Hon. René Cormier: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, I’m sure you noticed, as I did, the demonstrations that are currently taking place on Parliament Hill.

The “1 Million March 4 Children” group invited its members to demonstrate for parental rights at the expense of 2SLGBTQI+ policies. At the same time, a counter-demonstration was organized to advocate for the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

In the groundswell of debate surrounding transgender students’ pronoun choices and access to gender-neutral washrooms in schools, important questions arise that extend far beyond provincial jurisdiction, specifically the protection of the fundamental rights of Canadian children.

Senator Gold, how does the federal government intend to act, and act swiftly, to protect 2SLGBTQI+ children in their schools and beyond?

Hon. Flordeliz (Gigi) Osler: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Manitoba has the highest proportion of First Nations residents among Canadian provinces. For many indicators of health, there is a widening gap between First Nations residents and other Manitobans. In 2021, Indigenous Services Canada established the Nursing Health Human Resources Framework to respond to nursing shortages and to address nursing station closures in remote and isolated First Nations communities. Yet, in a media conference last week, the Chief of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation, a First Nation in northern Manitoba that is home to over 8,000 on-reserve residents, stated that their nursing station repeatedly faces closures due to nursing staff shortages.

Senator Gold, what is the government doing to ensure the effectiveness of the Nursing Health Human Resources Framework as we continue to hear about nursing shortages and nursing station closures in Manitoba?

Hon. Andrew Cardozo: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate, and it is on the topic of affordability. Let me start by painting the context of where we are.

I note several measures — from recent years — to help make life more affordable: the Canada Child Benefit in 2016; the National Housing Strategy in 2017; the increase to the Canada Pension Plan in 2019; and the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Plan, which is the national child care program that went into effect a couple of years ago, and we’re considering the bill related to this now.

Earlier this year, Parliament passed bills on the Grocery Rebate, the dental plan for children and the Canada Disability Benefit. All of these measures help Canadians in this affordability crisis. Perhaps you can tell your government to talk a bit more about some of these measures that they have taken so that we have a better idea of what they have done.

My question is simple: What other measures is the government planning? Would you consider price controls, perhaps, on basic Canadian groceries, or working with provincial governments to have strong national rent control?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): The Government of Canada knows and accepts that the shortage of nurses in First Nations communities is simply unacceptable. With the help of partners, the Government of Canada is working to ensure that every community has access to reliable resources and services.

I understand that First Nations organizations and partners are working with the Government of Canada to strengthen nursing recruitment so that culturally appropriate care can be provided. As well, I’m advised that currently there are rosters of contracted health professional resources on hand to fill any gaps, and, importantly, work is under way to recruit more nurses.

Senator Osler: Senator Gold, Indigenous Services Canada runs 21 of the 22 nursing stations in Manitoba. Dr. Barry Lavallee, the head of a northern health and wellness advocacy agency, has said that nursing shortages in southern Manitoba can’t be compared to those located in the North, and that mixed models of primary care need to be considered.

Has the federal government considered multidisciplinary teams — which could include community health workers, doctors and pharmacists — to remove the pressure off nurses, and improve health care delivery in First Nations communities?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The government is considering many possibilities to address the affordability challenges that many Canadians are facing. Indeed, the government announced earlier this week that they will be introducing a bill in Parliament soon to address aspects of this issue. When that bill is introduced, we’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the plans and to study it.

It is public knowledge that, in addition to other measures, the bill will include modifications and amendments to strengthen our competition law, which is one aspect of ensuring that — through robust competition — prices can be controlled. But as for the specific question, all issues are being discussed, and when the government is in a position to announce further measures — whether through legislation or otherwise — it will be announced.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for bringing this back to my attention, and I will certainly inquire. I do not have an answer at this juncture.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, yesterday you said:

It is important and responsible for this government and, indeed, all governments to work with all governments in this world to combat climate change.

I find your comment interesting given that Minister Guilbeault failed to provide the Atlantic premiers with information on how their provinces will be impacted by the Prime Minister’s second carbon tax. The minister has no problem cooperating with Beijing, leader, but couldn’t find the time to give the premiers information that he promised he would provide.

Leader, in June, you said you would look into why your government didn’t give that information to the Atlantic premiers. You had all summer long to think about this. Do you have an answer, leader?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, back in May, I raised with you the massive shortfall between the amount of housing the Trudeau government is promising and the amount Canada needs just to restore housing affordability by 2030. Earlier this month, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, or CMHC, said our country needs about 3.5 million more houses over and above what is already projected. This is roughly the same amount CMHC said we needed in a report released last year. So more than a year later, we haven’t seen progress.

Leader, your government first promised the Housing Accelerator Fund in 2021, yet it didn’t accept applications until this past July and it hasn’t built a single house. Why did it take so long for the Trudeau government to get an accelerator fund up and running during a housing crisis?

Senator Plett: Sounds like deceleration.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Indeed, the CMHC report underlines the critical and urgent need for the supply of new houses to be increased, and that’s why the government brought forth — as I reported in this chamber and I will not on elaborate further — a suite of new measures to tackle this crisis by putting Canada on track to double the number of construction of new homes over the next decade.

I will only say, in an echo to Senator Plett, prior to my political life, I was in business and was involved with real estate. Those of you who have experience in real estate know there are many factors that go into an entrepreneur’s decision whether to build or not to build, and those have to do with many factors that help explain, to some degree, why we are having a challenge in this country in building sufficient houses and homes to meet the increasing demands.

Hon. Sharon Burey: Colleagues, I rise today in support of Bill C-35, An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada, and to encourage you to work quickly and diligently to send this bill to committee as soon as possible.

[English]

Senator Moodie, thank you for the extensive and comprehensive history and overview of the promise and vision of Bill C-35.

I just attended the technical briefing on Bill C-35; it was very informative and laid out the various partnerships, including the national and regional Indigenous early learning and child care partnership tables, as well as the provincial and territorial partnerships, that have led us to this day.

This bill enshrines a framework for a national early learning and child care system in law. It also sets out a national advisory council that is necessary to maintain best practices through evidence and research, to report on progress toward achieving these goals and, even more important, to course correct when needed.

It is bold and forward-looking, and shows that Canada values children, families and women who often, but not always, bear the brunt of child rearing. It is about today and our future. It is about helping families find the right work-life balance.

[Translation]

Esteemed colleagues, I address you today as a mother, grandmother, pediatrician and now a senator.

[English]

As a pediatrics resident some 30-plus years ago, I experienced the significant impact of not having readily available and affordable child care. It would have made a world of difference if child care had been readily available in my institution or close by. Many parents of my patients struggle to find high-quality, affordable child care that will allow them to earn an income and/or obtain training that will improve their earning potential — and also improve the trajectory of their child’s development and health.

My remarks will focus on two main areas: the economic cost of not having a national early learning and child care framework; and the health and educational impacts of not having a national early learning and child care framework.

The Institute for Research on Public Policy report entitled Early Learning and Child Care in Canada: Where Have We Come From, Where Are We Going? notes:

. . . child care fees have continued to rise and there has been mixed progress across provinces and territories on staff-child ratios, wages for early childhood educators . . . .

According to the report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives entitled In progress: Child care fees in Canada 2019, the median cost in Toronto for an infant was $1,774; in Quebec, thankfully, it is an average of $179; and, in Manitoba, it is a set fee of $651 per month. This is important. The report concludes, “. . . lower child care fees in Canada are due to public policy, not market pressures.”

Analyses on the effect of affordable child care — in Quebec — on workforce participation by women and on the gross domestic product of Quebec are very positive. This means it makes economic sense to facilitate the re-entry of mothers into the workforce.

My second area of focus is the impact of early child care on development and mitigating the consequences of poverty and early adversity. Of course, this needs to be high-quality child care that respects the needs of the various children’s and families’ circumstances, as well as Indigenous services and culturally relevant services.

My mother was a teacher, and, as a young mother, she was able to take me to school with her when I was two years old. Dear colleagues, I’ve been in formal school of some form since two years old, and now, at this stage in my life, I have entered another kind of school. More importantly, that meant that I had an early start — a head start — and that, in no small part, explains why I became a doctor, and why I have been honoured to be appointed to the Senate of Canada.

We know that children who are exposed to enriched environments enter school with vocabularies that far exceed children who have early adversity. Early education and high‑quality child care is an investment in the prevention of a host of lifelong health outcomes, like diabetes, heart disease and mental health problems, as well as low educational achievement.

Some might say it is like an insurance policy — against the adversities of life — that promotes resilience and prosperity for all.

The Institute for Research on Public Policy has several recommendations. I would highlight this one in particular: “Rapidly expand not-for-profit and public child care facilities.” This can be achieved by encouraging “. . . the delivery of more child care services by municipalities, colleges and school boards.”

I would also add “large institutions and employers.”

Many parents would relay to me the long distances and early wake-up times of 5 a.m. for children because they would need to take them to a child care facility due to there not being any spaces at the child care centre at the child’s school. The same process would be repeated in the evening. Many of those children presented behavioural and learning issues due to the lack of sleep. Need I say more?

In closing, colleagues, as Senator Moodie stated in her speech yesterday:

The pandemic led to a new wave of advocacy by parents, families, child care experts, labour unions, academics and economists, all of whom wanted high-quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive child care as a crucial step to reversing the harms of the pandemic and building a society for all.

This is an investment in our children and families. It is an investment in our future.

I urge you, honourable colleagues, to move with due diligence, sober second thought and some haste to ensure that this bill reaches committee as soon as possible. Children, families and Canadians are depending on us.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

(On motion of Senator Martin, debate adjourned.)

[Translation]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos, for the second reading of Bill S-220, An Act to amend the Languages Skills Act (Governor General).

Hon Senators: Agreed.

(Debate adjourned.)

[English]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Clement, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, for the second reading of Bill S-1001, An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to Bill S-1001, An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada.

This bill seeks to legally formalize the amalgamation of the two religious entities by combining them into a single federally incorporated not-for-profit corporation. The Catholic Pope announced the merger on May 6, 2020, and these two corporations, by way of a petition, have prayed for an act of incorporation to make legal effect to the merger announcement. Bill S-1001 is the legislative response to that prayer.

For context, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall in January 2016, Archbishop Terrence J. Prendergast, was given the mandate of making recommendations regarding a possible merger between his diocese and the Archdiocese of Ottawa. The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada, is incorporated provincially under the Statutes of the Province of Ontario in 1979. In 1884, The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa was incorporated federally under the Statutes of Canada, which brings us to the debates before us today.

The bill is quite straightforward. For the purposes of the debate at second reading today, I will highlight four of the clauses of particular importance.

For the specifics of the amalgamation, clause 3 creates The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Ottawa-Cornwall, for which a certificate of continuance is deemed to have been issued under clause 10(3) of the bill, according to subsection 211(1) of the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa.

Subsection 2 of clause 3 specifies that the new entity will have the status of a corporation without share capital as incorporated by a special act of Parliament and not continued under any other act.

Clause 4 states the effects there will be upon amalgamation. These include the consolidation of all property; obligations; liabilities; civil, criminal or administrative actions or proceedings; convictions, rulings, orders or judgments; claims, rights and privileges; as well as any devise, testament, bequest, donation, beneficial trust or other transfers of property for the benefit of any of the amalgamating corporations.

That is to say that any legal obligations or potential criminal proceedings are not nullified through the act of amalgamating these two entities.

Clause 7 defines the not-for-profit nature of the corporation to be established. And clause 10(2) provides that The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall is deemed to have applied for a certificate of continuance under subsection 211(1) of the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act before the bill receives Royal Assent.

Clause 10(4) explains how, for the purposes of subsection 211(7) of the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, the bill serves as the certificate of continuance for The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Ottawa-Cornwall Act.

Now I turn to the importance of this bill for the proponents, the two Catholic communities that have been praying in earnest for the amalgamation.

This bill will create one large archdiocese stretching from Ottawa South to the St. Lawrence River, merging Alexandria-Cornwall, with 27 parishes with a Catholic population of about 60,000, with the larger Ottawa archdiocese, which serves about 395,000 Catholics with 107 parishes and missions.

One of the reasons for amalgamating Ottawa with Alexandria-Cornwall is the protection of French-language Catholic services in eastern Ontario because of the difficulty of finding bilingual priests who could serve as bishops. That, coupled with demographic changes and aging buildings that will eventually need to be closed, led to the decision.

While many parishioners felt that the two separate dioceses were a good fit because many of the parishes of both Ottawa and Alexandria-Cornwall dioceses are near the same highway and more closely linked to each other than to the neighbouring Archdiocese of Kingston, not everyone agreed. Opponents feared that the region would be lost within the larger archdiocese. They also raised concerns over a loss of history. The Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall’s roots go back to the very first settlements of Catholics in Upper Canada. While it seems that many recognize the merger was inevitable, it is my sincere hope that the archbishop will do whatever possible to honour and preserve the history of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.

My honourable colleague Senator Clement, as the former mayor of Cornwall, participated in numerous community consultations on the merger and knows well the desires of these two communities. That is why the honourable senator worked diligently with her community to establish a petition to call on the Senate to pass a private act to amalgamate the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall into a single episcopal corporation. To quote the senator from her sponsor speech:

If there is one thing that comes through from all my interventions over the coming years, I hope that it’s the voices of the many people impacted by policy; they deserve to be heard loud and clear.

I think this is what Bill S-1001 is all about — hearing the voices of those impacted. I am glad that other voices — and I’m thinking mostly of Indigenous voices here — are not silenced either, and that there are provisions so that, should the unfortunate need arise, this bill will not preclude litigation that may need to proceed against one of the former entities. While I pray that this clause will never be necessary, it is important that, as parliamentarians, we ensure that past wrongs against Indigenous peoples are not forgotten.

I will close my remarks with two comments I read in an article on the recent Catholic Women’s League Convention in Cornwall. Angela Gaudet, the Catholic Women’s League Alexandria-Cornwall Diocese president, said:

It’s the end of an era, and the beginning of a new journey . . . I’m excited and nervous at the same time.

Emma Rose Rayburn, communications director of the Catholic Women’s League said, “We’re all on board and everyone is ready to move on.”

I think these sentiments wrap up the feelings well. Life is a journey — one that can be both exciting and scary. Yet when we are all on board and move forward together, great things can be accomplished. Thank you.

(On motion of Senator Housakos, debate adjourned.)

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:

That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to:

(a)denounce the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime and recognize the Cuban opposition and civil society as valid interlocutors; and

(b)call on the Cuban regime to ensure the right of the Cuban people to protest peacefully without fear of reprisal and repudiation.

(On motion of Senator Clement, debate adjourned.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Bernadette Clement: Madam Speaker, honourable senators, I note that this item is at day 15, and I’m not ready to speak. Therefore, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 4-15(3), I move the adjournment of the debate for the balance of my time.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to.)

(At 3:19 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Scott Tannas, pursuant to notice of September 19, 2023, moved:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or previous order, the Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) take the place of the Honourable Senator Downe as one of the members of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight.