Hon. Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia: Honourable senators, it is my privilege to rise today to recognize the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada, which for the past 40 years has granted 38,000 life‑changing wishes for children with critical illnesses across Canada. With a robust team of volunteers, this national organization is responding to the needs of children across the country.

In 1983, Nigel Brown and Robb Lucy established the first Canadian chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They were inspired by a 13-year-old who was diagnosed with leukemia and wished to go visit her grandparents in Germany. When Nigel and Robb heard the story, they paid for the trip personally.

In my home province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the VOCM Cares Foundation was established in 1986 by the Butler family, owners of Radio Newfoundland, with a commitment to supporting charities. The foundation recognized the urgent requirements to provide the hope, strength and joy to a wish child facing critical illnesses in my province, and helped pave the way for our provincial chapter.

With the integral support of devoted volunteers, over 900 wishes have been granted for children in my province, ranging from the Avalon Peninsula to northern Labrador, and this number continues to grow. For Connor, a young boy from central Newfoundland with cancer, travelling to Disney World with his family provided hope and joy that he had not seen in the darker days of his treatment. For Ali, a young girl from Westport with complex genetic conditions, having “Rock Solid Builds” build her a dream home playhouse provided a haven from the hospital beds she had become so accustomed to. For Theo, who is with us here today, attending a fortieth-anniversary trip to the Give Kids The World Village in Florida with 40 wish families across Canada meant a sense of togetherness and connectivity.

The support of my province for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada is unwavering, from ATV rides in rural communities to the Doctors for Wishes team in central Newfoundland, to the HMCS St. John’s navy crew riding over 900 kilometres across the province to raise funds and awareness.

Catalyzing this remarkable effort is Dr. Desmond Whalen. His altruistic spirit, generosity and unwavering support embody and reflect the essence of my province and its long history of always being there for those in need.

Honourable senators, please join me in welcoming the team from Make-A-Wish Canada in our chamber today, as well as Theo and his family, as they continue their work to brighten the lives of children with critical illnesses in our communities. Thank you. Meegwetch.

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:

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.

Senator Gold: I don’t have that information, senator, but I think that the chamber should understand that the agencies that do the work on behalf of Canadians need to be properly supported and need to do their work as we expect them to do and, as I know, to the best of their ability.

Senator Gold: No, I completely disagree with that, and I don’t want to get into a discussion about hypocrisy. The government has invested a lot more in National Defence than previous governments, and we will continue to ensure that our Armed Forces are properly equipped and supported by this government.

[English]

Senator Dagenais: I am not questioning our duty to Ukraine. However, when the government announces $1 billion in cuts to National Defence, even though Canada’s military is so poorly equipped, one has to wonder.

Did the Prime Minister forget to take a look at his own country before doling out taxpayers’ money around the world? Perhaps he’s still living in a dream world, where he can print all the money he needs to look good in the eyes of the international community.

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:

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. Senators: Hear, hear!

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Theo Darie Schulze Torres, who is accompanied by his family and representatives of Make-A-Wish Canada. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Ravalia.

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

Senator Cormier: Thank you for that answer, Senator Gold. Still on the subject of official languages, and considering the commitment to ensure that our country has a fully bilingual Constitution, how does the government intend to respond formally to the motion moved in this chamber by Senator Dalphond and adopted by the Senate on March 29, 2022, now that Bill C-13 has passed without including the substance of that motion in the modernized act?

Senator Gold: Thank you. The government is committed to guaranteeing Canadians access to justice in the official language of their choice. When the Final Report of the French Constitutional Drafting Committee was published in 2022, it set out a draft official French version of certain constitution enactments. We are not talking about a final French version, but about a one-stop resource where lawyers and legal experts can find and refer to constitutional documents in French. I have been assured that the Minister of Justice is fully committed to our official languages —

Senator Housakos: Senator Gold, your government continues to say — as does the CRTC — that digital creators are not being regulated but that the platforms are. The reality of the matter is that’s the equivalent of saying books aren’t being regulated, but bookstores are. This is insanity, Senator Gold. It has to stop.

At the end of the day, if the CRTC doesn’t clearly understand what the government’s intention is with this bill, will you give clear directive? Or is this just another mess that Pierre Poilievre will have to clean up when he becomes prime minister?

Senator Gold: Thank you for raising this concern. I will follow up on your question with the Minister of Immigration. The Privacy Act prevents me from discussing the details of this specific case. However, as promised, I will follow up on this.

[English]

Senator Miville-Dechêne: Unfortunately, Senator Gold, the Rainbow Railroad coalition is overwhelmed. As such, Nahid Modaressi, like other women in her situation, would like to apply for refugee status in Canada but does not have the means to take a plane to get to Canada because her visa was denied.

Is there a way for Ms. Modaressi to apply for refugee status in Canada from Turkey?

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, this week is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on mental health and mental disorders, and to acknowledge the contributions of some national leaders for their work in improving the lives of our family members, friends and, indeed, members of our global community.

Good mental health is not about feeling good all the time. It’s about being willing and able to engage fully with the existential challenges that life throws at us: good and bad; happy and sad; joyful and anguished.

It is by so doing that we develop the competencies needed to understand what our feelings are and how to act so we can learn to adapt, become more resilient and — above all — support each other.

It is also a time to speak clearly about mental disorders. Someone who is living with a mental disorder is not by the fact of having it a lesser person. It does not automatically make them unable to make decisions about themselves or their lives, understand complex issues and think critically about what they are facing.

Let’s remember some who have lived with mental illness and ask ourselves this question: What would those people say if competent persons living with mental disorders were deemed unable to make important and indeed life-altering decisions — people such as Queen Victoria, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Virginia Woolf and Martin Luther King Jr.? This list is long and getting longer. Indeed, colleagues, it includes some of us who currently sit in this chamber. Certainly, we are not as well-known but are equally able to think clearly and act with agency.

I acknowledge the good work that the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, or CAMIMH, is doing — not only this week but every week of the year — to highlight the contributions that Canadians have made in advancing our knowledge and understanding of mental disorders and advocating for better mental health care for all. This week, CAMIMH announced the 2023 Champions of Mental Health on Parliament Hill. These seven champions have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing and increasing access to mental health and substance use services. Their hard work has created important changes in their lives and in the lives of their communities.

As we observe Mental Illness Awareness Week and congratulate the 2023 Champions of Mental Health, let us reaffirm our commitment to supporting and funding the best available evidence-based mental health literacy and care, and doing what we can to ensure that everyone in this country — regardless of where they live, who they are and whom they love — has access to the care and resources they need. Thank you. Wela’lin.

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question. A responsible government has an obligation to do many things at once, to balance our commitments to our allies and to democracy, which is at risk in Ukraine and elsewhere, while ensuring that we, here in Canada, have the resources to protect ourselves. That is what the government is trying to do with these two announcements.

[English]

Senator Dasko: In September, the polling firm Leger surveyed Canadians about aspects of Bill C-18 and found that 59% of Canadians want Meta to lift its ban on Canadian news on its platforms. More specifically with respect to Meta, is the government still attempting to engage with Meta? Has the government engaged with Meta regarding that company’s decision to block Canadians from viewing or sharing news content? Or has the government basically given up on Meta?

Senator Gold: Thank you. They have not given up. As the polls suggest, Canadians expect the tech giants to pay their fair share and to support news and information sharing in Canada on their platforms. Meta’s decisions are unfortunate, reckless and irresponsible, particularly affecting Canadians who will have come to rely upon their news through those platforms. I’m assured the government remains open to discussions and has sought to work collaboratively with Meta during this period.

[Translation]

Senator Martin: — type of discretionary bonuses since 2019?

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:

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.