Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. As I answered on many occasions on Tuesday, the Prime Minister made the decision based upon a range of criteria, from the need for diversity to geographic and others, the competencies that different candidates would have brought forward and the needs of the committee.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(At 4:59 p.m., the Senate was continued until Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 2 p.m.)

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

Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Hon. Stan Kutcher introduced Bill S-276, An Act respecting Ukrainian Heritage Month.

(Bill read first time.)

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order, or usual practice, until the end of the day on June 30, 2024, any joint committee be authorized to hold hybrid meetings, with the provisions of the order of February 10, 2022, concerning such meetings, having effect; and

That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that house accordingly.

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government response to the eleventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, entitled All Together — The Role of Gender-based Analysis Plus in the Policy Process: reducing barriers to an inclusive intersectional policy analysis, tabled in the Senate on March 30, 2023.

(Pursuant to rule 12-23(4), this response and the original report are deemed referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Kutcher, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Alan Cotter, Senator Cotter’s brother; Deb Cotter, his sister-in-law; and Katie Cotter, his niece.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Kutcher, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

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

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, a Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), pursuant to the Department of Justice Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. J-2, sbs. 4.2(1).

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

Hon. Brent Cotter: Honourable senators, I don’t usually have an audience, so I’ll try to get this right. This has been an extremely unpredictable summer and, in some cases and in some places — as we have just heard — a tragic one. All of our hearts go out to those who suffered consequences of dramatic, unprecedented water events and weather events that brought such destruction and, in some cases loss of life, to Canadians in different parts of our country.

But today I want to say a few words about an international event that took place in July in Nova Scotia on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people that was both celebratory and uplifting.

From July 16 to 23, Halifax, Dartmouth, the Millbrook First Nation and Sipekne’katik hosted the tenth North American Indigenous Games. It was the largest and, to my mind, the most successful in the history of the games. Five thousand Indigenous athletes from 750 First Nations across the continent, with the support of 3,000 volunteers, took part in a range of competitions in 16 different events. Outstanding performances all.

I was in Halifax for part of the time that the games took place. I can tell you that the mood in the city was spectacular. Exuberant groups of young athletes in team uniforms were warmly greeted and welcomed throughout the city by the citizens of Halifax. Fans were cheering on local athletes and cheering on athletes from afar whom they knew not of.

Now sports is not everything, but it is often a window on our society, a window on the possible, a glimpse toward excellence and a glimpse sometimes toward reconciliation. To my mind, this glimpse was, to say the least, uplifting, both in the abilities and the commitment of these athletes but also in the welcome they received from the good people of Nova Scotia. Congratulations.

I would be remiss if I did not conclude these remarks by noting that of all of the contingents of athletes who participated in the games, the team that won the most medals — and I guess, therefore, won the 2023 North American Indigenous Games — was Team Saskatchewan. The games have been held 10 times, and Saskatchewan has only won 7 of them.

Congratulations to Nova Scotia, and congratulations to all of the athletes, coaches and officials who took part. Special congratulations to Team Saskatchewan and its chef de mission, Mike Tanton. Thank you.

Hon. Colin Deacon: Honourable senators, today, I am proud to speak about how Nova Scotia is rising to the challenges and opportunities associated with technological change.

In May 2023, the Government of Nova Scotia created the new Department of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions. This department is mandated to deliver on challenges that I’ve discussed in this chamber many times before, like designing and delivering services around the needs of citizens.

The importance of this department became abundantly clear when the government learned that it was part of a massive, global cyberbreach of a supposedly secure file transfer service used by hundreds of thousands of governments and corporations around the world. As a result, some Nova Scotians’ personal information was stolen.

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to meet with Nova Scotia’s Minister of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions, the Honourable Colton LeBlanc. I was most impressed by the fact that this cyberbreach only fuelled his passion and commitment to ensuring that Nova Scotia becomes a digital transformation leader. For example, Nova Scotians can now complete routine transactions like driver’s licence renewals, taking learner’s permit tests and grant applications online in their choice of French or English. Medical tests and appointments can be booked and modified online. Within days, the government launched online relief programs in response to Hurricane Fiona, the spring wildfires and the severe flooding event over the summer, providing simple online services and forms to help citizens in the most trying of times.

The minister’s commitment to constantly iterating services and systems to meet the expectations of Nova Scotians is inspiring.

Too often, we hear government announcements that suggest that a given job is done. The job isn’t ever done in the digital era. The digital era constantly introduces increasing vulnerabilities across society whether governments digitize or not. The only path to greater security is one where we constantly advance. We have to prioritize best practices over past practice and build secure digital infrastructure to mitigate both nefarious and accidental cyberbreaches and their enormous costs.

These risks will only grow with the astonishing advancements of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Every Canadian, including everyone in this chamber, needs to learn the skills and habits necessary to reduce our cybersecurity risks. Criminals always attack the most vulnerable targets.

I am proud to see my home province tackling these issues head on, and I wish Minister Colton LeBlanc and his department continued success in their efforts to protect and improve the lives of Nova Scotians.

Hon. Bev Busson: Honourable senators, I rise today with a heavy heart. As you probably have heard, four wildland firefighters died yesterday in a tragic motor vehicle accident west of Kamloops, B.C. They were returning home from battling the horrendous wildfires in our area.

Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of these four, courageous young men. This devastating news comes on the heels of the worst fire season in colonial recorded history, bringing to six the total number of wildland firefighters killed this summer in B.C.

The season was spawned in the winter with a below-average snowpack, resulting in a much-drier-than-average moisture level in the forests. It was exacerbated by an extremely dry summer, coupled with high temperatures to create a perfect storm. Fire forecasters were pessimistic as spring began. Soon after, the fires across the province started, spreading through almost the entire province. Some were person-caused, while the vast majority were sparked by dry lightning.

As is the policy in B.C., most of these fires were allowed to burn so long as they did not threaten structures or infrastructure. Where I live on the Shuswap, a substantial fire was left to burn for about three weeks in the vicinity of Adams Lake. Late in July and early August when it was clear that Mother Nature was not going to intervene, people started to pay attention, but it was too late. On the night of August 17, high winds took this fire out of the Adams Lake Valley, which it had devastated, and brought it to the Shuswap.

In 12 hours, it travelled 20 kilometres, jumping fire breaks and the lake, overwhelming firefighters. An emergency evacuation order was immediately declared, too late for many who could do no more than flee on the only road out. Some fled to the lake and were rescued by boaters. Many were members of the Little Shuswap Lake Band. Sadly, some lost their homes, barely escaping with their lives.

On that same evening, another fire — about 100 kilometres south — exploded in Kelowna. Firefighters from the Shuswap were immediately deployed to the erupting wildfire emergency there.

At this end of this apocalyptic day, in the Shuswap alone, more than 11,000 residents were evacuated. Approximately 131 homes and cabins were turned to ash and another 37 were damaged. Across the province, approximately 22,500 square kilometres — which is half the size of Nova Scotia — have been destroyed for generations. As I speak to you today, despite the recent rain, 216 wildland firefighters are still battling to turn the corner on these unprecedented fires in the Shuswap alone.

From those with the hoses to others rushing through communities to make sure everyone is out of harm’s way — in some cases, while their own homes burned — we salute your courage.

To the four young men who died yesterday, joining their young comrades on the list of those killed in service to their communities this year, we owe you a debt of gratitude we can never repay. May you rest in peace. Kukwstsétsemc.

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 5-5(j), I move:

That the Senate of Canada:

(a)acknowledge that the illegal and genocidal war by Russia on Ukraine continues to cause death and destruction in Ukraine, to threaten global health and wellbeing and to show contempt for the international rule of law; and

(b)persist in standing in solidarity with Ukraine and its people.

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, a 36‑year-old Canadian researcher, Raouf Farrah, was recently sentenced to two years in prison in Algeria. He has been held in an Algerian jail since February on charges of receiving funds that would disturb the public peace. Every observer agrees that these charges are baseless. According to PEN America, this unjust sentence against Raouf Farrah illustrates how far the Algerian government is willing to go to stamp out critical commentary and independent scholarship.

Senator Gold, can you give us any information about steps under way to try to have Mr. Farrah freed from prison?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for your and other senators’ ongoing commitment to holding the government to account on financial matters. I will certainly bring your preoccupations to the attention of the minister and hope very much that the information you request is forthcoming.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. Since 2015, the government has been delivering real, concrete action on climate change that cuts pollution, creates jobs and promotes a healthy environment. The government regularly makes announcements as to programs and plans in place.

Yesterday at the summit, I’m advised that Minister Guilbeault announced that Canada will exceed its target of reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by at least 75% from 2012 levels by 2030. The government remains committed to making important investments and taking necessary action to fight the climate crisis and build a better future for our country.