruction and be adapted to learners’ specific needs.

The federal government must show leadership and take positive measures to protect and promote French in the public service, and this must be reflected in our laws and in our actions. Thank you.

Hon. Bernadette Clement: Good afternoon, minister.

[English]

Bill C-13 makes references to Indigenous languages, noting that the act does not abrogate or derogate legal or customary rights with respect to Indigenous languages. We often hear about founding languages, languages as a binary, and of the two official languages in Canada. I believe in the protection of English and French.

[Translation]

I’m a proud Franco-Ontarian.

[English]

But I also believe Indigenous languages need more attention, resources and protection.

[Translation]

What role should your office play in the reclamation, revitalization and strengthening of Indigenous languages?

Hon. Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., M.P., Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Thank you for that important question, senator.

The government is committed to ensuring that Canadians have access to justice in the official language of their choice. Many important parts of the Constitution, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, are officially bilingual. However, as you mentioned, many equally important documents, such as the Constitution Act, 1867, were passed in English only, and their French versions are not legally binding.

My colleague, Minister David Lametti, recognizes that it is his duty to prepare and propose, for communication purposes, a French version of any Constitutional statutes that have not yet been made official in French. This work is ongoing at the Department of Justice.

The Minister of Justice also stated that he is fully committed to ensuring that the work done by the French Constitutional Drafting Committee is publicly known and easily accessible.

As Minister of Official Languages, I am pleased to support him in this important work since, once again, access to justice is a fundamental right for all Canadians. We want to ensure that the document is prepared properly.