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

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

Senator Harder: Thank you very much for your intervention. I wish I had unlimited time as well. Let me first thank you for your contribution. I would like you to expand, though, if you would, on your suggestion that we have a separate entity to police the border with respect to at least the intrusion into our nation of guns or other illegal substances. Are you suggesting that the federal policing role of the RCMP be hived out?

Senator Wells: Thank you for that. It is obviously not a public investigation because nobody knows about it. Their response in the delayed answer was that they cannot undertake an investigation because it’s a foreign jurisdiction. If you can find out whatever information you can and report back either to me directly or to the Senate, that would be appreciated.

Senator Gold: I’m in the Senate of Canada. I am the Government Representative in the Senate. And that was your question.

Your commentary about respect for this institution, or all of your allegations, fundamentally misrepresents the comments that I have made time and time again. When you show disrespect, whether for the former Governor General, when you attribute motives to the Prime Minister or otherwise in the form of your questions, it simply does not do justice to the seriousness of the issues which you raise. I’ve said this time and time again, and I’ll say it again, colleagues. I respect the role of the opposition. I respect the legitimacy of the questions that you ask, but the way in which you ask the questions, the disrespect you show for the 68 senators who were named under a transparent, merit-based process, which you called a fake process and a fake rapporteur — that is what I find objectionable, and I believe that Canadians find it objectionable as well.

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.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Senator Plett: What is disrespectful, Senator Gold, is that you don’t even attempt to answer a question. I asked you this: How do people get in touch? How do people contact the Special Rapporteur, the person you say is independent? How do people contact him?

Instead, you say we’re being disrespectful. How is it disrespectful to Canadians for them to know how they can contact this Special Rapporteur? If it’s not fake, there should be a way of contacting him.

This is a government that is incapable of making the right decision. Even when the choice is obvious, their lack of leadership and moral compass is shown time and time again as they designate others to make decisions for them. They simply create a new position to avoid the heat and weight of any responsibility.

Here are just a few examples of that: the made-up Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference; the so-called independent Senate appointment process; consultants, especially their friends at McKinsey; and all the expert advisory groups that cost taxpayers money.

Leader, if this Independent Special Rapporteur weren’t fake, don’t you think there would be more transparency on how to reach his office and that media requests wouldn’t have to be handled through the Prime Minister’s Office? Wouldn’t the leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition have received a response to his letter?

Hon. Bev Busson: Honourable senators, I rise today to mark three important events. First, and tragically, it is the funeral of yet another Canadian hero — Sergeant Eric Mueller of the Ontario Provincial Police, or OPP, was murdered in the line of duty and is being laid to rest here today. Ironically, this is happening during National Police Week — a week meant to remember the fallen and to remind us all that policing in Canada is a reciprocal activity, calling police and citizens alike to work together to make our communities a safer place to live.

It is also the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or RCMP. On May 23, 1873, a bill for the creation of a national police force was passed in response to the encroachment by the Americans on the 49th parallel in Western Canada, which was threatening our sovereignty and the lives of the Indigenous people living there as the First Peoples. This one hundred and fiftieth anniversary celebrates a modern force of over 20,000 members and employees who serve with dedication and courage in communities from coast to coast to coast, as well as lead complicated international investigations and peacekeeping missions in regions of conflict around the world.

As you know, it has been a difficult year for police officers in Canada. Since September of last year, 10 officers have died in the line of duty, setting a record — and it is only May. What all of these people had in common was a strong drive to make a difference, and they had little or no idea that when they went to work on that fateful day, they would not be coming home — ever. What is different is the environment of defund and a general devaluation of all our institutions, including policing. I believe that we all have a role to play in stopping this alarming trend.

As part of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, I had the opportunity to celebrate with members of the force at various events in British Columbia, held in Langley, Vernon and other places in my province. The members of the new generation of the force are well educated, well trained and are representative of the diverse communities that now characterize our new Canada. Their energy, their professionalism, their courage and their compassion are reflective of their core values and are inspiring, to say the least. All of these skills will be tested with the challenges of policing today. When I served, if I needed assistance, bystanders would rush to help. Now, sadly, they rush to take a video.

We must remember that — throughout National Police Week, the RCMP’s one hundred and fiftieth anniversary year and beyond — police officers, everywhere in Canada, go to work to stand between good and evil. They deserve our support as they risk their lives for all of us.

With this in mind, I say this to all of you who serve in policing: Thank you for your service and your sacrifice.

Meegwetch. Thank you.

[Translation]

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.

Hon. Percy E. 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]