Senator Gold: The government is well aware of the challenges facing applicants in the immigration process. Minister Miller is known for his frankness and for not mincing his words, if I can put it that way. I will speak with him about Mr. Croz’s case.

Senator Plett: Today is the Senate’s ninth sitting day this fall. As of this moment, not a single delayed answer has been tabled in this chamber from the Trudeau government — not yet, Senator LaBoucane-Benson — not just for any of my questions, but for any other senator’s questions either. Why is that, leader? Why are we getting only a handful of written answers today? We’re getting them today. I have 128 questions on the Order Paper.

How many more years will I have to wait to have them answered? I’m retiring in 2025.

Senator Omidvar: Senator Gold, would you also convey to the minister that one of the largest stakeholders, the March of Dimes, has raised this question with us? They have also raised the issue that there will be no money flowing to the disability community without an allocation somewhere.

Will the government table their financial allocation soon to assure the disability community that benefits will be flowing sooner rather than later? They really are concerned.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Well, I certainly hope, Senator Plett, before you and I both have to leave this august chamber that more of your questions will be answered. I am doing what I can do to bring this issue to the attention of the government. It does not serve any of us well for the Senate to be frustrated in that regard. As a representative of the Senate to the government, I will continue to pass that message on.

Senator Gold: Again, I’ll simply repeat. The government is taking its management of the economy — to the extent that it has a role, which it does — seriously and responsibly, and that’s why Canada continues to perform well in these very tumultuous times. Importantly, the government is doing its part to help Canadians who — despite macroeconomic indicators and all the responses — are suffering, the government knows Canadians are suffering and the government is there to assist in the best way it can.

Senator Housakos: Senator Gold, I am pleading with this government. Canadians are having a hard time heating their homes and putting food on the table for their children. They’re having a hard time getting from their homes to work, very often costing them more to get there than what the work actually pays.

When will this government lift its boot off the throat of working-class Canadians and allow them to breathe during these terribly difficult times which your government has created and contributed to in creating this inflation?

Hon. Scott Tannas: Honourable senators, former Senator Carney was a journalist, an author, an economic consultant, a member of Parliament and a senator. She was a parliamentarian for over 25 years, here and in the House of Commons.

With the passing of the Honourable Patricia Carney, as Senator Martin said, Canada has lost a trailblazer and an agent for change. To describe her as a trailblazer is not hyperbole but a statement that speaks to her abilities and all of her firsts. She is famous for a lot of firsts. Let me list them, some of which have been listed previously.

She was the first female business columnist to write for a major daily newspaper in Canada. She was the first female Conservative politician elected to Parliament from British Columbia. She was the first woman to serve as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, as Minister of International Trade and later as president of the Treasury Board. She was the first woman to be appointed from B.C. to the Senate.

As an Alberta senator, I honour her as the chief architect of the dismantling of the National Energy Program. She provided leadership for the development of a new approach to energy development and production during the Mulroney government, which ended the regressive policy affecting Western Canada. The National Energy Program was replaced by the Western Accord, which was supported by the energy-producing provinces and fostered new cooperation in the industry between the federal and provincial governments and industry.

Pat Carney later used her talents and in-depth policy knowledge to find common ground in Eastern Canada with the Atlantic Accord, which put in place a market-governed system for offshore energy resources for the benefit of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Her next challenge was trade. As Minister of International Trade, she took on the challenge of free trade negotiations with the United States. She steered the good ship Canada during these difficult trade talks. Her role was described by our former colleague the late Hugh Segal as “. . . seminal, clear cut and demanding.” Her efforts, despite her herculean task, were — as we know — greatly successful.

Another of Pat Carney’s important achievements was her support for the protection of our maritime heritage, especially lighthouses. She introduced a bill in this place to protect heritage lighthouses seven times, but her tenacity finally paid off with the adoption of Bill S-215 in 2008.

To my colleagues who have introduced bills during the session, you can take heart from former Senator Carney’s example that, while it may take time, you can eventually cross the finish line.

Honourable senators, all Canadians owe a great debt of gratitude to our former colleague Senator Carney.

We offer our sincere sympathies to her family and we honour and celebrate her accomplishments.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I received a notice from the Leader of the Opposition who requests, pursuant to rule 4-3(1), that the time provided for the consideration of Senators’ Statements be extended today for the purpose of paying tribute to the Honourable Pat Carney who passed away on July 25, 2023.

I remind senators that pursuant to our Rules each senator will be allowed only 3 minutes and they may speak only once and the time for Tributes shall not exceed 15 minutes.

Senator Housakos: The only assurance that this chamber and taxpayers have is that the RCMP is looking into it. Hopefully, they’ll get to the bottom of which pockets got lined.

Senator Gold, given the latest news regarding it, will your government finally do the right thing and cancel the outstanding fines that were issued as a result of this deeply flawed and — as we now know — fraudulent app? Will you apologize to Canadians who were unlawfully ordered into quarantine despite having done nothing wrong — Canadians such as Joe Walsh and thousands of others who have been fined?

Senator Plett: These three MPs from New Brunswick yesterday had a chance to show some backbone and vote against the Prime Minister’s carbon tax in the other place, but they failed to do so. Were they whipped, leader? Is this typical of Liberal behaviour, say one thing and vote another way?

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

I applaud the partnership announced by the Government of Canada last June with the Rainbow Railroad organization to protect LGBTQI+ refugees and welcome them to Canada.

What observable results has this partnership achieved to date? Is the government consulting this organization to improve the LGBTQI+ refugee intake process in Canada?

Senator Plett: The Prime Minister continues to live far outside of the real world. A record number of Canadians cannot feed themselves, yet his government continues to implement policies that make groceries more expensive. Three weeks ago, the Prime Minister promised food prices would be stabilized — and ideally lowered — by Thanksgiving.

Senator Gold, does your government honestly believe that telling Canadians more coupons and flyers are coming fulfills that promise?

Senator Gold: As the minister announced today, we are expecting concrete action from the five major chains with proposals to lower the cost of groceries for Canadians. The minister has also been in touch, as he was encouraged to do so by business groups, with other important players in the chain. This is about concrete action with those responsible for food prices, and that’s what the government is doing.

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 Tannas: Thank you for that answer. I appreciate it.

I’m not suggesting a large study, but I think if the Senate needs to agree to these things, if we have a role in the process, perhaps every once in a while for things like this, we should step back, take a look and call officials in. We ought to understand why this keeps happening.

Senator Gold: I take your suggestion seriously, and we will discuss it quickly.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. The government is pursuing policies, programs and investments to help Canadians through these difficult times. I have outlined them on many occasions in this chamber, and, with the time allocated to me, I will not repeat myself. I will leave it for you to repeat the same question over and over again. I’m afraid that the facts and my answers will speak for themselves.

Senator Forest: Indeed, the immigration process is difficult for the individuals involved, and it is especially difficult emotionally. It seems cruel to make things even harder by increasing the amount of red tape and reducing the support services offered to applicants.

Will the government recognize that immigrants aren’t being offered adequate support and welcome services and that a drastic overhaul is needed? After all, we’re talking about human beings here, not objects. What happened to our Canadian values of solidarity and respect?

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. I cannot, of course, comment on specific cases, but I will certainly take your concerns and legitimate questions to the attention of the minister.