Senator Plett: You, in fact, have been very clear, minister. Thank you.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs still hasn’t taken down her statement about the bombing of the hospital in Gaza, which she posted when the media was reporting that Hamas claimed that Israel was responsible. I would hope that Minister Joly is aware of her government’s findings and your statement by now.

Minister, why do you think she has not retracted this statement? She has had 12 days to do so. Failing to delete this post is a deliberate choice on her part, minister — is it not?

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, for the third reading of Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), as amended.

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, for the third reading of Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), as amended.

(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, to receive a Minister of the Crown, the Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence, appeared before honourable senators during Question Period.)

Senator Housakos: With all the questions being asked, and with the RCMP’s investigation and the Auditor General’s investigation being launched on this issue, you’re telling me that you’ll look for the information. How many outsourcing firms run programs for the Department of National Defence? For example, who runs the medical services for the Department of National Defence? Is that done in-house, or is that contracted out? If it’s contracted out, can you please tell us to whom, minister? When you do contract out our services at National Defence, how many are awarded without tender or through selective tendering? These are questions that should be easily answered by a minister of the Crown. How many contracts have been awarded to Dalian by the Department of National Defence either without tender or through some kind of selective tender?

If you have questions about any particular contract that National Defence may be involved in, I’ll make sure that you receive that information. I didn’t bring with me today and do not have direct knowledge of the contracts that you speak of, so I don’t want to speculate. I certainly wouldn’t give you any information of which I was uncertain.

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, for the third reading of Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), as amended.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Senator Loffreda: Minister, does your biggest concern lie in recruitment? How imperative or arduous is the task of fleet renewal given what we are experiencing with the budget cuts?

The priority is all of those things.

You mentioned the fleet. Making sure our people have the right equipment, access to the appropriate kit and in circumstances where there is an aging fleet, for example, either a motor vehicle or air platform —

Senator Downe: As you know, under the regulations of the forces, you have the ministerial authority to instruct the Canadian Armed Forces, as with other circumstances prescribed by the ministerial regulation team. You could do that right away.

My concern is that the Ontario government, for example, gives priority, but priority needs availability on the other end. There are simply not enough doctors and nurses in this country to assist. Your authority, as minister, could change that to duplicate what is done in the United States, where members’ families could be covered by the Canadian Armed Forces medical system. Is that something that you’re considering?

[Translation]

Senator Busson: Thank you, Minister Blair. As you know, many spouses, both male and female, face difficult financial distress, even homelessness, because of this rule. I hope you will take a personal commitment to make sure that this is properly addressed by your government and by Veterans Affairs.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Donald Kennedy, husband of the Honourable Senator Hartling.

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

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Downe, seconded by the Honourable Senator Black, for the third reading of Bill C-42, An Act to amend the Canada Business Corporations Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.

Senator Marshall: On March 8 — so that was eight months ago — officials from your department told the Senate National Finance Committee, of which I am a member, that the updated policy would be released very soon. That was the term we were told. They said, “very soon.” However, we have yet to see it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has also reported that the Trudeau government has underfunded the policy’s capital investment plan, which accompanies Strong, Secure, Engaged.

Will you commit to releasing the updated defence policy and the capital investment plan before the end of 2023?

Senator Loffreda: In a letter to your staff on July 27, you committed to establishing a meaningful culture change where people in uniform feel protected, respected and empowered to serve. Beyond commemorative events and modernizing the application process, I believe recruitment and retention success for the forces depends heavily on this culture change. Can you speak about your efforts in this area and what you have undertaken more precisely to improve the diversity of the Canadian Armed Forces?

Diversity is a priority for me, and we are taking significant steps. I have been working closely with the External Monitor — I met with her this morning for almost an hour — and I have had conversations with Madame Arbour with respect to the implementation of her 48 recommendations. I want to also assure you that in all of my work with the Chief of Defence Staff and his staff, they are resolute and committed to cultural change and to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe work environment for every member of their service. We have much more to report on it.

Senator Dalphond: Thank you, minister. I see that the work is only beginning. Will that work include a recognition of the strategic role and contribution of Inuit, including prioritizing Inuit access to federal procurement in relation to National Defence focused on Inuit regions?

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Downe, seconded by the Honourable Senator Black, for the third reading of Bill C-42, An Act to amend the Canada Business Corporations Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.

(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, to receive a Minister of the Crown, the Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence, appeared before honourable senators during Question Period.)

Senator Pate: In fact, you got ahead of me, and you know my supplementary question. Part of the reason Madam Justice Arbour recommended the transfer and why she wanted legislation is the fact that many civilian police forces have refused to act upon those cases that have been referred.

Can you share any further information about the type of legislation you’re proposing and how it will ensure that civilian forces have to take seriously the reports that are put in by the military?

Making sure that victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment have access to strong victim support services is also critical. Whether or not they choose to pursue an investigation, I believe it’s important to make sure that those services will be available to every member of the Armed Forces when they —

Senator Duncan: Minister, you addressed two out of the three territories. I appreciate that National Defence’s financial and human resources are stretched to the limit with responding to natural disasters in Canada and conflicts in the world. Camp Boyle Barracks in Whitehorse can accommodate 400 in the summer months with modernization and more than 100 in the winter months. It serves military training needs and provides facilities for future evacuees. It serves all Canadians with modest capital investment.

Minister, would you commit to having a fulsome review and ensure that you and your department have a greater understanding and use of existing resources at Camp Boyle Barracks in Whitehorse in the Yukon?

In making commitments as to what we would do, I would need to learn more about it and I would need the opportunity to consult with the Canadian Armed Forces as to what their capabilities are. They are challenged on many fronts. Committing to deploying people into an area is something I would want to do in consultation with them, but I will happily commit to meet with you and discuss your concerns which would give me an opportunity to learn more about that important environment.

Senator Martin: Additionally, a briefing note from military chaplains made public last month said the high cost of living, staff shortages and changes to the Post-Living Differential have resulted in “. . . many CAF leaders and members feeling more undervalued and underappreciated than at any point in recent memory.”

Minister, this is happening on the Trudeau government’s watch. What is your plan to improve such low morale?

I honestly believe that the real answer for this is more housing. That’s the work that we’re undertaking now to identify those opportunities that do exist for our bases right across the country, to create more housing that will be affordable and accessible to more members of the service.

[Translation]