Senator Omidvar: Senator Gold, yesterday we heard from Senator Simons about private sponsors being ready, willing, able, on standby and waiting for refugees to arrive. The issue is the caps on privately sponsored refugees that are put on by the government. In the last Syrian refugee crisis, the government lifted that cap.

Will the government also allow these caps to be lifted this time around? People are on standby and refugees are in need of help. It seems to be a simple, magical solution. Over to you, Senator Gold.

Senator Gold: Honourable senator, it is an important question. I will certainly add this to the inquiry I’ve already made. I will try to get an answer as quickly as I can.

Hon. Marty Klyne: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Senator Gold, it is important for any federal government today to consult with and serve Canadians in all provinces, territories and Indigenous jurisdictions. Without any member of Parliament from Saskatchewan in the cabinet, what is the government planning to do to bridge the absence of a regional minister in Saskatchewan and to ensure Saskatchewan’s engagement and inclusion in this country’s economic and environmental future?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, yesterday we heard from the two candidates for the position of Speaker pro tempore, and the Clerk provided all senators with information by email on to how to vote. This information was recirculated earlier today to all senators who had not yet voted.

I would like to thank all senators who have taken the time to vote and would remind senators who have not yet done so that you have until 6 p.m. today to do so. Furthermore, the Clerk will be in his office from shortly after adjournment today until 6 p.m. should you wish to contact him directly.

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable colleagues, I rise today to highlight the issue of food insecurity in Canada.

Despite living in one of the world’s leading agricultural and agri-food nations, food insecurity is unfortunately not a new challenge for many Canadians. According to the PROOF team, an interdisciplinary research group at the University of Toronto, one in eight households were food insecure in 2018. This meant that 4.4 million people, including more than 1.2 million children, had difficulty accessing affordable and nutritious food across Canada.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further threatened families already at risk of food insecurity. In fact, according to a news release issued by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in August of this year, statistics show that one in seven Canadians have experienced food insecurity during the pandemic.

During these difficult and unprecedented times, the government did step up support for food banks and local food organizations that have been coping with higher demand and fewer resources. While they previously highlighted food insecurity as a top-of-mind issue, there was absolutely no mention of it when the time came for this year’s Speech from the Throne.

However, it was not just the fact that food security was explicitly left out of the speech. There was not a single mention of the labour shortage in the agriculture and agri-food industry, nor the impacts of climate change on Canada’s food supply. These issues are intrinsically linked to one another and, unless we start looking at fulsome solutions that address the bigger picture, I fear the issue of food security will only grow bigger.

As we approach the start of 2022, Canadians from coast to coast to coast can expect to see higher prices at our grocery stores. In fact, Canada’s Food Price Report 2021 predicted that the annual food expenditures would go up by as much as $695 when compared to 2020.

The 2022 edition of the report comes out tomorrow and will highlight that Canadians can expect food insecurity to become a growing issue in 2022 as the inflation rate and food prices continue to rise. The report states:

There will likely be more demand for and reliance on food programs or food banks if incomes do not rise to meet food expenditures and other basic needs.

While I’m proud to say that Canadians can continue to be confident in our food supply chain despite these rising prices, I am deeply concerned for those already facing challenges accessing the food they need.

I call on the government to begin addressing the necessary issues related to food security, including labour shortages in the agricultural sector and helping farmers as they work to make their operations more sustainable in the face of climate change.

The support of governments at all levels will be integral to making long-lasting changes that will help change the lives of Canadians for the better.

Honourable colleagues, as we approach the holiday season, I would like to encourage you, and all Canadians, to consider helping our less fortunate neighbours, friends and colleagues. You never know who may need a little extra support so, if you are able to do so, please support local food banks this holiday season.

Thank you, meegwetch.

(1410)

[Translation]

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is also for the government leader in the Senate. Last month, the Union of Veterans’ Affairs Employees wrote to Minister MacAulay regarding the workload of case managers at the department. In 2015, the Trudeau government promised that the ratio of veterans to case managers would be 25 to 1. However, the union says that as of this fall only a handful of case managers had fewer than 30 veterans to manage. The average caseload for case managers was between 40 and 45, with some case managers reporting over 50 veterans on their list.

Leader, this situation is negatively impacting not just the veterans waiting to receive care, but also the Veterans Affairs employees themselves. When will your government live up to its promise to lower the caseload ratio at Veterans Affairs and give our veterans the service they deserve?

(1430)

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The Government of Canada, in its relationships with China and, indeed, generally, works with and in constant consultation with its allies. The government — and I’ve expressed this on many occasions, as have ministers in the other place — remains deeply concerned about human rights violations in China and other breaches of international norms.

The government has announced the diplomatic boycott, joining its allies in this effort. This was a result of ongoing discussions held by the Minister of Sport with a number of our partners and allies as well as being in constant communication with the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Like many of our allies, Canada faces the same kinds of challenges dealing with our relationship with China. The government will continue to act in the best interests of Canada and in concert with its allies.

Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Hon. Raymonde Gagné (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Monday, December 13, 2021, at 6 p.m.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for raising this important question. The Port of Vancouver is a critically important port and has been badly affected by both the worldwide supply chain disruptions due to the pandemic and, of course, the catastrophic flooding that has hit your province, senator. The Government of Canada continues to work closely with its provincial counterparts and others to respond in a responsible and timely fashion to the requests that are being made of it.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, this summer, the board of trade in Burnaby, British Columbia reported that its members were experiencing challenges dealing with incredible increases in container shipping costs, which are up by 400% since January. As a result of the pandemic, congestion at the Port of Vancouver has been a problem for quite some time, but the recent catastrophic flooding and landslides in B.C. have made a bad situation much worse.

Leader, the Burnaby Board of Trade asked your government to undertake several initiatives, including ones to investigate the inflation and accessibility challenges facing shipping in Canada and to work with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority on efficiency. What will your government do to help ease congestion at the Port of Vancouver?

The Hon. the Speaker: My apologies. I understand Senator Martin had a supplementary question.

Senator Gold: I will undertake to do so.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate. Senator Gold, on Monday the U.S. announced the diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games in response to the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity being committed by China’s communist regime in the Xinjiang region. The Australian and Lithuanian governments have followed suit, and this afternoon finally, after delay and hesitation, the Trudeau government also announced that it will be following the diplomatic boycott. This is better late than never, and certainly better at least a diplomatic boycott than no action at all.

I would like to know, government leader, why is it that when it comes to the Beijing regime and the constant infringement of human rights that this regime carries out against people, and very often its own people, the Trudeau government is hesitant in taking clear, concrete actions? Why, once again, are we following rather than leading in defending human rights and taking action against the regime in China?

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Senator Gold: Yes, thank you. There is no minister specifically tasked in that regard. However, I do repeat my offer. I will reach out to you and other Saskatchewan senators. Perhaps we can meet and figure out a way — in the absence of a minister as such — to make sure that your concerns and the expertise of you and your colleagues are properly transmitted to the government.

Senator Klyne: In the last session, there was a high-ranking minister in cabinet and another representative in the West who were tasked with bridging that gap, smoothing the road over and working collaboratively, doing some advanced consultation, helping to look forward to building on Saskatchewan’s strengths and help them cultivate their competitive advantages and being part of an inclusive economy. I am a senator from Saskatchewan. I have a pretty broad business network. I was never contacted by anybody. I didn’t see any presence of any ministers that were tasked with such appointments.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, honourable senator, for your questions. I will have to make inquiries and report back to the chamber.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Leader, just before Remembrance Day, Minister Lawrence MacAulay gave an interview in which he promised once again that the Trudeau government would hire more staff at Veterans Affairs to deal with the high caseload at the department. However, the minister did not say how many workers would be hired or when. Almost a month has gone by and there are still no specifics from the Trudeau government. I know you’ve acknowledged that the caseloads have increased and that hiring is one of the priorities.

Leader, has Minister MacAulay or anyone from your government responded to the letter from the Union of Veterans’ Affairs Employees? What was the response? Could you find out how many of the temporary workers who were hired to deal with the backlog are scheduled to be let go by March 2022, which is only a few months away?

Senator Gold: Thank you, senator. I will make inquiries and try to provide you with an update on what government plans may be going forward.