Senator Jaffer: Leader, there is a real migration crisis on the southern border of the United States, with millions of people fleeing persecution, only to face inhumane treatment and detention at the American border and then be sent back. Many years ago, I myself was involved in it as a refugee lawyer when Canada let people from South America enter our country. I had to help work with the Mennonite community to bring them here to Canada. The Canadian government is promising to create a new refugee program for 15,000 migrants fleeing persecution and violence in South and Central America. It’s not enough. More needs to be done. How does the Canadian government plan to respond to this challenge, or will we turn a blind eye to this humanitarian crisis and the violations of human rights associated with it? Thank you.

Senator Gold: I’m not in a position to know exactly. I don’t know how these discussions are unfolding and therefore I really don’t know what the timetable may be. I’ll make some efforts to find out where things stand and report back when I get an answer.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Senator Housakos: The fact seems to contradict what the government is trying to articulate. At the end of the day, we’re talking about how the board of directors of the foundation resigned in unison. Clearly, there’s something there that draws suspicion. Furthermore, we have sources from the intelligence community that have actually gone public right now through the media and have said on many occasions they tried to inform the Prime Minister of egregious behaviour and direct threats to our democracy. There are reasons why we’re asking all these questions, Senator Gold.

Speaking of foreign money laundering, also at the same cash-for-access dinner with the Prime Minister was the founder of WealthONE Bank of Canada, which at the time was awaiting approval for federal regulators to begin operating in Canada as a domestic bank rather than as a foreign bank. Wouldn’t you know it, similar to the donation of the Trudeau Foundation, WealthONE magically received their long-awaited approval just a few short weeks after this particular dinner.

Senator Gold, fast forward to just a couple of months ago, and WealthONE Bank of Canada was slapped with almost $700,000 in fines by Canada’s anti-money-laundering watchdog, FINTRAC, or the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada. FINTRAC cited numerous failures to comply with federal law designed to guard against terrorist financing. In response to questions about this, your government simply said that the matter was closed.

My question to you is this: What did the founder of WealthONE promise Justin Trudeau at this dinner that resulted not only in favourable regulation very quickly but, furthermore, the government turning a blind eye when it came to money laundering and simply saying the case was closed and not giving detailed answers? Is there another donation to the Trudeau Foundation that we should perhaps be investigating deeper?

Senator Tannas: I agree it would be. That’s not what we’re presented with.

We’re presented with, in the context of our constitutional responsibilities, how far we go and when we push and when we accept, and I think there are enough bread crumbs here that, if the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC, chose at some future point to abuse this, somebody could make the case that it was not to be used, that the governments that passed this bill were adamant that it was not the intention to empower the CRTC to bring users in along with platforms.

I cannot deny that it would be better in the bill. This is what we have. I’m grateful that we have something with which to potentially give somebody a handle somewhere down the road if regulatory overreach occurs.

Senator Manning: I hope you are not eating up my time. I will start again.

George J. Furey was born on May 12, 1948, in the beautiful town of Avondale, Newfoundland and Labrador. That was less than a year before Canada joined Newfoundland.

George was one of eight children, with four brothers and three sisters. In the words of George’s son, Andrew, in his book entitled Hope in the Balance, George’s mom, Mary, had a will that was bigger than the judgment of those around her. Her family was her greatest passion.

When George was just six years old, his three sisters went to the Belvedere orphanage in St. John’s, which was, at the time, run by the Sisters of Mercy. George and his brothers went to the Mount Cashel orphanage where his mom got a job working as a cook for the Christian Brothers’ private residence next door to the orphanage. Mary Furey’s family would survive and prosper.

George later attended Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, along with a Bachelor of Education degree, in 1970. These were followed by a Master of Education degree from Memorial University in 1976. During his career as an educator, George was a teacher with the Roman Catholic school board in St. John’s, a supervising vice-principal of the Port-au-Port Roman Catholic School Board and a supervising principal in the town of Dunville with the Placentia-St. Mary’s Roman Catholic School Board.

After a successful career in education, George attended Dalhousie Law School and completed a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1983. He was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Newfoundland & Labrador in 1984 and subsequently named a partner in the St. John’s law firm of O’Brien, Furey & Hurley. While in his second year of practising law, he successfully challenged the Criminal Code language on sexual assault and proved that, with the advent of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, certain Criminal Code provisions were unconstitutional. In 1989, he was named senior partner at the firm O’Brien, Furey & Smith and in 1993 was appointed to the Provincial Police Complaints Commission and subsequently appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 1996.

On the advice of then-prime minister Jean Chrétien, George was appointed to the Senate of Canada on August 11, 1999. He served on many of the standing committees in the Senate, such as Legal and Constitutional Affairs, and as Chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.

On December 3, 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Senator Furey to the position of the forty-fifth Speaker of the Senate of Canada, the very first person from Newfoundland and Labrador to hold this position. For 24 more days, he will also hold the title of the longest-serving member of the Senate.

I, like many of you, have witnessed our Speaker perform his duties here in Ottawa, in the chamber, throughout our great country of Canada and around the world. He has done so with a high degree of humility, dignity and professionalism, along with a great sense of humour. A few weeks ago, here in Ottawa, during the visit of U.S. President Biden, our Speaker was nothing short of a class act. I feel confident in saying that I believe the words and the eloquent delivery of his speech on the floor of the House of Commons made us all feel very proud to have him represent us during this special event.

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, this week is National Soil Conservation Week, spearheaded by the Soil Conservation Council of Canada. Each year, during the third week of April, this week-long event highlights the importance of soil health and soil science to Canada’s economy, environment and future.

Soil health has continued to be an increasing concern amongst agricultural and environmental communities for years. Innovative and progressive research has continued to show growth in understanding the extent to which soil health affects our arable land. Continued support from all levels of the government, as well as Canadians from coast to coast to coast, remains essential in our work toward healthy soil.

Did you know, honourable senators, that the smell of fresh, healthy soil can reduce depression? According to a study by the University of Colorado Boulder, Mycobacterium vaccae — antidepressant microbes found in soil — is also being investigated for improving cognitive function, Crohn’s disease and even rheumatoid arthritis.

Studies like this show how important soil is not just for our farmers, but also for the health of all Canadians. It cleans our water, filters our air and helps sequester and use carbon to produce the high-quality foods that we, as Canadians, enjoy.

According to the Soil Conservation Council of Canada, soil erosion costs Canadians $3 billion each year. This is why it is important that we find common ground — or soil — across the provinces in order to approach this challenge and find collective solutions. I applaud the thousands of soil advocates throughout the country who dedicate so much time to bringing awareness to this important cause and issue. Soil is a finite resource, and we, as Canadians, must continue to care about it in order to grow our food.

Therefore, honourable senators, during this National Soil Conservation Week, I encourage you, my colleagues, and Canadians throughout the country to learn more about how each of us can support soil health. It is no longer a secret about the great effects that the quality of soil has on our nation. By working together, Canada can continue to succeed in feeding the nation and the world. The future of this country, and inevitably of the world, is intrinsically linked to the health of our ecosystem which, in itself, hinges on soil health. Thank you. Meegwetch.

[Translation]

Senator Tannas: Yes.

Senator Bernard: I’ll just say, Senator Gold, that we would appreciate if you would make inquiries and report back to the chamber. Thank you.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Senator Housakos, the issue of foreign interference is a serious one, and I only wish at least that both sides — both questioner and answerer — would be able to discuss it in a way that is absent the insinuations and smears that are implicit in your question.

The fact is that the world has changed, and our understanding of China has changed since 2015-16 and at present — and properly and understandably so. When banks engage in irregular behaviour, thank goodness we have institutions that call them out. In that regard, the system worked.

Senator Gold: What the government cares about is assisting Canadians who are going through very challenging times, as are citizens around the world. In fact, that’s what the government has done.

The government cares about Canadians; that’s why it is supporting Canadians, and that’s why it is investing in Canadians. This government cares about prudent fiscal management of the country, and I repeat, because the evidence demonstrates that: Of all the G7 countries, we are doing better than all by many indicators. In that regard, this government will continue to stay the course.

Yes, the government has invested in our future. Yes, that is necessary for our children and grandchildren to have careers and jobs in a sustainable economy and on a livable planet.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Kirsten Marcia, founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of DEEP Earth Energy Production Corporation. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Wallin.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

The Hon. the Speaker: Well, this is very extraordinary for me to stand now and say anything, but I just want to say thank you very much. I feel like I should now leave.

An Hon. Senator: More!

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

The Hon. the Speaker: Well, this is very extraordinary for me to stand now and say anything, but I just want to say thank you very much. I feel like I should now leave.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Kirsten Marcia, founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of DEEP Earth Energy Production Corporation. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Wallin.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, I have the difficult task of following Senator Manning.

April 14, 2023, marked the one hundredth anniversary of the passing of Colonel “Klondike Joe” Boyle.

In 1867, Joseph Whiteside Boyle was born in Toronto, the son of Irish immigrants, and grew up in Woodstock, Ontario. In 1897, among the first to reach the goldfields in the Yukon, he mined gold in the traditional manner. By 1900, having the hydraulic mining rights to eight miles in the Klondike Valley, Joe’s Canadian Klondike Mining Company brought in giant dredges to mine gold from the creeks. One of the dredges is a restored national historic site on Bonanza Creek near Dawson City.

An incredibly wealthy miner, in 1905 Joe sponsored a hockey team, the Dawson City Nuggets, who travelled from the Yukon to challenge the Ottawa Silver Seven for the Stanley Cup.

When war broke out in 1914, the “King of the Klondike” was too old to enlist. Instead, he established and financed 50 recruits, the Yukon Motor Machine Gun Battery. The unit saw varied action throughout the war, including fighting at Vimy Ridge. In 1916, Boyle was appointed an honorary Lieutenant-General in the Canadian Militia, entitling him to wear a military uniform, which he decorated with maple leaf-shaped buttons made of gold from the Klondike mines. Taking himself to England, he looked for more opportunities to serve the war effort.

In 1917, he was sent to Russia to help reorganize the railway system. His adventures across Eastern Europe earned Boyle medals from Romania, Russia, France and Britain. After a daring rescue of Romanian officials, Colonel Boyle became known as the “Saviour of Romania.”

Boyle became a spy for the British Secret Service, running a network of 500 agents across Russia, Ukraine and Romania.

He romanced the Queen of Romania — the British royal Marie of Edinburgh — and negotiated the first peace treaty of World War I. He was a friend of King George V and earned the admiration of Vladimir Lenin.

He attended the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. Advocating for Romania, he secured $25 million in aid for the country from Canada.

In 1923, he was buried in England. In 1983, thanks to the efforts of his daughter Flora and citizens of Woodstock, Ontario, his remains were repatriated to Canada and reburied in the Woodstock Presbyterian Cemetery with full military honours.

A large monument marks his grave. The original, a gift from Queen Marie, can be seen today in the Woodstock Museum. The original bears the words, from Robert Service, “Man with the heart of a Viking and the simple faith of a child.”

In 1984, Boyle was recognized by Canada as a person of national historic significance. In the Yukon, the Department of National Defence cadet camp is named Boyle Barracks.

Max Fraser, a Yukon filmmaker, is planning a documentary about the “King of the Klondike,” Colonel Joe Boyle, so Canadians can learn more of the story of this Yukoner, Canadian and international hero.

Mähsi’cho, Gùnáłchîsh. Thank you, senators.

Hon. Gwen Boniface: Honourable senators, I rise today to commemorate and celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. It was signed on April 10, 1998, in Belfast and ended three decades of violence and unrest in Northern Ireland, a period known as the Troubles.

During the Troubles, the Northern Irish people suffered through car bombings, riots and revenge killings that caused 3,600 deaths and over 30,000 injuries.

The Good Friday Agreement underpins Northern Ireland’s peace, its constitutional settlement and its institutions. It created a framework for political power sharing and an end to decades of violence with the help of other countries, including Canada, and represented a new beginning for the people of Northern Ireland.

Amongst other things, it established the birthright of the people of Northern Ireland to identify and be accepted as British or Irish, or both.

It ended direct U.K. rule and set up a Northern Ireland legislature and government with power shared between unionist and nationalist parties.

There are close ties between Canada and Ireland with more than 4.5 million Canadians having Irish heritage. We share democratic traditions and strong economic ties.

Many Canadians represented us well as the implementation of the agreement became a beacon for other nations.

Retired General John de Chastelain played prominent roles, including being one of three people invited to chair the peace talks amongst the parties.

Other important roles were filled by Justice William Hoyt, a former Chief Justice of New Brunswick; Justice Peter Cory, formerly of Canada’s Supreme Court; University of Toronto Professor Clifford Shearing; and many RCMP members who served in the multinational police oversight commission.

Having served in Ireland from 2006 to 2009, I saw first-hand the attention paid to the Good Friday Agreement in every aspect of governance, and particularly policing.

The Patten report directed the transition of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, marking the most significant policing reform likely anywhere in the world. It created a modern and sophisticated police service that served all citizens of Northern Ireland.

British Prime Minister Sunak recently said:

As we look forward, we will celebrate those who took difficult decisions, accepted compromise, and showed leadership – showing bravery, perseverance, and political imagination.

Northern Ireland remains a work in progress, but the steps along the road to fully realize the Good Friday Agreement lie ahead.

Thank you.

[Editor’s Note: Senator Boniface spoke in Irish.]

Hon. Bernadette Clement introduced Bill S-1001, An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada.

(Bill read first time.)