Hon. Rebecca Patterson: Senator Housakos, would you take a question?

Hon. Frances Lankin: Senator Housakos, will you take a question? Thank you very much. First of all, thank you for your effort on this and for the remarks that you have delivered today. I have two questions.

The first is with respect to the Broadcasting Act. You taught me something today in terms of the challenges that exist, which you alluded to. You talked about a more straightforward way of administering the intent of the amendment to the Broadcasting Act than the workarounds that have to be done now. I just wonder if you can provide me with a little more information on what the current situation is.

My second question is more of a comment, to say that I appreciate the sensitivity with which you described the discretion allowed to ministers, whether it’s a matter of foreign relations and a Global Affairs Canada, or GAC, or government consideration about what steps might harm those relations and why those relations are important as an executive branch decision. I’m also going to ask you, with your legal background, about the challenge of intelligence to evidence. Do the processes inherent in these amendments allow for the decision makers to have full information? Considering the reasons why intelligence is not made public — protection of sources, statecraft, other sorts of things — how do we get around those sensitivities and the fact that many parliamentarians have, of late, insisted on full transparency without giving any sensitive consideration to those matters that you raised in your speech?

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to the sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs.

I’d like to begin by thanking Senators Dean and Anderson and the other members of the committee for joining me alongside some of my Canadian Senators Group colleagues for the Arctic Sovereignty and Security Summit that I co-sponsored with Inuit development corporations in Iqaluit last September. I can very clearly see many of the themes raised by participants at that Summit reflected throughout the report and recommendations. I also thank the committee for going to great lengths to ensure that Arctic Indigenous voices are well represented in this report as well.

The report, entitled Arctic Security Under Threat: Urgent needs in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape, touches on many issues that I have been engaged with for years, and I was very happy to see that it contained such clear, strong and compelling recommendations.

While I agree with all of the recommendations, I wanted to focus my limited speaking time today on one in particular. Recommendation 4 states:

That the Government of Canada, in the next defence policy, outline Canada’s approach to deterring adversaries in the Arctic, including during the expected “gap period” between when adversaries could deploy new weapons systems and when the North American Aerospace Defense Command will have the technology to detect them.

This recommendation speaks to questions I asked of the government leader, Senator Gold, earlier today. We need to continue moving forward with our ambitious plan to strategically invest $38.6 billion over the next two decades on North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, modernization. Part of that includes making sure we are able to keep the North secure now, not just in 20 years. With the ongoing instability brought on by Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, and given the sadly deteriorating state of peace in other regions of the globe, we must preserve and defend the peace we currently enjoy in the Arctic.

Colleagues, I was recently in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, on Victoria Island in order to be present for the visit of U.S. Ambassador David Cohen. During the luncheon held there, he gave a speech during which he described the U.S. views on the Arctic region. He said:

In one sentence, the United States sees the Arctic region as a place free of conflict, where nations act responsibly, and where economic development and investment take place in a sustainable, secure, and transparent manner that respects the environment and the interests and cultures of Indigenous peoples.

That really spoke to me. We have a duty to Canadians and to our allies to maintain a strong, stable and secure Arctic. That is why I am so convinced that we need to focus our attention on acquiring a fleet of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft to replace our aging CP-140 Aurora aircraft. The Auditor General’s 2022 report on Arctic Waters Surveillance clearly stated:

Action is needed to close gaps and put equipment renewal on a sustainable path to provide a full picture of what happens in the Arctic, which is essential to developing the actions needed to monitor maritime activities and respond to threats and incidents.

As I said in the preamble of my question today, the P-8A is currently employed by all other Five Eyes nations — namely the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand — as well as by Indo-Pacific nations such as India and South Korea.

The Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft capability is vitally important to Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, NATO responsibilities and maritime challenges in the Arctic. Until the Over-the-Horizon Radar is in place, the aircraft is also essential to NORAD’s all-domain awareness.

The letter of acceptance to officially acquire these aircraft is set to expire on November 30, 2023. The timeline for the P-8A provides overlap with the existing capability in the CP-140 — overlap that is crucial to maintain coverage. Any other solution will, I fear, require years of development and testing. Any further extension of the CP-140 would involve risk and billions of dollars in additional cost. The P-8A will remain the only currently available aircraft that meets operational requirements for years to come. Therefore, I am anxious to see this solution secured as soon as possible.

I do know and acknowledge that there is still substantial pressure from Bombardier to have the contract go out to tender. However, I fear that opening up a competitive process could put Canada in a position where it will not be part of the coalition we have struck with our allies of interchangeable Multi-Mission Aircraft. It is also noteworthy — and a fact — that the Bombardier aircraft simply exists on paper, while the P-8A is tested and proven. Public Services and Procurement Canada’s own statement from March 27, 2023, stated that the P-8A is “ . . . the only currently available aircraft that meets all of the CMMA operational requirements . . . . ”

So why are we delaying? In my opinion, this is urgent.

Once we make this investment, Canada should also turn its attention to the variety of coordinated investments that must take place to support this modernization of our fleet. Currently, our Forward Operating Locations do not have hangars that could sufficiently house the incoming fleet of F-35s we purchased. We need longer and paved runways in the Arctic for them. As well, we desperately need to improve and modernize the telecommunications infrastructure in the North.

During that same visit, I had a chance to tour a North Warning System location — that’s CAM-MAIN — in Cambridge Bay with the ambassador. I have to share with you, colleagues, that entering it was like entering a time warp. I’m old enough to remember staying at those sites when they were relatively new when I was part of Nunavut’s travelling court system. I can tell you that 40 years later, they haven’t changed much at all. That is frightening to me, given that we need to have a heightened awareness of what is happening in our Arctic, and we need to be able to respond to a potential threat that has spent the last few decades strategically investing in their military presence in the North.

The Russian North and coast are bristling with military bases, air bases and ports. I don’t say this as an alarmist, but as a pragmatist. The time for action is now. It is not enough to simply announce the funding. We need to start spending it immediately and wisely.

The title of this report of the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs speaks clearly on the importance and timeliness of this study: Arctic Security Under Threat: Urgent needs in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape. I wholeheartedly endorse every one of its 23 thoughtful and welcome recommendations and urge its quick adoption by the Senate.

Thank you. Qujannamiik, honourable senators.

Hon. Bernadette Clement: Honourable senators, I note that this item is at day 15. Therefore, with leave of the Senate, I ask that consideration of this item be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.

Hon. Frances Lankin: Senator Patterson, will you take a question?

Senator D. Patterson: Yes.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Deputy Leader of the Opposition), pursuant to notice of September 28, 2023, moved:

That the Senate take note of:

(a)the deteriorating humanitarian crisis occurring in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade of the Lachin corridor and increased military aggression against indigenous Armenian civilians in the region; and

(b)the actions of the Aliyev regime as being dictatorial, and in violation of international law; and

That the Senate call on the Government of Canada:

(a)to support the liberty of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and their right to self-determination;

(b)to immediately impose sanctions against the Azeri regime;

(c)to demand the immediate reopening of the Lachin corridor and the release of Armenian Prisoners of War;

(d)to provide a significant aid package through NGOs to those Armenian people forcefully displaced from their indigenous land; and

(e)to protect the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh through the presence of international peacekeeping forces.

He said: Honourable senators, today we find ourselves facing a grave and urgent situation that demands our immediate attention and action. The Indigenous Armenian population living in the Republic of Artsakh, known by some as Nagorno-Karabakh, is currently enduring a crisis of unimaginable proportions. It is our moral duty to respond to their plight — not just with words but with meaningful action. What we cannot do is continue to look away or bury our heads in the sand.

Since the end of the 44-day war in September 2020, and particularly since December 12, 2022, when Azerbaijani government violated international agreements by blocking the Lachin corridor, a humanitarian catastrophe has been unfolding. This act severed Artsakh’s only connection to Armenia and the outside world, cutting off vital supplies of food, medicine, natural gas, electricity and the internet. The consequences have been dire, leading to cases of famine, malnutrition and death.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan escalated this crisis with brutal military force by shelling civilians and civilian infrastructure. This resulted in more than 200 casualties in just 24 hours, including children, women and elderly. Villages have been cut off, roads taken under Azerbaijani control, and the gruesome acts of violence have shocked those of us who are actually taking the time to watch.

In just one week, more than 120,000 innocent civilians have been forced to flee their homes, creating a humanitarian catastrophe not only in Artsakh but also in Armenia, which has had to absorb these refugees almost overnight.

Genocide Watch and the Lemkin Institute have classified this situation as genocide. Legal expert Luis Moreno Ocampo, former International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, asserts that what happened in Artsakh amounts to genocide.

Our own ambassador to the United Nations, the Honourable Bob Rae, called it a total failure of global diplomacy, forcible deportation and a potential crime against humanity. The Honourable Bob Rae was absolutely right, and one of the few who had the courage to stand up and call this out.

Canada, guided by its commitment to the United Nations’ Responsibility to Protect, or R2P, has a moral obligation to intervene and protect populations from ethnic cleansing and genocide. This is a defining moment for Canada and, for that matter, democracies around the world. It is a test of our dedication to upholding the UN R2P commitment and supporting democracies like Armenia, Artsakh and so many that are under siege right now around the world.

Our response must extend beyond mere words and expressions of concern. It requires concrete and meaningful action. It also sometimes requires sacrifice, such as diplomatic and economic sanctions against the Azerbaijani government officials; legal action against President Aliyev at the International Criminal Court; humanitarian assistance for genocide survivors in Armenia; and the recognition of the self-determination of the Indigenous Artsakh population.

We must not repeat the mistakes of history. The Indigenous Armenian community of Artsakh, with a heritage spanning over 4,000 years, inherently possesses the right to self-determination and remedial secession.

Canada must impose sanctions against Azerbaijan government officials and enhance coordination with like-minded states. Canada must participate in an international peacekeeping force in Artsakh to ensure the safety of Artsakh Armenians as they return to their ancestral homes; provide substantial humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent populations; and recognize the right to self-determination of Artsakh’s Armenian population.

These actions require political courage and a commitment to establish procedures to get it done, and a real commitment if we believe in the international rule of law and human rights and democracy.

Canada has an opportunity to lead on the global stage, to be a beacon of hope and justice, as we once were a few decades ago. We must regain our status as leaders — not followers — and leave a lasting legacy that reflects our commitment to democracy, freedom and human rights.

Colleagues, democracy has never lived such difficult and precarious moments as we’re going through right now. I don’t need to remind anyone in this institution that there are more countries that are not democratic than countries which respect democracy, international rule of law and human rights.

Today, we are seeing tragedy unfolding in so many parts of the world. We see tyrant regimes like China putting the boot to the throat of the people of Hong Kong, threatening a vibrant democracy — a beautiful democracy just over the Taiwan Strait — just because they want to for their own political and economic ambitions.

We see the treachery going on against the Ukrainian people by a brutal dictator called Russia. The truth of the matter is we have waited too long to call out Mr. Putin and to hold him to account. That’s why we’re suffering the consequences that we are today, and the people of Ukraine are suffering those consequences. Sanctions should have been placed on that brutal regime years ago before they went to Ukraine.

The Indigenous people in Artsakh are being exterminated and thrown out of their homes just because they are Armenian. This is the second tragedy in a century. We stood up and gave gallant speeches in the House of Commons and in this chamber when we recognized the Armenian genocide. We said we’ll stand steadfast so these tragedies never occur again. They are happening right now as we speak, but everyone has forgotten about them because there are so many crises to pick from; the media entertains us with them.

There will be other crises that pile on because there never seems to be a resolve on the part of democracies to fight back against these tyrants with tangible actions, not just press releases of concern or “We’re monitoring the situation.” Perhaps, after this tragedy, we can send a few million dollars in humanitarian aid — it’s too late. These people are suffering those consequences, and a few million dollars announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to help these displaced people — it is shameful to be honest with you; it’s embarrassing.

What is happening in Israel today? We have a terrorist organization going against an Indigenous people and trying to brutally remove them from their homeland just because they are Jews.

It amazes me how this movie replays itself over and over again. We never seem to learn from history that if you don’t push back on dictators and tyrants, punch them in the nose and tell them we’re not going to accept this, they will continue to be emboldened and move the yardsticks forward.

I want to draw attention to just one more crisis going on in the world and call on our government and those of western democracies to show some resolve. Just because the people of Artsakh and the people of Armenia don’t have oil and gas, they shouldn’t be less important to us than other regimes.

The action we can take is obviously going to be a sacrifice on our side because a lot of these rogue countries — if it’s China, Russia, Iran, Cuba or Turkey — we do business with them. We’re facing a crisis right now in Israel. Hamas didn’t occur last week. Hamas has been supported by nations like Qatar from where we are importing hundreds of millions of dollars of their oil and gas. We’re buying it in Quebec when I go to the gas pump. What do you think they are doing with the proceeds of that revenue? They are funnelling it to organizations like Hamas.

Hamas has no food, water and medication for the Palestinian people in Gaza, but they have tons of rockets. They are not running out of rockets, are they? Why? We are contributing to that process.

The people of Cuba are suffering, but we are still doing business in Cuba because it’s helping a few of our investors and a few of our companies are profiting from it.

Right now, we’re still dealing with nations like Turkey, which has more journalists in prison than any other country on earth, but we close a blind eye to all this.

Colleagues, if I’m a little bit passionate about it, it’s because I really believe that we need to be consistent. If we do genuinely care about democracy, freedom, human rights and the cause of humanity, we have to stand up and fight for these values. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Ukraine, in Hong Kong or in defending Taiwan or Israel, legitimately, we have to also defend the people of Artsakh who are being displaced.

I remind every single person that when Adolf Hitler was sitting around the table with his final brutal solution, they asked him, “If we carry on with this extermination of innocent people just because they are Jews, what is going to happen?” Hitler said, “Who remembers the Armenians?” Right? That genocide happened only 25 years earlier.

This is what is going on again. We are repeating history. We are forgetting these people again. I repeat: Why? Because they are surrounded by bullies and it’s a too much of an effort? I think we have to stand up as parliamentarians. We have to draw attention to this human tragedy. We have to take action and call on our governments.

This cannot be resolved only by the Government of Canada. Every single western democracy that genuinely believes in democracy — not just navel-gazing — has to take action. It is called economic action, diplomatic action and even more if required to protect these innocent people in Artsakh. Today, they have been moved out of their homes, and no one around the world is talking about it. Thank you for listening to me on this Thursday afternoon. I thought these people needed to have a voice. Thank you so much.

Hon. Bernadette Clement: Honourable senators, I move that further debate be adjourned until the next sitting of the Senate.

(On motion of Senator Clement, debate adjourned.)