Hon. Larry W. Campbell: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak on the amendment to Bill C-3.

Bill C-3 really is two bills. At any other time, we would be talking about an omnibus bill where we have two different subjects thrown into the same bill. In fact, for many years under the previous government, we were always complaining about omnibus bills where we get bills with a number of different issues in it. One of them is under the Labour Code to allow benefits for workers. One is under the Criminal Code. I completely support the changes to the Labour Code.

The difficulty I have is with changes to the Criminal Code. There are already provisions under the Criminal Code for the offences listed in Bill C-3, and I fail to understand how these changes to the Criminal Code will make it safer for health care workers. Instead of new offences, police and the Crown should be utilizing already existing legislation.

I ask you: Do you think that the courts would actually sentence someone to 10 years in jail for this new crime? I think not. That being said, I support Senator White’s amendment, because it will at least actually protect health care workers no matter where they are.

One of my concerns is that protest is one of the hallmarks of our democracy for unions and for different groups that want to put forward their views. Any time we limit this, we lessen our freedoms. I totally condemn the actions of a minority of Canadians who try to harass and intimidate health care workers. These people are cowards, and they should be sanctioned. But COVID should not be used to lessen the rights of people.

Perhaps as important is the manner in which the bill was received. It really doesn’t matter which government is in power — Liberal or Conservative. Three times a year we get bills at the last minute with no time to study them: Christmas, Easter and summer breaks. Over the 16 years I have been in this place, we kept hoping the role of the Senate would be recognized by the other place and that we would get bills in a timely manner so we could actually do our job. Christmas, Easter, summer — it just keeps on.

Is this democracy? Is this how the Government of Canada is supposed to govern? We talk about independence and how proud we are that we are not whipped — that we can do our job without a sword hanging over our head. Over the break, I hope that all senators will consider this problem. I look forward to hearing from Senator Tannas on how we can go about this.

I hope we can come back with actions to stop this undemocratic process on the part of the government. I wish all colleagues and staff a happy holiday season. Be safe. Thank you.

Senator Campbell: Absolutely.

Senator Campbell: Thank you for the question. Quite frankly, I don’t think I could be a health care worker. I don’t think I could do it.

That being said, the government has all the tools and should be telling these health care workers that we have the tools and we need to put them in place. We need to have the police and the Crown actually doing something under all of the different sections we have in the Criminal Code. I think it’s bad messaging on the part of the government that they haven’t been pushing to have charges laid every single time this happens — every single time. Because it’s happening in public. It’s not like this is being hidden. It is ongoing. From the point of view of a health care worker, I would be totally demoralized. I don’t know how they do it. I really don’t.