Senator Gold: Yes, of course.

Senator Arnot: Yes.

[Translation]

Senator Pate: Thank you very much for that, Senator Gold. Could you request from the government the rates at which they proceeded against CERB recipients through the CRA, as well as the rates at which they proceeded against companies that received the CERB for wages — and how much of that are they clawing back from companies and employers as well?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, we were all shocked and saddened to learn of the tragedy near Carberry, Manitoba, on June 15, which left 15 people dead and others injured.

Our thoughts are with their friends and families, as well as the community of Dauphin, Manitoba, as we express our condolences for those lost, and our hopes for a full recovery by the injured.

Honourable senators, please join me in rising for a minute of silence in memory of those who did not survive this tragic incident.

(Honourable senators then stood in silent tribute.)

[Translation]

Senator Pate: To my knowledge — and certainly according to our review of the testimony — no insurance company has indicated that they would plan to claw back the benefit. No province has indicated that they would not support protecting the benefit.

Senator McCallum: You are aware, then, that all of Saskatchewan is covered by treaty. It is all unceded territory, so why is it under provincial jurisdiction?

Senator Cotter: All of the territory is covered by treaty, but most of the lands that are not reserves could be described as traditional territories. You are asking a question that is about provincial jurisdiction, but the view taken — as a result of the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement in the 1930s — was to transfer what Ottawa asserted it owned as federal lands into provincial lands.

The land that is governed by reserves is governed by First Nations. The lands that are traditional territories are subject to a more contentious set of authorities.

Senator Gold: I do not have that information, but I am assured by the minister that they are proceeding diligently and seriously in these negotiations. This chamber should have every confidence that the government is committed, as are their partners in the provinces and territories, to concluding the negotiations in a timely fashion so that this benefit can finally be provided to those millions of Canadians in need.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. The government is strongly committed to its relationships with African nations. I want to point out that, when it comes to visa applications, Morocco and Seychelles are among the 13 new countries that are now eligible for the Electronic Travel Authorization program, or eTA. Eligible travellers from those African countries can request an eTA rather than a visa.

Senator Marshall: Even that explanation was helpful, but I must tell you that this isn’t uncommon. Quite often, we can’t find large numbers and exactly what they’re representing in the budget. Another example would the growth fund, which is $15 billion.

Senator Marshall: Even that explanation was helpful, but I must tell you that this isn’t uncommon. Quite often, we can’t find large numbers and exactly what they’re representing in the budget. Another example would the growth fund, which is $15 billion.

Why is the government so secretive about providing fiscal information so that parliamentarians can follow the money? With the information they’re giving us now, it’s just not possible to follow the money.

Senator Batters: Hear, hear.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. As you noted, the negotiations with the provinces and territories are being done with the involvement of the disability community. There is, as you mentioned as well, a fairly large number of governments at stake, as well as an important yet diverse community of persons with disabilities.

This work is under way. The minister has given her assurance of the good faith that she’s encountering with the provinces and territories, and as those discussions progress, I have every confidence that Canadians will be updated in regard to their progress.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question and, again, underlining the questions that many researchers face in order to do the work upon which we depend for our present and future prosperity.

Colleagues, as you may recall, the government’s previous budgets provided $40.9 million to support targeted scholarships and fellowships for, in this case, promising Black student researchers, and $38.3 million for the federal granting councils to add new Canada Excellence Research Chairs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Again, I repeat: The government remains committed to supporting Canada’s continued status as a global leader in research and innovation because our world-class researchers perform cutting-edge and bold work.

Senator Kutcher: Senator Gold, tri-council-funded grants and fellowships allow entry points for marginalized postgraduate students, students whose families cannot support them as they continue their education.

How does the government plan to level the playing field for access to higher education for all who have merit so that Canada can continue to prosper and grow because those who are our best and brightest can access the positions they need to be in and not just those who are in a privileged position to do so?

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.

Senator Gold: As I said, I’ve been informed that the government has confidence in Minister Mendicino and the work that he does for us.

[English]

Senator Gerba: Thank you, Senator Gold. However, does the government have a reliable schedule in place for making changes to its immigration policies, particularly for Africans who are travelling to Canada on business?

The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, colleagues.

[English]

Senator Gold: Of course, thank you for your question. As I said in my answer to your first question, this is a transformative project which, as you properly underlined, holds the potential for providing access to cleaner energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels for the entire Atlantic region.

As you also underlined, it involves not only the four provinces of the Atlantic region but the province of Quebec, and not only them but the federal government.

This is a large project. Discussions are clearly under way. The Prime Minister was very clear when he took the opportunity to announce his support and encouragement for this project. I have every confidence that all of the governments will provide further information as their discussions progress.

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:

RIDEAU HALL

June 19, 2023

Madam Speaker,

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 19^th day of June, 2023, at 11:47 a.m.

Yours sincerely,

Christine MacIntyre

Deputy Secretary to the Governor General

The Honourable

The Speaker of the Senate

Ottawa

Bills Assented to Monday, June 19, 2023:

An Act respecting Lebanese Heritage Month (Bill S-246, Chapter 13, 2023)

An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (Bill C-41, Chapter 14, 2023)

An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts (Bill C-13, Chapter 15, 2023)

An Act to amend the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts, and to make a clarification relating to another Act (Bill C-45, Chapter 16, 2023)

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Honourable senators, I rise today, as I do every year, to recognize World Refugee Day on June 20.

I wish I had good news for you, but I don’t. As per the UNHCR, more than 110 million people — a record high — have fled persecution, conflict, violence, climate change and discrimination. The war in Ukraine, refugees fleeing Afghanistan and fighting in Sudan have all contributed to this mass movement of people, either internally or across borders.

Colleagues, global displacement has been rising at an ever‑increasing pace. Before the conflict in Syria in 2011, there were about 40 million refugees in the world, a number that had held steady for 20 years before then. Now, in just 12 years, that number has not just doubled; it has tripled.

As this number has risen, so too have the interdiction measures undertaken by nation states to prevent individuals from reaching safety and exercising their rights under the UNHCR convention. The EU has struck a deal with Libya. The U.K. has confirmed its intentions to offshore migrant processing to Rwanda. Turkey has come to a financial arrangement to hold refugees in its jurisdiction and prevent them from travelling westward. Most appallingly, colleagues, last weekend we willingly watched and waited and watched and waited and let 700 people die off the shores of Greece, including 100 children. We did nothing. We watched and waited.

Canada is, of course, proud to have set a record in welcoming and resettling refugees over the past four years — more than we ever have before and more than any other country. And yet we, too, have put a cap on private sponsorships in Bill C-47, and the government’s Immigration Levels Plan sets out a reduction on government-assisted refugees. One could argue those are the most vulnerable.

In all of this despair, I stay true to my name and look for a point of light. I see that point of light in the resilience of refugees themselves, who painstakingly continue their search for a home, for safety and security. And when they find safety, they build our nation — like the captain of the Canadian soccer team, Alphonso Davies, or “chocolate king” Tareq Hadad.

But most importantly, I want to pay tribute to mothers and daughters, sisters and girlfriends who face a harsh future of human and sex trafficking and are most vulnerable. For their sake, for the sake of their children, let’s do more, let’s do it faster, and let’s do it better. Thank you.

[Translation]