Senator Gold: Senator Simons, you’ve said on a couple of occasions that you object if it’s the only brush with the law. There’s evidence both before the committee and more generally that very often intimate partner violence does not get reported. Complaints are withdrawn, and charges may or may not be laid.

How do you square your phrase with the fact that it is clear that women are often victims of violence for protracted periods of time before the law gets involved and that the risk increases once charges are laid?

Senator Gold: Thank you for the question.

As I said, we received a request from the senator, and we acceded to the request. I don’t know exactly what the senator will say, but I think we all look forward to hearing his remarks.

Senator Gold: No, it is not a fact, and I think that question applied to me is very inappropriate. That is not what I’m doing here. I’m answering the questions, regardless of their tone and regardless of their motivation, to the best of my ability, and I’ll continue to do so.

Senator Gold: The process that the government has undergone is deeply rooted in the needs, interests and input of veterans and their families. Although the government appreciates the work that the jury did in evaluating, the design that was chosen after this long process is one that the veterans of the mission and their families felt best represented the bravery, sacrifices and losses of those who served in Afghanistan.

Senator Gold: Thank you, senator. The government has committed over $6 billion in funding since 2016 to address these long-standing housing gaps in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Recently the government made investments in First Nations housing, committing $2.4 billion over the next five years to support closing the housing gap in First Nations. More needs to be done, but the government is doing as much as it can at this juncture.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. I do not know the specifics of the conversation, but I am assured that they’re in constant dialogue. Canada’s commitment to international law in its international affairs is well known, and I have every confidence that forms part of those conversations.

Senator Gold: I don’t know how to answer that. I like a good slogan. If I hear one once or twice, it’s cute and will land. After a while, it becomes like last year’s hits that seem to fade and become tiresome.

The fact is that this government is pursuing the policies that it deems to be in the best interests of Canadians.

Senator Gold: I’m not in a position to advise as to what may or may not be in the fall economic update, but when that becomes public, I think Canadians will know exactly what the government is intending to do.

Senator Gold: Thank you.

Senator Gold: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Senator Boisvenu, I thank you for bringing this proposal forward for our consideration. We’re talking here about a provision that, in the original version of Bill C-48, sought to better protect victims of domestic violence. It was supported by all the members in the other place, by the Native Women’s Association of Canada and by every provincial and territorial government. What’s more, the Attorney General of British Columbia, Niki Sharma, said that she would write to the Minister of Justice to urge him to keep this part of Bill C-48.

Senator Boisvenu, can you confirm that your amendment uses the exact wording of the initial version of the bill?

Senator Gold: Would the senator take a question?

Senator Gold: Your concern for the presence of Hamas on our streets is laudable. The question, though, borders on the obscene.

The fact remains it is up to the police, not the government of Canada, to enforce the criminal laws against hate speech, incitement to violence. I live across the street from the Israeli consulate. I’m very aware of the activities of those who are supporting Hamas, and I look forward to the strict application of the Canadian law in all that it entails.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. As you know, the joint committee has been reconvened specifically to study this important issue. The government is awaiting the report before deciding what to do about the recommendations it will contain.

[English]

Senator Gold: I’ll certainly convey the question. Absolutely.

Senator Gold: Thank you. As you would expect, the government supports this amendment because it returns the bill to the form that it was when it was passed in the other place with the support of all provinces and territorial governments, who have responsibility for the administration of justice and know something about public safety. I’d like your comments on two things we heard at committee, senator.

First, from the B.C. Attorney General, Niki Sharma. I quote from her testimony before the committee:

. . . I hear from vulnerable women in particular who are victims of repeat violent offenders when they are out on bail. . . . It is my view that there are times in the criminal justice system where it tips over to protecting the community, and this reverse onus is capturing that.

The second piece of testimony that I’d like your views on came from the Native Women’s Association of Canada in their brief to the committee, where they wrote, “Protecting them from their abusers between when charges are laid and a hearing is an important concern.”

There was testimony, as you know, to that effect, indicating that the second charge is often the tip of the iceberg and, indeed, the first charge may have been as well.

Are you not concerned that, with the best of intentions, removing this amendment actually does put vulnerable victims at risk?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, on behalf of the Government Representative Office, or GRO, I would like to welcome Rodger Cuzner as the newest member of the Red Chamber. Senator Cuzner is an experienced parliamentarian and most recently a diplomat representing Canada as our Consul General in Boston.

As a proud son of Nova Scotia, Senator Cuzner has worked tirelessly with industry and business in promoting the tourism sector in his province. He’s also an avid hockey fan and former coach of Team Nova Scotia at the Canada Games.

Now, without putting too much pressure on Senator Cuzner, colleagues, let me point out to you that Senator Cuzner was twice voted “most collegial member of Parliament” by his colleagues. I hope that his good nature is contagious and rubs off on all of us as we approach the busy and somewhat hectic season.

Senator Cuzner, I know that your experience as a parliamentarian and advocate for your region is a welcome addition to the Senate of Canada. Welcome.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Canada has listed the Islamic Republic of Iran, including many senior officials and the IRGC, as a regime that has engaged in terrorism and engaged in gross human-rights violations against its people, the people in the region and around the world. This is a strong measure representing Canada’s abhorrence of the state-sponsored terrorism for which the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible.

Canada continues to hold Iran accountable through many robust measures that are already in place, including listing the IRGC Qods Force as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, as well as three Iran-backed regional militias that are also listed as terrorist entities.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question.

Yes, it is correct. We had a request from a senator who is not able to speak to an issue and is not able, necessarily, to speak later today, and we have acceded to that request.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. Let me begin by referring back to my intervention at the message stage on Bill S-12. On Thursday, October 26, I advised the chamber that my office was subsequently informed that for contingency purposes, the government did, indeed, seek an extension of the deadline as a responsible course of action in the event that things did not work out as part of the parliamentary process.

As you know, the court granted the extension. I was informed of this the next day, prior to the start of the sitting and our debate, and I immediately informed all leaders to that effect.

As it turns out, the existence of the motion for an extension was, in fact, part of the public record and readily accessible online to any interested person, any Canadian or, indeed, any parliamentarian, where their office could have checked the record of the case on the Supreme Court website. We did not, and I’m afraid others did not either.

That said, I’ve brought your concerns to the attention of the government. Efforts will be made in the future to ensure that this chamber is more readily made aware of legislation that may be subject to court-imposed deadlines.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your questions. With respect, I do not believe that the project has been mismanaged at all.

The National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan will be a solemn tribute to the 40,000 Canadians — the military, police and civilians — who served there. I understand that in the process, Veterans Affairs Canada heard from more than 10,000 Canadians about the monument designs. The Team Stimson design best reflects the input of veterans, their families and others who served on the mission.