Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2022 Budget entitled: Budget 2022: A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question and for your commitment to this important issue.

I don’t have a specific answer about time frames, but I will inquire with the government and try to get an answer for you as soon as possible.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your supplementary question. As I said, I will follow up and get back to you with an answer.

Senator Gold: Thank you for bringing this to my attention, senator. I will certainly make inquiries and report back.

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

As highlighted, the Barton report identified agriculture as one of the six sectors with growth potential, and the government agrees. I’m advised that the recommendation to reach $75 billion in agricultural exports by 2025 is a target that the government is striving towards and, indeed, has internalized. I note, colleagues, that from the Farm Income Forecast results report for 2020 and 2021, we know that in 2020 the government managed to have $74 billion of agricultural exports in total. That’s just $1 billion short of reaching the 2025 objective — and five years in advance. With the growth in the industry, the government foresees no difficulties in reaching the target.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. It’s not up to me to decide what a committee should do or not do. Ultimately, it is up to the Senate to decide. However, I can say that the premise of your question is false. I say that with all due respect, dear colleague.

The Government of Canada implemented a judicial appointment process to ensure that every individual the federal government appoints to the bench is the best candidate to serve the cause of justice and Canadians.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator, thank you for your question. I have to make inquiries as to your question and get back to you quickly as I can. I don’t have the answer at the moment.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring the equality of English and French in Canada and to strengthening the Official Languages Act. As we know, many criteria are taken into account when these appointments are being made in order to ensure that the best person is selected to serve Canadians. Although the government is taking time to review this decision and consider next steps, it remains committed to protecting and promoting French across the country and advancing our linguistic duality.

Senator Gold: That’s correct. The government is considering next steps.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I am not aware of the extent of the discussions that took place or continue to take place with various stakeholders, but I can assure this chamber that the government’s emissions targets are taken in the spirit and on the basis of advice and reflect Canada’s commitment to do its part to reduce greenhouse gases and climate change.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. The government’s plan to combat climate change touches every aspect of our lives and our economy and is a necessary and welcome initiative in order to address this existential threat to our planet. Thank you.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The answer is yes. As you know, Ministers Anand and Joly have travelled to Europe to talk to our allies. They went there to find out what more we can do to help the Ukrainians and the Ukrainian forces fight the illegal invasion. We have also learned more about how we can continue to work with our allies to do our part and provide the equipment and essential supplies that the Ukrainian forces need in order to successfully fight off the Russian invasion.

Senator Gold: No.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you, senator, for the question. As I just mentioned, the government believes it is on track to reach the recommended target as set out in the Barton report. In the last budget, as you pointed out, the government has put in place many measures to support the agricultural sector, and that can be found in Budget 2022, which I tabled in this chamber today.

Of course, I want to remind colleagues that the minister’s mandate letter includes an obligation and mandate to help foster and strengthen the agriculture industry generally.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I rise today also to pay tribute to former senator Joyce Fairbairn, who passed away on March 29. I never had the pleasure of meeting Senator Fairbairn, but I am told that her diminutive stature did not take away from her very large presence.

Joyce Fairbairn began her career as a journalist with the Parliamentary Press Gallery and was subsequently hired as a legislative assistant in the office of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and became the Prime Minister’s communications coordinator.

[Translation]

She was appointed to the Senate in 1984 and later joined Prime Minister Chrétien’s cabinet, serving as government leader in the Senate from 1993 to 1997. Former senator Joyce Fairbairn was the first woman to serve as government leader in the Senate and the first minister with special responsibility for literacy. She also chaired the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry and the Special Senate Committee on Anti-terrorism.

[English]

I will leave it to colleagues who knew her personally to convey their special memories of Senator Fairbairn, but there is one story told to me by our former colleague Hugh Segal that I would like to put on the record.

In 1979, former prime minister John Diefenbaker, still an MP, was living alone in Ottawa. Joyce was legislative assistant to Prime Minister Trudeau and the country was in the midst of an election campaign. Mr. Diefenbaker’s health was failing and, while his housekeeper made sure his meals were ready, he complained to a staffer that he missed his regular lunch of “hot, hearty soup.” Joyce heard about this and the next day, she personally delivered a container of hot, hearty soup to Mr. Diefenbaker at his home in Rockcliffe. From that day forward, she made sure that soup was delivered to him most days of the week, and she personally made the delivery as often as possible. And they became friends.

When asked why she would extend this kindness to a former prime minister of the opposing party, she stated, “I sure didn’t vote for him, but he was still my prime minister.” Prime Minister Diefenbaker died a few weeks later.

I never met Senator Fairbairn but I know I would have liked her. I offer my sincere condolences to all of her family and friends.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for raising this issue. As stated in the National Flag of Canada Act, all Canadians are encouraged to proudly display the national flag of Canada in accordance with flag protocol.

Our democracy is facing serious and unprecedented attacks that are fuelling extremism, eroding trust in government and undermining the social fabric of our society. To combat the misinformation and disinformation on social media, the government has launched programs such as the Digital Citizen Initiative to equip Canadians with the tools they need to think critically about information they see online. We all have a collective duty to try to rebuild the trust in our institutions, including our flag. All of us have a role to play in reclaiming this important symbol for all Canadians.

Senator M. Deacon: Thank you for that response. I would say that, on behalf of all Canadians, we’re looking forward to seeing the collective work and tangible progress made so that we have Canada Day celebrations and a flag that we can all hold our heads high about. Thank you.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, senator, for your question and for underlining this important issue.

The government recognizes that we are faced with a situation where some who have contracted COVID-19 are facing a very long recovery. I’m advised that the government is actively working with national and international experts to build the evidence base on post-COVID-19 condition, to support Canadians who are experiencing those longer-term effects. Increasing our understanding of COVID, of course, is key to addressing and recovering from the pandemic.

To that end, since March 2020 the Government of Canada has invested more than $250 million in critical areas of COVID-19 research. It’s also investing an additional $119 million in COVID-19 research, including funding further studies to better understand post-COVID-19 condition.

Earlier this week, colleagues, the government announced it is launching a second cycle of the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey led by Statistics Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, which aims to better understand the impacts of the pandemic on the health and well-being of Canadians.

Senator Gold: As I said, senator, the Government of Canada is working with national and international experts.

With regard to your specific question, I’ll certainly make inquiries and I would be happy to report back.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The government has full confidence in Justice Rouleau. For everyone’s benefit, I remind senators that he was appointed in 2002 and has since been subject to rules of professional conduct that bar him from participating in any sort of partisan activities. What is currently circulating on social media is fake news.

The fact of the matter is that Justice Rouleau is highly respected both in Ontario and across the country for his work as a judge and also as a lawyer who defended the rights of Franco-Ontarians in such cases as Montfort.

The fact that the government has called a public inquiry led by a highly experienced, highly qualified and renowned judge demonstrates that the government is committed not only to shedding light on its decision to invoke the Emergencies Act, but also to ensuring that we draw lessons for the future.

That is a long answer to a short question. The government firmly believes in Justice Rouleau’s integrity and impartiality and has full confidence in the inquiry he will conduct.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question and for the faith you have in me to actually be able to answer this better than the minister with whom you have had a meeting, as I understand. I’ll do my best to at least provide some context to the issue.

The government is working collectively with Indigenous peoples, industry, the provinces and stakeholders to ensure that we protect the environment as we consider strict regulations on anything released from the oil sands tailings ponds. I am advised that the government is working to develop strict requirements for treated water to be clean, just as the government has for sectors like mining and the pulp and paper industry. This collaborative work continues, or aims to continue, throughout the regulation process, which is estimated to continue to 2025 and will support a healthy economy and a healthy environment for decades and generations to come.