Senator Gold: In an attempt to be brief, let me simply say that your assertions and assumptions about the reasons for the Prime Minister’s decisions are incorrect, nor is it correct to assume that nothing has been or is being done to investigate the serious allegations of foreign interference.

The Prime Minister made his choice for NSICOP based upon the needs of the committee at the time as he saw fit.

Senator Gold: No. As I explained, the Prime Minister looked at the needs, analyzing the committee and the diversity of skills and experience required when the committee was created. He also considered the issues facing Canada and the work the committee would have to do.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. I hope that the efforts of the new president, including what you just mentioned, will have a positive impact on travellers and their experience. This is essential to the Montreal airport.

[English]

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. As the Minister of Immigration has remarked in the past months, the government is hoping to attract increasing numbers of skilled immigrant people who can, in fact, contribute to make up the shortfall in our skilled labour force in this particular area. Indeed, there is a labour shortage in many sectors.

It is a challenging and delicate balancing act when all the factors need to be combined in a rational, prudent and sensible policy. The government is committed to doing its part to meet that need.

Senator Gold: Senator, thank you for your question. I regret that the answers have not been received yet, and I will certainly make further inquiries, as I undertook and did, in fact, do.

Senator Gold: No.

Senator Gold: It is hard to keep repeating the same thing. Unfortunately, you leave me no choice.

Senators are appointed based on their skills and experience and based on the needs of the committee.

[English]

Senator Gold: I have made the Prime Minister aware of the concerns of the Senate and groups in the Senate as to the composition of NSICOP. The work that members of NSICOP from the Senate have done and will continue to do are exemplary and bring credit to the institution.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. Indeed, the Government of Canada, mindful and sensitive to the challenges of communities and the impact of climate change across this country, and indeed in the North and on Indigenous communities, has launched Canada’s first-ever National Adaptation Strategy to help all communities across this country adapt and develop the infrastructure to be more resilient in the face of these climate‑change-induced challenges.

In that regard, since 2015 the government has invested over $10 billion in disaster relief and climate change adaptation, and will continue to work with each and every community as their needs dictate.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: The government believes that the efforts that it has taken and continues to take to investigate and combat foreign interference in our democratic institutions — and, indeed, in our institutions more generally — is the appropriate response to a serious threat facing Canadians, and it will continue to act accordingly.

Senator Gold: Honourable senators, on behalf of the GRO, I’m also pleased to welcome Senator Paul Prosper from Nova Scotia to our chamber.

Senator Prosper was regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations, representing the Mi’kmaw chiefs of Nova Scotia after having served as chief of Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation from 2013 to 2020. He is a proud graduate of the IB&M Initiative at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. In 2020, he was inducted as a member of the Bertha Wilson Honour Society at the Schulich School in recognition of his exceptional service to the legal profession and his community.

[Translation]

Senator Prosper has a wealth of experience in Indigenous legal issues, whether in the areas of research, disputes or negotiation. His main focus has been advocating for the rights of the Mi’kmaw people. He taught Mi’kmaw history, Indigenous and treaty rights, and Mi’kmaw governance at Cape Breton University. Over the years, he has worked for various Mi’kmaw organizations in areas such as oral history, studies on the use and occupation of land by the Mi’kmaw people, and research on claims, citizenship, consultation, First Nations governance, justice, community development and nation membership.

[English]

Senator Prosper, your background and experience make you a very welcome addition to the Senate of Canada. We all look forward to working with you and, indeed, benefiting from your great experience.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question.

It is incorrect and frankly disrespectful to the integrity of each and every member of NSICOP to insinuate that they were appointed as “friends” or, as was implied by your leader, in order to insulate the Prime Minister and his government.

It would be equally inappropriate to assume that members of the Conservative or NDP or other members of NSICOP from the House or from this chamber do not approach their work in defence of Canada’s national security with the same degree of honour, integrity and diligence that all members do and should do.

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I would like to welcome our newest senators, starting with Senator Judy White. She is a Mi’kmaq member of the Flat Bay Band in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. She completed a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University with an emphasis on Aboriginal law. She also completed the Intensive Program in Indigenous Lands, Resources, and Governments at Osgoode Hall Law School, the Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities certificate program at Harvard Business School, and the Chartered Director program at McMaster University.

Senator White has extensive board and governance experience and has served many agencies in a variety of capacities.

[Translation]

She served as the Assistant Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and, through an interchange arrangement, served as Director of Engagement for Distinctions-based Legislation with the Government of Canada.

[English]

She served as the Chairperson of the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission, Chair of the Inuvialuit Arbitration Board, as well as Co-Chair Indigenous of Equal Voice — Newfoundland and Labrador. This organization brings men and women together in order to elect and support women at all levels of political office.

[Translation]

In 2022, Senator White received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the advancement of gender equality. More importantly, she is a proud grandmother.

[English]

Senator, the Senate is very fortunate to benefit from your knowledge and experience. On behalf of the Government Representative Office, or GRO, I am pleased to welcome you.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): I am not prepared to commit to you or to this chamber the advice or recommendations that I will give to the Prime Minister nor to report on the advice and recommendations that I have given to the Prime Minister. I stand by my answer.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question and thank you for underlining the devastation to this community, and many others, that the wildfires of this summer did and continue to effect.

I certainly will take the question to the attention of the relevant minister. This chamber can rest assured that the government has done and will continue to do everything it can to help communities faced with these challenges.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. What a pleasure it is to be back in this role.

The Prime Minister took account of the needs of NSICOP, the diversity of membership already in it, the representation from all the parties in the House of Commons and selected based upon the criteria that best served the needs of NSICOP at this time.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Senator Dagenais, the government is aware of the challenges facing Canada’s airports and Montreal’s Trudeau Airport. For the first time in Canadian history, the government has implemented regulations to protect passengers and guarantee their rights, including compensation for flight delays and disruptions. The new Minister of Transport, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, is seized with the challenges here in Canada and elsewhere in the world. He is well aware of the challenges facing Montreal airport. I am certain he will pull out all the stops to ensure that things improve.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. This government is very aware, as are all Canadians, of the housing crisis that we confront. Thank you, in your question, for underlining the importance of coordination between not only all levels of government but all sectors that are responsible for this.

I won’t repeat things that I have said in the past. This government has taken important action, as you mentioned, with regard to removing the federal GST on the construction of rental apartment buildings and — importantly, and to your point — showing leadership in urging the provinces to follow suit. Indeed, many provinces have already done so. We hope that others, like my province of Quebec, will come on board as well.

Indeed, there is also a role for municipalities, as many commentators have observed. Once again, the government is committed to working with municipalities in order to exercise its leadership, moral and otherwise, as we seek a solution together to this crisis.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): It is not correct that it is the intention or the desire of the Prime Minister to strip the opposition of its role. Recent amendments to the Parliament of Canada Act made that very clear, honourable colleagues.

It is not my intention to pressure the Prime Minister. That is not an appropriate exercise, but as I have said, I have made my views clear to the Prime Minister, and he has acted within his mandate and authority.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you. I certainly don’t know if you’re right, but I certainly do know that the summer obviously hasn’t tempered your proclivity to insult the former Governor General. The rapporteur did the job he was asked to do and happily. We now have in place Justice Hogue, who will be conducting her inquiry into foreign interference, and we look forward to the results of that.