Senator Gold: Obviously, our Armed Forces need to be equipped with whatever it takes to do their job of defending our country and our interests.

The government continues to invest more in the military. The facts you have outlined are most regrettable. I’m told that the Government of Canada will continue to support our Canadian Forces with the necessary funds in a prudent manner.

[English]

Senator Gold: The context of all of this, of course, is the Government of Canada’s ongoing efforts — along with other nations — to combat climate change and, in that regard, relying upon science and collaboration with our partners.

On Arctic issues specifically, Canada meets regularly with our circumpolar partners to deal with issues like the ones you mentioned, and others, surrounding climate change, security and the like.

Some years ago, as you know, the government released its Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, providing overarching priorities to the government and investments in the Arctic that will take us to 2030 and beyond. This was co-developed with Northerners, territorial and provincial governments, First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.

To repeat: Canada is working with other partners in the Arctic region to address this issue of common concern.

Senator Gold: It is the responsibility of any responsible government to deal with these matters in a responsible way. In that regard, I continue to insist on the distinction between the importance of the issues that are raised in this chamber and the way in which they are raised and the liberty with which the questioners too often play with facts and assumptions.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. The position of the government is, as I just expressed, that it has been managing its affairs and our affairs prudently and responsibly for the benefit of Canadians.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: I thank the honourable senator for her question.

Canada is the first country to collect and publish data on gender diversity from a national census. Of the some 30 million people in Canada aged 15 and older living in a private household in May 2021, over 100,000 identified as transgender or non‑binary, accounting for 0.33% of the population in this age group. Regarding the specifics of your question, I’ll have to make inquiries and report back.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you, senator. I understand and respect your point of view. The government is considering its options. I will certainly take your suggestion under consideration. The chamber should rest assured that the government will do this in a proper and transparent way. I will make sure that is the case, whether the bill is introduced in the other place or, indeed, even here.

At this moment, the government has not yet made a decision as to what mechanism to use, but it is under serious study. Again, I stand here as the Government Representative and make a commitment that this will be addressed in a timely fashion. I repeat that this will have no impact on the bill once it receives Royal Assent for two years after implementation.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the follow-up question.

I think Canadians are quite properly and rightfully concerned about many other issues that are affecting their daily lives, whether it’s the wildfires; I’ve answered them literally during virtually every Question Period, and I’ll say it again:

The position of the government is that it has confidence in the special rapporteur and the report, which contained valuable information for how we can better protect ourselves and a process going forward in which further work will be done in that regard.

I will refrain from commenting again on the way in which you characterize and depict the Honourable David Johnston.

Senator Gold: It is neither.

Six and a half years ago when I joined the Senate, it was in the hope that the Senate could return to its original conception as a place where serious issues and serious questions can be dealt with in a serious and less partisan way. Alas, that obviously is not a vision that is shared by all.

It is not a lack of competence. It is not a question of cover-up. It is a responsibility of the government to make sure that issues that affect national security are dealt with in a responsible —

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate) introduced Bill S-13, An Act to amend the Interpretation Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question.

It’s the position of the government that the investments it makes, including the debt that is accrued to our national debt, were necessary, prudent and responsible in order to assist Canadians during this difficult and challenging time.

It is also the position of the government — and the facts are the facts — that its stewardship of the economy through the last many years is the envy of the Western world. Our position and our economic growth is the strongest in the G7. Our employment rates are higher than in pre-pandemic years. Inflation has been brought under control, and indeed, if the Bank of Canada raised interest rates — which have an impact on the day-to-day lives of Canadians, to be sure — it is in the service of bringing inflation down, which hurts and cripples all of us in the long term.

The unemployment rate is near its record low. The labour participation of women aged 25 to 54 reached a record high earlier this year.

The economy is in good shape thanks to businesses, workers, the provinces and territories and the contribution of the federal government, which can take some measure of credit for the responsible way in which it has managed our economy, along with all other sectors of the country.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for raising this important question. The melting of Arctic ice at an accelerated pace is a preoccupation for all the reasons you mentioned, and they go beyond that, including the challenges for those who rely on the hunting and gathering their food — during my visit to the North a few years ago, that was evident even then — the search and rescue that follows all of that and, indeed, to our sovereignty. The government has taken action with regard to the health of our oceans, and I could — there’s much to say there.

With respect to the particular question, as there is less and less ice in the Arctic, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans along with the Canadian Coast Guard have expanded our presence and capabilities in the short-term to defend our sovereignty, defend the communities that are affected, respond to the increasing risks of climate-based disasters and are working in the scientific community to address and to continue to further address how to mitigate the effects of this seemingly, for the moment, irreversible and dangerous trend.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for her question. It is clear that women face unique challenges when it comes to being research subjects with a view to improving clinical outcomes in areas such as ovarian and uterine cancer, sexual and genetic health, gender violence and health during pregnancy.

The new National Women’s Health Research Initiative launched in October 2022 will advance a coordinated research program that addresses under-researched and high-priority areas. This investment will drive research to enhance health outcomes and eliminate gaps in access to care. I will bring your specific question to the attention of the ministers responsible.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, Senator Patterson, and for giving me the opportunity to respond to the question in the chamber, as we did privately yesterday.

Indeed, the government has become aware of this issue and is very aware of this issue.

The first point I wish to make, colleagues, is that this drafting error has no immediate legal effect because the section that is involved does not come into effect until the second anniversary of the date of the act’s implementation following receiving Royal Assent. Keep that in mind as I provide the rest of my explanation.

The government is advised of this issue and is exploring other legislative pathways to correct this issue outside of Bill C-13, if required, such as a financial piece of legislation or a stand-alone bill. I repeat: This issue has no effect following Royal Assent of the bill. The government is exploring other ways to address it outside of Bill C-13, given the importance of passing the bill in a timely fashion.

Colleagues, this is not the first time this issue has arisen. As colleagues know or should know — those who have been in this chamber for more than a brief period — we had a similar issue arise with Bill C-12, which amended the Old Age Security Act. An issue arose at a late stage of the process. The government committed to rectifying this technical matter separately so that the bill could move forward in a timely fashion and receive Royal Assent. We delivered on that promise some weeks later through a separate legislative vehicle.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I can assure this chamber that, as it has done before, the Government of Canada will deliver on this commitment.

Senator D. Patterson: Thank you, Senator Gold. I was glad you didn’t say that the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act would be the fix. I don’t think that would be appropriate, nor would, frankly, burying it in a compendious omnibus budget bill that is incapable of amendment be the appropriate fix.

I wonder if you would agree, Senator Gold, that the most appropriate fix for this error might be direct and focused legislative action.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The Government of Canada makes its decisions based on the needs of our Armed Forces and our priorities in that area. It will continue to make its decisions for the good of the communities served and Canada.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. I will bring this to the attention of the appropriate minister and endeavour to have an answer back as quickly as I can.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The attempts to use the combined force of the opposition parties in the Senate to make sensitive intelligence material public is irresponsible, and in that regard, the position of the Government of Canada has always been to work with the opposition parties in the hope that they would agree to a responsible process for the review of such documents such that parliamentarians can do their work without endangering not only the national security of Canada but the safety and security of those intelligence officers in the field that work on our behalf.