Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): I was not going to ask questions, but when leaders start ganging up, then I at least will put something on the record.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold, the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Senator Gold, in a speech announcing his carbon tax in October 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated:

It has been proven that it is a good way to prevent heavy polluters from emitting greenhouse gases that fuel climate change and threaten the entire planet.

While the Prime Minister has spent six years lecturing Canadians about lowering their emissions, it is clear the carbon tax hasn’t changed his own personal behaviour. Earlier this month, to promote the increase in the carbon tax and the NDP-Liberal budget, the Prime Minister flew from Ottawa to Victoria, B.C.; then to Edmonton; then to Laval, Quebec; and then turned around and flew back to B.C. to go skiing over Easter.

Leader, how much greenhouse gas was emitted as a result of the Prime Minister’s travel in this month alone?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, last June the Trudeau government was so desperate to keep hidden uncensored documents on the firing of two scientists from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg that it took the unprecedented step to file a law suit against the Speaker of the House of Commons in Federal Court. This year, now that they’ve bought the NDP support until 2025, the Trudeau government thinks it can create an ad hoc committee with just their coalition partner, show them some documents and call that transparency. It’s nothing less than a sham, government leader.

Leader, your government has defied four previous orders from the House of Commons and its committees to produce these documents. Why not show some real transparency and respect for Parliament and produce the documents as ordered?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Therefore, honourable senators, in amendment, I move:

That the motion be not now adopted, but that it be amended:

1. by replacing the words “June 30, 2022” by the words “May 9, 2022”; and

2.by adding the following after the word “objective” at the end of the motion:

“; and

That, before introducing any motion on the extension or resumption of hybrid sittings of the Senate, the Leader of the Government in the Senate must:

1.table in the Senate:

(a)all opinions and guidelines from public health officials from the federal government regarding in-person meetings in the federal public service;

(b)all opinions and guidelines from public health officials from the Ontario and Québec governments regarding in-person meetings;

(c)a letter from the Clerk of the Senate outlining how the Senate sitting in person only would contravene any opinion or guideline mentioned in points (a) and (b); and

(d)a plan for a transition back to in-person sittings of the Senate as soon as practicable in accordance with the commitment made by the Senate on March 31, 2022; and

2.consult in an open and constructive manner with the leaders and facilitators of all recognized parties and parliamentary groups”.

Thank you, colleagues.