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.

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)

Senator Gold: I will certainly make inquiries. Thank you.

Senator Carignan: If he read his mandate letter, can you confirm whether the Prime Minister plans to meet with Minister Mendicino between two days of surfing to dismiss him?

The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, colleagues.

[English]

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 Mockler: We’re told the loop could go through northwestern New Brunswick. As a resident and senator from New Brunswick, I’m committed to working with all the stakeholders in the region, as well as with the Government of Quebec, on seeing this project through so that the northwest is given serious consideration as a main route. Indeed, this project worth several billion dollars will create good jobs in the region.

[English]

To the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the federal government seems to have finally discovered that the Atlantic Loop is a step in the right direction when it comes to addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Canada and North America. The Atlantic Loop will, without a doubt, phase out coal-fired generating plants in Atlantic Canada.

Leader, when will the federal government officially announce the Atlantic Loop project? Actions speak louder than words.

Senator Gold: Thank you. I’m not prepared to accept that the government is “being secretive,” but I do accept the point that you’re making, namely that you are having difficulty following the money. That is an important point which I will certainly bring to the attention of the minister. It’s a valid point and I take that point.

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?

Senator Arnot: Yes.

[Translation]

Senator Arnot: My answer to that is that the Whitecap Dakota First Nation will have control over their membership. They will make the determination themselves and not be constrained by any of the rules under the Indian Act. It is up to them. They will have self-determination in their self-government agreement. That is my interpretation of what this means.

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: 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.

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 Gold: Thank you for the follow-up question. I will certainly add that to the inquiries I will make.

[Translation]

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

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]

Hon. Mary Jane McCallum: Thank you for the collaboration between the Canadian Senators Group and the Progressive Senate Group — the CSG and the PSG — for giving me their time today.

Honourable senators, there are two kinds of families: those we are born into and those we create. As First Nations children, we were forced to leave our birth families, despite our nurturing homes. Although scared and confused in navigating residential school, we already had strong familial experiences and were able to withstand years of oppression and assimilation. We did not fail each other; we formed families and lifelong friends.

I want to thank you — that is to my family from residential school — for inspiring me throughout my life and for keeping me safe when you could. Our love for each other gave us an unbreakable bond. You are the light that shines into my darkness.

There are lessons in everything, even in the things that break our hearts. Sometimes, we are overwhelmed and exhausted by the challenges that we face; yet, we cannot shy away from our responsibilities, despite the immense pressure. In my case, it was sitting alongside the team using ground-penetrating radar at the Guy Hill Residential School site last week. We know there are bodies there. Many think they are not in the open grounds but in the forest. It was there that adults were seen carrying tiny bodies and coming out empty-handed. Imagine those students who saw that, not knowing if they would be next. It’s no wonder that many are still unable to visit the grounds.

Last week, I sat among my former fellow students and our supporters, many of whom also attended residential school, day school or were part of the Sixties Scoop. I listened to their stories and I saw their wisdom. I told them, “I see you as the powerful, wise, compassionate, joyful, humble and courageous spirits that you are. Who among us would have believed that we would have a Shaking Tent ceremony, a pipe ceremony, a sweat, drumming and singing, an eagle fan cleansing, a prayer, smudging and talking circles at the very site of the school that had removed all that from us?”

The First Nations across the country know we are regaining our ceremonies and languages, and reclaiming the power and the spirit that were taken from us. Know that we are in a time of resurgence as sovereign peoples.

[Editor’s Note: Senator McCallum spoke in Cree.]

We belong to ourselves. We will determine our future.

To our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, know that you matter to us and that we will always be there together. How can we not be? We are family.

Kinanâskomitinâwâw. Thank you.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Chief Roy Whitney of Tsuut’ina Nation, Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Chief Aaron Young of Chiniki First Nation and Chief Clifford Poucette of Goodstoney First Nation. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Tannas.

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

Hon. Pat Duncan: Honourable senators, I rise today to share the story of Mary Merchant.

In 1917, Mabel and Samuel McAllister were living in Argentina, and as was the custom at the time, Mabel travelled back to Scotland, through the danger of German U-boats in the English Channel, to have a baby. When Mabel was about to give birth, a family friend named Mary brought over a steak-and-kidney pie. Mabel declared the pie so good that if the baby was a girl, she would be named Mary in her honour. Born on June 18, Mary was duly named, and steak-and-kidney pie remains a family favourite to this day.

Mary was the second of four children. When the family returned to Argentina, it was to a large ranch, Santa Elena, part of the Bovril company.

In 1929, Mary and her older sister Barbara returned from Argentina to attend boarding school in Scotland. They returned to Argentina two short years later as the Argentine peso was devalued against the British pound and school in Scotland became unaffordable.

The family moved around Argentina, as her father worked a variety of jobs, including running a brewery. Mary remembers taking visitors through the brewery and explaining the finer points of making beer: “It’s all about the water.”

While at the British Hospital in Buenos Aires, training for a lifelong career as a nurse, Mary became a pen pal with a young man named Walter Merchant who served with the British Army in Burma. So began a six-year correspondence, leading to marriage in 1947. Moving from Argentina to England in 1955, the family, now composed of the couple and two children, chose Canada, where employment prospects seemed rather brighter.

Those brighter employment prospects did not materialize for Walter. Mary retrained to meet Canadian standards as a registered nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. The family settled in Cowansville in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, where Mary spent 20 years nursing at the Hôpital Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins. After her retirement, Mary lived for several years in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

In 1995, Mary began yet another adventure and moved to the Yukon. She continued her life of service, teaching community members to sew, knit, save money and especially to eat a healthy diet by avoiding sugar, the exceptions being Scottish shortbread and Christmas pudding, of course. In Whitehorse, Mary is legendary for her knitting. In one year alone, she knitted 50 pairs of socks, along with baby sets, sold to support the community.

Senators who have been mentally calculating as I shared this story will recognize that, on June 18, Mary, who recently shrugged off a bout of COVID with her traditional good humour, turned 106 years young.

Although Mary’s son, Philip, shared with me that Mary really cannot understand what all the fuss is about, it is an honour to wish her a happy birthday and share the story of a life well lived — one of service and contribution to communities in Quebec, New Brunswick and the Yukon.

Happy one hundred and sixth birthday, Mary.

Thank you, gùnáłchîsh, mähsi’cho.