Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to speak to the tragedy that has shaken my home province and, frankly, the entire country. Last Thursday, June 15 is a day that has marked us all deeply — a day when 15 lives were lost and 10 people were injured due to the impact of a horrific collision between a semi-truck and a passenger bus that occurred at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 5 near the town of Carberry, Manitoba.

It was supposed to be a day of fun and relaxation for the 25 seniors travelling to a casino near Carberry, but it turned out to be the most devastating accident in Manitoba’s history. I wish to offer my sincerest and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the 15 victims who didn’t survive this terrible accident.

In such a devastating tragedy, I am faced with the reality that words just don’t seem to suffice. Please know that as you face these difficult times, we are praying for you. It is my hope that you also feel comfort in knowing that Canadians from coast to coast to coast are mourning with you.

As Canadians, we often pride ourselves on being united. In trials as difficult as this, that sense of community and support often bolsters strained families and relationships. My thoughts and prayers are also with the survivors, six of which are still fighting for their lives. These individuals have endured a lot physically. I pray for their full recovery.

Physical injuries are not all that we are dealing with here. Victims of the crash, families, witnesses, first responders and the entire community have been hit emotionally. They will need time to soothe their bodies and their minds. Their support system — often their loved ones — will hold a crucial role in the recovery process ahead.

I am touched by the acts of kindness and support that I’m hearing from the people of Dauphin, especially the Dauphin Active Living Centre. It is a heart-wrenching situation. There is tremendous beauty found in the community’s reaction and support of all those affected. The sense of being there for one another — not only in good times but also, more specifically, in the face of such adversity — demonstrates the calibre of exemplary individuals. This is a testament to the seniors of Manitoba, as they have forged and laid out the foundation for such admirable and strong communities.

I also wish to offer my gratitude to the many individuals who were called to duty last Thursday. Training to prepare for the worst in situations of this magnitude is one thing. Everybody hopes they will never have to deal with such a crisis. Then, when you least expect it, you are called upon. But to lead, take charge and work through such a hardship forces individuals, even professionals, to face a very sombre and difficult reality. Please know that your work has not gone unnoticed.

It is my hope that all affected by this tragedy may find comfort and peace in God’s grace.

Thank you.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, in 2021, the Trudeau government fought the families of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy in court to prevent them from obtaining information from the Parole Board of Canada and Correctional Service Canada to prepare for the parole hearings of Paul Bernardo, who tortured and killed their daughters. The Trudeau government argued in favour of protecting Paul Bernardo’s privacy rights, and they won the case.

Then, to its everlasting shame, Senator Gold, the Trudeau government asked the court to have these families pay the government’s legal costs of $19,142.27. The judge later reduced it to $4,000.

Leader, a delayed answer tabled last fall failed to answer the question you were asked in 2021. Why did your government seek court costs from these grieving families, Senator Gold?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Thank you, Senator Gold. I hope it won’t take two years, but I appreciate you finding out.

Leader, this past January, the Trudeau government was fighting these families before the Federal Court of Appeal to keep Paul Bernardo’s corrections and parole files a secret. Last week, we learned that your government did nothing to stop him from being moved out of a maximum-security facility. In fact, it’s worse than that. Both the Prime Minister and Minister Mendicino pretended to be shocked and appalled when the jail transfer became public, and yet their staff, Senator Gold, knew for months that this transfer was coming up.

Leader, the minister has repeatedly said he’s taken corrective steps with his staff for allegedly not telling him about the transfer.

My first question, Senator Gold is this: What are those corrective steps? As well, Senator Gold, on what date did the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Katie Telford learn about Paul Bernardo being moved out of a maximum-security facility?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I want to take just a few minutes to go back to Ms. Harriet Solloway’s appearance at Committee of the Whole and explain our position on her appointment as the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. During her appearance, I was quite concerned by some of Ms. Solloway’s answers.

First of all, the process for her appointment does not appear to have been at all a serious one. She admitted that she had a 10‑minute conversation with the President of the Treasury Board, Minister Mona Fortier. The minister called her from the airport, and Ms. Solloway is under the impression that the minister was focusing on her ability to speak French. This is not a serious effort at due diligence, colleagues.

Secondly, from the answers that we got, it does not look like Ms. Solloway was tested on her vision of the work of the commission, the challenges it poses or how she is equipped to meet those challenges. With this government’s track record for appointments, one would expect Minister Fortier to do more than a 10-minute call from the airport to test the level of conversational French of a candidate. However, I must say, having had this window into the hiring process of the Trudeau government, we can now certainly understand better why some of their previous appointments have fared so poorly.

But in addition, colleagues, to the clear shortcomings in the process, I was also alarmed to hear that Ms. Solloway will be faced with a steep learning curve on this job. I have no doubt in her personal and professional qualities, but from the evidence we received from her, one has to wonder how it was decided that she would be the best candidate for this position. She admitted not knowing the Canadian public sector, having been outside the country since 1996.

She was questioned by several senators, including myself, on her plans for the commission. While we cannot expect candidates to come up with a detailed plan when they appear in front of Parliament, we can expect to be given a general understanding of how the candidate will approach their role. Otherwise, I am not sure how we can assess whether the nominee is well-suited for this position.

Ms. Solloway said it very clearly: She has no general plan for this position and no plan for specific issues raised by senators. And from the answers given to Senator Cardozo, she does not seem to fully understand the role and the functioning of the commission.

Colleagues, we do not feel that we are in a position to stop the appointment of Ms. Solloway, but we felt it was important to put our observations and concerns on the record. For this reason, we will not stand in the way of this appointment, but we will certainly only allow it to go ahead on division.

Thank you.