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?

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 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 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 —

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.)

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 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.

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.

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]

Hon. Nancy J. Hartling: Honourable senators, November is Diabetes Awareness Month. As many of you know, this disease holds a special importance for me because my grandson has Type 1 diabetes. Some of you met my grandson, Max, when he came to visit me in the Senate this year with his parents, Marc and Jody, from British Columbia.

[English]

Max is an enthusiastic 11-year-old who, along with his parents, has learned how to manage his condition. Mentors are especially important for kids with Type 1 diabetes, so it was a real pleasure for Max to meet with Tareq Winski, one of our former Senate pages, who also has Type 1. They had a very in-depth conversation about many aspects of living with Type 1 diabetes.

Tareq encouraged Max to attend D-Camps, a summer camp program specifically for kids with Type 1 diabetes. This motivated Max to attend D-Camps in Alberta this summer. There are many of these camps across our country. Max told me that it was the best experience since all the kids have Type 1 diabetes. He said, “Nannie, it was so much fun, and I didn’t think of my diabetes once!”

Diabetes doesn’t go away when you stop thinking about it. Although Max has learned to manage his condition, like for all his peers with diabetes, doing so can be a full-time job with no vacations, and a cure would be the greatest gift for kids like Max.

Colleagues, I’m so proud to say that Canada has always been a leader in diabetes research. From the development of insulin 100 years ago to stem cell treatments today, Canada has remained at the cutting edge of the search for a cure. We benefit from a robust health care system and world-class research institutions that attract the most talented scientists. In addition, organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or JDRF, have worked tirelessly to ensure that finding a cure remains a priority in Canada.

[Translation]

I would like to invite you to a special event on Tuesday, November 7 at the National Arts Centre. It’s a screening of The Human Trial, a documentary produced by Ottawa filmmakers Lisa Hepner and Guy Mossman.

[English]

The film explores a radical stem cell-based treatment for diabetics with the potential to completely transform the lives of people dependent on insulin. It’s a celebration of breakthrough science and the potential of public-private collaboration for health science research when consistent funding is made available.

The event is hosted by broadcaster Catherine Clark and will feature a panel of leading diabetes researchers. It will be moderated by André Picard, the health reporter and columnist from The Globe and Mail. I hope to see you there on November 7 at 6 p.m. During Diabetes Awareness Month, let’s work to make Type 1 type none. Thank you.

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.)

Hon. Éric Forest: Honourable senators, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by our former colleague Murray Sinclair, has had a decisive impact on our understanding of the historical wrongs committed against First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Elected municipal officials recognize the importance of the process and want to participate too. We can only achieve our potential as a country, as a city or even as individuals by charting a new course with Indigenous peoples based on empathy, respect and an honest understanding of history.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has responded to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls for action by posting a tool designed to guide cities along the path to reconciliation and support the federal government in rebuilding nation-to-nation relationships.

A number of initiatives have started since then. The City of Montreal is one example that comes to mind. It offers its employees training on Indigenous culture, it has a commissioner for relations with Indigenous peoples, and it provides funding to community organizations working to improve the quality of life of Indigenous persons.

I would also call attention to the third Great Gathering of Indigenous peoples and Quebec municipalities held this year in Gatineau to promote reconciliation and mutual understanding.

Smaller communities are also taking action in accordance with their resources. This year, for example, the North Shore region hosted the fourth Grand Economic Circle of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec. The aim was to encourage networking between Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses in order to promote the region’s economic development.

Some people talk about economic reconciliation. There is probably a way for the federal government to support municipalities that are seeking to go one step further on the road to reconciliation. The federal government recently set up a fund to reward municipalities that relax their regulations to encourage soft densification.

In a similar vein, why not provide technical and financial support to municipalities that want to take action and create a framework for truth and reconciliation? Cities, towns and municipalities are willing to work towards reconciliation. The federal government would do well to establish genuine partnerships with them, since it is often at the local level that broader issues are resolved.

Thank you.

Hon. Amina Gerba: Honourable senators, on Saturday, I had the privilege of speaking at the Black Pearls Gala 2023, an annual event that celebrates the achievements of 100 Black women who have demonstrated extraordinary resilience and community impact.

I rise today to pay tribute to the woman behind this initiative, a trailblazer with a very inspiring story: Rose Cathy Handy.

Born in Cameroon, she came to Canada in 1993. She took on the challenge of integration head-on by volunteering for several organizations. However, her life would soon be turned upside down. In 1997, after giving birth to her first child, Rose Cathy became homeless and had to take refuge in a shelter with her baby.

She did not give up. Rose Cathy became an entrepreneur and got her first contract with Glendon College to organize a conference on women. That is how she got her autonomy back and could afford an apartment again.

She went on to found a business called BilingualLink, which helps newcomers understand the Canadian labour market and improve their employability. In 1999, BilingualLink organized the first bilingual job fair in Toronto.

Finally, Rose Cathy created Canada International Black Women Excellence, whose signature event, the Black Pearls Gala, celebrates 100 outstanding Black women and the progress they have achieved in Canada and beyond.

From homeless immigrant to unifying business leader, Rose Cathy Handy is a shining example of integration for newcomers and a model of resilience for women with diverse ethnocultural backgrounds.

Thank you.

[English]

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 Carignan: Minister, the situation is even more embarrassing because a Wall Street Journal editorial referred to Canada as a “military free-rider in NATO” owing to its pathetic investments in defence.

Minister, you are the minister of the armed forces, but some wags are even referring to you as the “minister of the unarmed forces” because of the pathetic investments in our national defence. In addition to improving the efficiency of the procurement system, will you increase the defence budget?

[English]

We have, for example, made a commitment of $38.6 billion to NORAD modernization. That’s a lot of money, senator. It’s important that it be spent well, but we’ve made that commitment. We’ve also made contracts for the fighter jets —