Senator Martin: Senator Gold, 80% of Canadians are unhappy with the Trudeau government. It may be time to re‑evaluate your government’s approach, especially on issues of national security and intelligence matters. Up until your government, the convention has always been to seek the advice of the opposition in naming members to review matters of national security and intelligence. This is for the very good and important reason that it establishes cross-party cooperation, which then assists in building public confidence and national support on such matters. When a government only appoints its friends to sit on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, or NSICOP, there is an imminent risk that Canadians will lose confidence on how matters are being managed and reviewed.

Senator Gold, will your government show some common sense and recognize that excluding the opposition from NSICOP isn’t in our nation’s best interest?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, on behalf of the opposition and the Senate Conservative caucus, I’m pleased to rise in this chamber to welcome our new colleagues, the Honourable Paul Prosper of Nova Scotia and the Honourable Judy White of Newfoundland and Labrador. I’m truly pleased to extend to both of you a very warm welcome to the Senate of Canada.

Senator Prosper, as a Mi’kmaw lawyer with over 25 years of experience in Indigenous legal issues as well as the former chief of the Paqtnkek — Afton Station — Mi’kmaw Nation, I am certain that your knowledge and expertise will be beneficial in this chamber and at committees. Your advocacy work and leadership will continue in this next chapter as a senator of Nova Scotia.

Senator White, as a member of the King’s Counsel and a lawyer with experience in human rights issues and Indigenous governance, as well as with your previous role as Assistant Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, I am certain that your knowledge and experience will contribute greatly to your work as a senator. Your work on the advancement of gender equality and dedication to ensuring that all persons are given an equal voice apply directly to our role as senators to be the voice of the voiceless.

Canadians have increasingly been looking to the Senate to not only bring sober second thought and due diligence, they are looking at the Senate for hope — hope that their voices are heard and that the severity of the affordability issues faced by Canadians are a priority for all parliamentarians. Canadians across our beautiful country need reassurance right now. They need to see common sense in Ottawa. They need to see parliamentarians take on their duty to work and fight for their very best interests.

Senators Prosper and White, please know that Conservatives look forward to working in collaboration with you both on ways to improve the lives of Canadians. On behalf of the opposition and the Conservative caucus, I want to warmly welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): My question is for the government leader, and it also touches on Prime Minister Trudeau’s Senate appointments to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.

Over the summer, the Prime Minister filled the last Senate vacancy by appointing yet again one of his very own Senate appointees, meaning that currently the three senators sitting on NSICOP are senators whom he has appointed and picked based on common values. By doing so, the Prime Minister eliminated the balance between the government and the opposition in the Senate. We all know that the Prime Minister wants to strip the opposition of its role of representing the voice of the political minority.

Senator Gold, will you pressure the Prime Minister to correct this mistake?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): This motion is at day 15. I move the adjournment of the debate for the balance of my time.

(On motion of Senator Martin, debate adjourned.)

[Translation]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Dasko, calling the attention of the Senate to the role of leaders’ debates in enhancing democracy by engaging and informing voters.