Senator Gold: Senator, thank you for raising the issue of multidisciplinary teams. The Government of Canada would welcome any innovations along those lines to address this important shortage.

I’m not aware of whether or not the government is considering this, but I certainly will take this from the Senate to the government, and encourage them to reflect upon it appropriately.

Senator Cormier: Thank you for your answer, Senator Gold.

2SLGBTQI+ communities are dealing with an unprecedented rise in acts of hate. The predecessor of the current Minister of Canadian Heritage was planning to introduce a bill on online hate in the fall of 2023, and we are still waiting for an action plan to combat hate. When does your government intend to take action to ensure that these two essential measures to combat hate in Canada finally become a reality?

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question and for drawing attention to this unacceptable situation involving hatred towards these children and their families.

I have been assured that the government still intends to introduce new legislation to combat harmful online content, including child sexual abuse material.

[English]

Senator Gold: No. I seem to be one of the few people who have read your leader’s letter, so the short answer is no.

Hon. Leo Housakos: Senator Gold, in your answer to Senator Plett just a second ago, you acknowledged finally that things are not great, but things are not just not great. Things are in a state of catastrophe right now, yet we had our Minister of Finance at the beginning of the summer doing this massive victory lap, stating that “Canada’s plan to bring down inflation is working.” She said it was a “milestone moment,” and went on to say:

I really want to thank Canadians, it has been a really tough time economically since COVID first hit ... and this is a really good moment ... It has been a real struggle for Canadians and the Canadian economy to get back down to 2.8%, and I am really grateful to everyone who has ... (stayed) the course.

“Inflation in Canada has come down!” she claimed with excitement.

I don’t know what planet Minister Freeland and Prime Minister Trudeau live on, because inflation right now is at the highest level it has been in 35 years. We just got the figures out for the month of August, and inflation is well into 4%. All economists are claiming it will continue to grow until the end of the year, and they suspect we will have more rate hikes by the Bank of Canada. And we’ve had, by the way, 10 bank rate hikes since March of 2022, which is pummelling working-class Canadians.

The question is simple: Will you finally acknowledge as a government that the Freeland-Trudeau economics of more debt and more deficit are not working and are leading to record-high inflation, and will you commit to finally putting in place a fiscal anchor, which we so desperately need?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question, and thank you for finally addressing a question that I know is at the heart of so many Canadians’ preoccupations.

Things are not great. Things are challenging for so many Canadians, and the government is aware of this. The government has taken very important action to do its part in addressing the challenge. That includes removing the federal GST on the construction of new rental apartment buildings, urging all provinces to follow suit — as many are doing and more, I hope, will — and entering and announcing, finally, the first Housing Accelerator Fund agreement with London, which will create 2,000 new homes over three years, the most significant investment in London’s history, as the mayor announced. The government is also looking at further solutions regarding supply chain and transport issues and is exercising its leadership — as I said yesterday to Senator Cordy — with the provinces, municipalities and the private sector in order to address the shortfall in supply that is at the heart of our crisis.

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.