Senator Gold: Again, thank you for your question, and for underlining this important issue. I’ll repeat: The government is engaged with the larger question, and is grateful for whatever assistance can be provided in fighting the wildfires. In that regard, Canada has provided assistance to others, and will be grateful for any help that is forthcoming.

I will make the appropriate inquiries, senator — it’s an important issue. Thank you.

Senator Downe: Thank you, Senator Gold; I appreciate that. As you know, the shortage of over 16,000 members in our Canadian Armed Forces, combined with various commitments, such as our mission in Latvia and the training currently under way of Ukrainian forces in the United Kingdom, has put Canada — a G7 member and a very rich country — in a position, for the first time in our history, of requesting international assistance to fight wildfires in our country. What an embarrassing situation for a country with such financial resources and a strong military history.

If we’re unable to recruit new members to our Canadian Armed Forces, can the government, at least, try to keep the members that we have by copying what the United States does, whereby military medical coverage is extended to the families of military personnel? If a member of the Canadian Armed Forces is transferred to Prince Edward Island, they will have their medical coverage provided by the Canadian Armed Forces, but their family will be at the bottom of a waiting list of over 30,000 names in a province of 170,000 people. Their chances of finding a family doctor are slim to none.

When will the Government of Canada support military families in order to try to keep the members that we already have, and provide the same level of service that the United States military currently provides to the families of their members?

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the team from the Dollywood Foundation of Canada and North America, The Waltons Trust and the NWT Literacy Council. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Ravalia.

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

Senator Gold: Thank you for that question.

I don’t have an answer to that. I’ll certainly make inquiries in an effort to determine how things are progressing.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Her Excellency Maria Andrelita S. Austria, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines; the Honourable Jon Reyes, Manitoba’s Minister of Labour and Immigration; the late Senator Enverga’s Family, Mrs. Rosemer Enverga and her three daughters; as well as interns from the National Philippine Parliamentary Internship Program. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Osler.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Reema Fuller and Aubrey Reeves. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Coyle.

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

Hon. Chantal Petitclerc: Honourable senators, 30 years ago, the Montreal Canadiens were just a few minutes away from winning the Stanley Cup and you could almost cut the adrenaline on the ice with a knife.

They were an underdog team with no big stars, except for Patrick Roy. However, what the Montreal Canadiens had was motivated players. Former Montreal Canadien Stéphan Lebeau said, “A good team with a lot of depth can sometimes become a champion team.”

Honourable senators, it takes talent to become a winning team. It takes athletes who aren’t egotistical, who think about the group, the team. At the heart of the team, there must be a leader who inspires, who shakes things up and who brings the players together. That is the role of the coach. The Montreal Canadiens were able to count on the best, a unique, passionate and fearless coach who would make the most of their talent and effort and lead them to the Stanley Cup.

Honourable senators, that coach was none other than our former colleague, the great, the Honourable Jacques Demers, or “Coach” to his friends. Some say it was his pilgrimage to the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré that made the difference, but we’ll never know.

What we do know is that his pep talk leading into the series made an impression on all the players, and his bold decisions in the heat of the moment were instrumental.

Patrick Roy himself said the following:

Jacques Demers was the key man in that series. His decision to have Marty McSorley’s stick measured and to pull me from the net in the second game against the Nordiques made all the difference.

With his passion, his daring and his grit, our former colleague led his team to the last Stanley Cup that the Montreal Canadiens have won. Now, 30 years later, everyone is still saying, “Thank you, Coach Demers!”

Thank you. Meegwetch.

Hon. Marty Klyne: Honourable senators, earlier today Senator Francis and I had the pleasure of attending and sponsoring Advancing Economic Reconciliation on Parliament Hill, a conference organized in partnership with the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association and the First Nations Bank of Canada. The goal of the conference was to discuss how we can further advance economic reconciliation in Canada.

The conference brought together Indigenous leaders, businesses and economic development organizations to share their wisdom and success stories. Senator Francis and I were pleased to see many of our Senate colleagues and the Interim Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments present for the conference. We heard stories from coast to coast to coast, and I’m grateful to everyone who participated. Indigenous businesses are thriving in our nation of nations, and it is important that we share their stories and experiences not just with each other, but with all Canadians.

As we all know, governments and elected representatives speak often on reconciliation, particularly about upholding rights and addressing injustices. Economic reconciliation itself isn’t always top of mind, but it is a topic that deserves closer attention. We cannot achieve true reconciliation until Indigenous peoples are empowered to take advantage of their full economic potential, and we will not move forward as a country unless all people in Canada have access to equitable opportunities to prosper.

The time is past due for Indigenous peoples to reclaim their full economic power. Senators already know that this is a topic that is close to my heart. Last month, I launched an inquiry aimed at celebrating and calling attention to successful Indigenous-led businesses. Since then, several senators from across the country have spoken and shared stories from their regions, and I look forward to hearing more senators speak soon.

Colleagues, the path to reconciliation must include economic reconciliation. I am thankful to the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association and the First Nations Bank of Canada for partnering with us on today’s conference and for helping to remind us of that message. I encourage all Canadians to think about how they can help advance economic reconciliation in their home communities; whether it’s by supporting a local Indigenous-led business, encouraging governments to work closely with Indigenous partners or simply by being a friend and ally, we can all be a part of making Canada a more inclusive and prosperous place for everyone.

Hon. F. Gigi Osler: Thank you, Your Honour, and congratulations on your new role.

Dear colleagues, earlier today we continued the tradition of raising the flags of Canada and the Philippines on Parliament Hill at a ceremony initiated by our former colleague the late senator Tobias Enverga. Today we welcome Mrs. Rosemer Enverga and her three daughters, who carry on the legacy of Senator Enverga. I extend a heartfelt welcome to Her Excellency, the Philippine Ambassador to Canada, Maria Andrelita Austria, as well as to her team at the embassy in Ottawa. Finally, I offer a big Senate welcome to the interns of the National Philippine Parliamentary Internship Program.

June holds a special significance for Filipino-Canadians as it is Filipino Heritage Month. This year, June 12 marked the one hundred and twenty-fifth year of Philippine independence and is a day that commemorates the liberation of Philippines from 333 years of Spanish colonial rule.

Today, fellow senators, I wish to share with you the story of Benjamin Flores, the first recorded Filipino immigrant to Canada. Arriving on Bowen Island, British Columbia, in 1861 at the tender age of 15, Ben was a fisherman and a businessman who established one of the first boat rental businesses. Although he never married or had children, his legacy endures through the collective memory of his community. Mr. Flores has been described as exceptionally friendly and generous, and he remains a beloved figure. Like many Filipinos who journeyed to Canada in search of better opportunities, Mr. Flores made a lasting impact on his community.

Filipino Heritage Month is a time to honour the richness of Filipino culture and to acknowledge the remarkable contributions that Filipinos have made to Canadian society from coast to coast to coast.

In conclusion, let our diversity strengthen and enrich our nation. Let’s honour the enduring contributions of the many Filipino communities across Canada. Long live — mabuhay ang — Canada and Pilipinas. Salamat po, meegwetch.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Elder Claudette Commanda and a group of Indigenous business leaders and executives who attended a lunch and learn on advancing economic reconciliation on Parliament Hill. They are the guests of the Honourable Senators Francis and Klyne.

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

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

With respect, I do not accept the premises of your question. The minister said that he was shocked, appalled and that it was unacceptable, and that is exactly true. It is also the case that his office was briefed, though he was not, some months before about the possibility that a transfer was being contemplated. It is equally true, as the minister acknowledged, that he was aware of it some days before he made that announcement.

There are reasons of privacy and security in these matters that led the minister to only publicly express his shock at this when it became public. So in that regard, the premise that he was not telling the truth is not well-founded.

As you know, and as I have stated here and as the minister has said, he has asked the Commissioner of Correctional Service Canada to review that decision, and that review is under way.

We continue to expect that convictions for serious crimes will result in serious punishments. My understanding is also that the Prime Minister and/or the minister will soon be addressing the issues of how the office handled the information in the months leading up to the public disclosure.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, yesterday, we learned that the Minister of Public Safety, Marco Mendicino, was not only pretending when he claimed that the transfer of serial killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison was “shocking and incomprehensible,” he now admits he knew about the transfer three days before it was public. His staff knew about it for three months, yet claimed they never told him. Correctional Service Canada also say they sent his office communications products in advance.

Leader, this is not the first time Minister Mendicino has bent the truth when it suited him.

You take great exception when we call a spade a spade and come out in the Senate and say what not telling the truth actually is. Then there are points of order raised when we say what not telling the truth actually is.

This isn’t the first time Mr. Mendicino has used ignorance as a shield, but it might very well be the worst. Leader, why is Marco Mendicino still a minister of the Crown? When will the Prime Minister fire him?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this report be taken into consideration?

(On motion of Senator Housakos, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

[English]

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this report be taken into consideration?

(On motion of Senator Housakos, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Veena Kohli. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Marwah.

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

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That the Senate approve the reappointment of Heather Powell Lank as Parliamentary Librarian.

Hon. Leo Housakos: Honourable senators, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, which deals with Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada.

(For text of report, see today’s Journals of the Senate, p. 1831.)

Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the twelfth report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples entitled On the Outside Looking In: The Implementation of the Cannabis Act and its effects on Indigenous Peoples and I move that the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.

(On motion of Senator Francis, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)