Senator Gold: In terms of continued support for small business owners and their employees, as you point out, the government is already providing some flexibility. The deadline of January 18, 2024, to which you referred is already a one-year extension from the previous deadline. Businesses will also benefit from a partial rebate. In short, they will also be able to benefit from other measures, but I don’t have enough time to elaborate.

[English]

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Senator Gold, last session, we hurried to complete the study and third reading of Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act. We were told that rush was necessary in order to ensure the other place could study the bill and send it back to us with plenty of time to meet the court’s deadline of October 28. However, that date is fast approaching, and the Senate will soon find itself in the position, once again, to have to quickly consider the message with its 11 amendments. No one wants to see a gap in registering sex offenders, but your government has delayed sending us the bill.

Will your government seek an extension in court to give the Senate the time required to properly consider the message?