Senator Dupuis: Senator Gold, you just told us about a lawsuit filed by Canadian Pacific against the governments. Can you specify which governments? Are we talking about the Government of Saskatchewan only? Are we talking about the Government of Saskatchewan and the Government of Canada?

Hon. Renée Dupuis: I would like to ask the Government Representative a question if that’s okay with him.

Senator Dupuis: Senator Gold, you mentioned an amendment that would be retroactive to a specific date in the 1960s.

Can you give us some more details about that retroactivity? You know there are always questions when we want to create retroactive legislation, so I wanted to make sure I understand correctly.

Hon. Renée Dupuis: Welcome to the Senate of Canada, minister.

In the mandate letter you received as Minister of Health on December 16, 2021, the Prime Minister wrote:

As Minister of Health, your immediate priority is to help finish the fight against COVID-19, working in close cooperation with provinces and territories.

What’s more, the mandate letter asks that you:

Continue working with the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Transport to protect the health and safety of Canadians through safe, responsible and compassionate management of the border with the United States and other ports of entry into Canada.

In an interview with Radio-Canada on January 25, you talked about caring. Minister, can you clarify what you meant by “caring measures” in that interview?

Senator Dupuis: I understand the procedure for presenting the motion as a request from the Government of Saskatchewan, following a resolution adopted by its legislative assembly to amend the Constitution as it relates to the Province of Saskatchewan. However, if this is a dispute between Canadian Pacific and a government other than the Government of Saskatchewan, for instance the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan, this would no longer be part of the same constitutional discussion, because this amendment will have a direct impact not only on the Constitution as it relates to Saskatchewan, but also on federal government operations.