Hon. Chantal Petitclerc: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, my colleague, Senator Housakos, read my mind. I would like to follow up on the extremely important question he posed.

[English]

Let me begin with a quote:

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Canadians with disabilities, and highlighted long-standing challenges. The Government will bring forward a Disability Inclusion Plan, which will have:

A new Canadian Disability Benefit modelled after the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors . . .

This statement, you may remember, is from the September 2020 Speech from the Throne. Since then, no action has been taken.

Last June 22, one day before the summer recess, Bill C-35, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, was introduced and obviously didn’t make it past first reading. Since then, there has been total silence. Then, just days ago, the most recent economic and fiscal update was presented with information about support for Canadians. Once again, mention of people with disabilities was absent. Not one word in it for them.

Senator Gold, I realize, as you told my colleague, that you don’t have the complete answers ready, but, as we’re having this conversation on building back better, I need to know — in fact, the 6.2 million Canadians with disabilities need to know — when we are going to see not words but actions, commitments and results? Because frankly, it feels as if they’re being left behind once again.

Senator Gold, will you make sure that we get those answers?