Senator Boisvenu: Senator Gold, the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs disproved that in its report on the Arctic by indicating that, instead of making cuts, we need to reinvest in the Armed Forces.

How can the Prime Minister reconcile his firm commitment to National Defence and his support for Ukraine with the cuts he is making to our defence budgets, which are essential to keeping that commitment? Don’t you think that this is rather hypocritical and that it suggests the government’s statements of support for Ukraine are more about grandstanding than about taking concrete and consistent action to help that country?

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 Martin: Well, unfortunately for Canadians, this agency appears to be part of a well-established pattern under the Trudeau government of being very good at spending taxpayers’ dollars while producing few, if any, results. The failed Canada Infrastructure Bank is an obvious example.

Leader, could you let us know how much in taxpayer dollars the Financial Consumer Agency has paid out in long-term and short-term incentives or bonuses to its staff since 2019? Could you also tell us how much this agency has paid out in termination benefits and any other —

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 Plett: One of the reasons why the Trudeau government refuses to admit it was wrong is the massive cost attached to changing the passport design. Leader, a project budget of $161 million was set in 2016. However, three years later, leader, a contract was awarded worth $284 million — over a quarter of a billion dollars. That’s a high price for Canadians to pay for having images of our history removed from passports.

Leader, the new passports are poor quality. They have covers that damage and curl easily. Does that mean your government is going to pour even more money into this? If so, how much?

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?

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 Plett: The only reason Canadians know about this waste is because a group of whistle-blowers came forward. I hope the Prime Minister isn’t going to go after them the way he did with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, or CSIS, whistle-blowers earlier this year.

The investigators also found issues with conflict of interest and other mismanagement of funding. Yet, this past summer, the foundation said the allegations were all unfounded.

Leader, how many taxpayers’ dollars have been spent on salaries, expenses and bonuses at this foundation under the Trudeau government?

Senator Martin: — type of discretionary bonuses since 2019?

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 Gold: I do not have the information that you have requested.

I will repeat: The government, upon learning of this, took the appropriate remedial action, and expects all of the organizations funded by the government to comply with the appropriate and strict standards.

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?

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, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, October 17, 2023, at 2 p.m.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Stefan Marquis and Colin Anderson from the Leeds Grenville Paramedic Service. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Boyer.

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 Omidvar, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, last night the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry admitted the Trudeau government has frozen the work of Sustainable Development Technology Canada. This is a federal foundation, Senator Gold, that the Trudeau government has given $1 billion — over five years — to distribute to green technology firms.

According to external investigators, in 2020 and 2021, this foundation gave $38 million in emergency relief COVID payments to companies it had dealt with previously without proper eligibility monitoring or reporting.

Leader, this is yet another example of waste and incompetence on the part of the Trudeau government. No one was giving this foundation proper oversight. Senator Gold, is anything being done to recoup these taxpayers’ dollars?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of members of the Korean-Canadian community of British Columbia. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Martin.

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

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Ms. Crescence Ottou, Mayor of Bikok, Cameroon. She is the guest of the Honourable Senator Gerba.

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

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, as soon as the government learned of the alleged wrongdoing, it engaged a third party expert to conduct a review. The government has received the report. The government takes these findings seriously; that’s why it’s taking immediate, corrective action, including implementing the action plan by December.

As this process continues, the government will monitor the situation. It expects all organizations funded by the government to adhere to the highest standards.