Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I am honoured to rise today to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Society of United Chinese Community Enrichment Social Services, known as S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

S.U.C.C.E.S.S. was founded in 1973 by a group of visionaries who believed in the goodness of people and the importance of community service. They sought to help new Canadians of Chinese descent overcome language and cultural barriers. Maggie Ip, Jonathan Lau, Mei-Chan Lin, Pauline To and Linda Leong established S.U.C.C.E.S.S. half a century ago, and today it is one of B.C.’s most respected charitable organizations.

As one of British Columbia’s largest multicultural, multi-service agencies, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. delivers services in the areas of newcomer settlement, employment, English-language training, health and senior housing as well as in the areas of business, auto insurance and economic, community and social development. S.U.C.C.E.S.S. also provides advocacy work in promoting positive social change.

Today, with the leadership of CEO Queenie Choo and Board Chair Terry Yung, more than 900 professional staff and over 2,000 volunteers are assisting new immigrants at all stages of their Canadian experience at 30 locations across Greater Vancouver, Fort St. John and overseas in China and South Korea.

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’s first overseas office was opened in Seoul, Korea, to offer services through the Active Engagement and Integration Project, or AEIP. AEIP aims to facilitate smooth transition for newcomers to Canada by providing services that promote community and labour market engagement in Korea prior to their departure to Canada.

The strength of diversity that exists today in B.C. and across Canada is in part because of pioneers, visionaries and leaders of organizations like S.U.C.C.E.S.S., who understand the central role that charities play in Canadian society.

Today I have the honour of co-hosting, along with Senator Yuen Pau Woo, MP Marc Dalton, MP Jenny Kwan, MP Taleeb Noormohamed, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. on the Hill in the Sir John A. Macdonald Building from 4 to 6 p.m. I invite all honourable colleagues to join us in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Together we can work to expand the vision of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and provide essential services and resources for newcomers to Canada, seniors, families and individuals in need.

Honorable senators, please join me in commending S.U.C.C.E.S.S. for 50 years of dedicated service.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Minister, The Globe and Mail recently reported that, before he was demoted within cabinet, your predecessor, Minister Bill Blair, delayed giving approval to a CSIS warrant for surveillance for four months. The Globe and Mail reported that this warrant was related to foreign interference in our country, and the delay occurred in the months leading up to the 2021 federal election.

Minister, on average, how long does it take for you to approve warrant requests from CSIS? What’s the longest amount of time it’s taken you to approve a CSIS warrant? And have you ever delayed a warrant request from CSIS for four months?