Hon. Amina Gerba: Madam Speaker, congratulations on your appointment as the 46th Speaker of the Senate.

Honourable colleagues, as we prepare to celebrate Africa Day on May 25, I want to recognize the amazing contribution that members of the African diaspora have made to their mother continent and to their new homelands. The African diaspora includes anyone of African descent living outside the continent. In 20 years, the African diaspora in Canada has more than tripled, going from 300,000 people in 2000 to 1.3 million people in 2021.

Given their strong sense of patriotic identity, members of the African diaspora naturally build socio-economic and cultural bridges with their adopted countries.

Africans around the world have made a name for themselves in many different sectors, such as arts and culture, education, politics, research and especially business, which is where these men and women shine. Canada’s history can attest to that.

Since the arrival of Mathieu Da Costa, the first African person to come to Canada in the early 17th century, many people of African descent have helped to shape our nation’s heritage. They include Lincoln Alexander, Viola Desmond and Oscar Peterson.

I would note the presence in the gallery of several influential members of the African diaspora in Quebec: Souad Elmallem, Fidèle Toghoua, Henriette Mvondo and Cyrille Ékwalla. There are also other members of the diaspora representing the Groupe Excellence Québec and United Actions for Africa. They will be mentioned later. They are going to take part in celebrating the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association’s 20th anniversary.

Colleagues, we can learn from our neighbours to the south, who set up an organization called Prosper Africa to steer the Biden-Harris administration’s Africa strategy. To develop such an initiative, our country can and must leverage the engagement and entrepreneurial energy of members of the African diaspora, and that’s just the beginning.

Thank you for your attention.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. I’m not able to answer that question directly, because there is a process that is in place for recommending to the Prime Minister names from which he will recommend to the Governor General appointments to the Senate. The Prime Minister has, since becoming Prime Minister, appointed a significant number of Indigenous senators to our Senate, which has enriched the work that we do together. I have every confidence that it will continue to be an important element in the decision making that is applied to the appointment of new senators.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question and for the passionate way in which you asked it.

Hon. Percy Downe: Colleagues, as you may be aware, the Government of the United Kingdom is not indexing the U.K. State Pension for over 120,000 residents of Canada, notwithstanding the fact that they do index the U.K. State Pension for a host of other countries, including the United States, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Norway, Poland, Denmark and so on; however, for pensioners living in Canada, this is not the case.

The U.K. government policy stands in sharp contrast to Canada where pension payments are always indexed, regardless of where in the world the recipient lives. Not only is this unfair to those who face pensions of steadily declining value as a result of inflation, it also represents an estimated $450 million not entering the Canadian economy, along with all of the benefits that would bring. I have correspondence dating back to a dozen years from the Government of Canada, outlining their efforts to have the U.K. correct this problem. To date, the U.K. government has refused to change its policy.

I urge my Senate colleagues to join in supporting our fellow Canadian residents, as well as to add $450 million to the Canadian economy, by asking the U.K. government to fix this problem.

[Translation]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Cotter, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dasko, for the third reading of Bill C-22, An Act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act, as amended.

Senator Martin: The average mortgage and rent payments have almost doubled since the Trudeau government took office. For example, in its 2022 review, CMHC said the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment reached an all-time high last year. At the same time, the number of housing units being built is not nearly enough to meet demand. A forecast released in April by CMHC says they expect new housing construction to decrease this year and remain well below recent levels.

Leader, the Trudeau government has already pushed back its target for building 100,000 homes from 2025 to 2027. What assurances do Canadians have that this target won’t be pushed back even further?

Senator Plett: I wonder what last name they had. Were they also friends of the Prime Minister? A two-person company to subcontract out this work to major multinationals.

Senator Housakos: You’re being disrespectful.

Senator Harder: I think once is entirely adequate, but I just find it a little incongruous to say we shouldn’t look at any machinery of government changes, and yet you propose an American-style border patrol, which would, of course, intrude on the existing RCMP mandate. I would suggest that you reflect on what further changes you would see to federal policing.

Senator Plett: Well, I think I need to read my speech again. I didn’t think I said that, Senator Harder.

Senator Plett: I will answer with a smile as opposed to what the government leader does when he answers my questions. No, that is not, in fact, what I am doing. I’m not withdrawing anything I said nor am I suggesting that we have a separate police force to do that. I am saying the RCMP is quite capable of doing both of these jobs. They are quite capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. I think that their mandate could be expanded to do exactly what I just said.

Senator Gold: The answer to your question is that I stand here quite proudly and in good conscience, representing this government. I also stand proudly and privileged to remind the senator that to describe, as you and your leader have done, the former Governor General’s mandate as a “fake job” is something that is once again disrespectful to the institution.

Senator Plett: Well, as you know, Senator Harder, I was speaking today on the inquiry that the RCMP is too large of an organization, in your words. I don’t think they are too large of an organization. I relayed a number of ways that I feel that the RCMP could maybe expand their own mandate without us necessarily getting rid of the RCMP.

Senator Gold: I will do my best. Thank you.

Senator Plett: Yes.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Andrew Howe and Jillian Phillips. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Bernard.

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

Senator Carignan: It’s because I drink that water, my family drinks that water, and my neighbours drink that water.

Senator Plett: Answer the question.

Senator Housakos: At the end of the day, we ask respectful questions on behalf of taxpayers and we’re obligated answers.

I’ll ask you in the same words and polite fashion the question that the parliamentarian asked the Minister of Finance. Can you tell Canadians how much we’re spending or are projected to spend on interest on the debt this upcoming fiscal year?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Tiffany Callender, Gilbert Bandé Obam and Nadia Djadjo. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Gerba.

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

Senator Harder: You’re withdrawing your suggestion of a separate border agency?