Senator Plett: You might be tired of us saying he’s not worth the cost. We’re tired of you saying nothing.

The Prime Minister always seeks to divide Canadians, and his MPs are happy to follow his lead. When one of his MPs gave the Conservative caucus the middle finger during the vote in the House yesterday, he wasn’t just insulting fellow parliamentarians. That MP was revealing exactly what Trudeau and his government think of Canadians. Isn’t that a fact, leader? Are you doing the same?

Senator Plett: As I said, this is a government budget that was handed down in March. The senator has had all kinds of time to speak since March. Clearly, there is no hurry. He has all kinds of time to speak going down. He just doesn’t have time to speak today ahead of the 5:30 vote on Bill C-234.

Does that play into why the senator needs to speak to an inquiry today? Does he want to delve into Bill C-234?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, on behalf of the opposition and the Senate Conservative caucus, I am pleased to rise in this chamber to welcome our new colleague, a long-time Liberal parliamentarian, the Honourable Rodger Cuzner of Nova Scotia.

Senator, I am truly pleased to extend to you a very warm welcome to the Senate of Canada. I look forward to our future political debates in this chamber.

I also welcome the fact that Prime Minister Trudeau has removed the fig leaf from his Senate appointments and is now openly appointing partisan Liberals to the upper chamber.

Canadians do not buy the claim that Prime Minister Trudeau’s Senate appointment process is any better than what previous prime ministers did in the past. Because at the end of the day, regardless of the process behind how names are brought forward — whether it involves a list of 50 names or 3 — it is the Prime Minister who chooses who will be appointed. After eight years in power, the only real change to Prime Minister Trudeau’s selection process is that it now costs Canadians more money.

Senator Cuzner, you are a well-rounded politician, and your experience speaks to your commitment to serving our country and making it a better place. I want to recognize that even though we are from two different political parties, when senators are genuine about their political alliance, their friendships are honest.

I look forward to getting to know you better. As Senator Gold pointed out — even though he had the wrong name — Senator Cuzner, you have twice been voted the most collegial member of Parliament by your colleagues and were also described by Maclean’s magazine as “Parliament’s sense of humour.”

You, sir, are a great addition to the Senate family.

Canadians have increasingly been looking to the Senate for hope — hope that their voices are heard and the severity of the affordability crisis will be a priority for all parliamentarians.

Senator Cuzner, people across our beautiful country need reassurance right now, and to see common sense in Ottawa. They need to see parliamentarians take on their duty to work and fight for their best interests. I am proud to be part of the Conservative team that aims to do that.

Senator Cuzner, please know that Conservatives look forward to working in collaboration with you on ways to improve the lives of all Canadians.

On behalf of the opposition and the Conservative caucus, I want to warmly welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

[Translation]

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today to speak on chapter 7 of “Team Plett’s Curling Journey.” But before I begin my remarks, I want to thank everyone in this chamber for the incredible support and kindness you showed Team Plett last Thursday.

I was personally touched by your actions, and I wish to share with you that Team Plett will forever hold dear the outstanding welcome you have given them.

Colleagues, I want to read a short note to you from Team Plett. It’s addressed:

To Senator Plett / Grandpa,

Thank you so much for allowing my team to attend such an amazing experience. We really enjoyed meeting everyone and getting to visit such a cool building.

Thank you to the staff that helped us out and showed us around.

In addition to this, thank you for such an amazing and heartfelt speech about the team. The whole experience was super fun and one worth remembering.

Love, Myla, Alyssa, Chloe and Allie

Colleagues, I also thank every one of you for all that you did to make last Thursday such a wonderful experience for Team Plett. The warm welcome came through in many ways: from the moment the Speaker introduced the team, to when Senator Cotter spoke to their curling accomplishments, to the standing ovation from every one of you in this chamber. It also continued with the presentation of medallions to each member of the team by Greg Peters, the Usher of the Black Rod. But your outstanding welcome did not end there. Colleagues, let me tell you that when the girls walked into the third-floor boardroom and saw all of you standing there, wall to wall, ready to welcome them, they were astonished and awestruck. They had never anticipated such a warm reception, and they had never thought that we would all come together in such a way.

Colleagues, your support didn’t end there, either. As many of you watched them curl online over the weekend, some of you even actually attended a game in person, and some of you recorded video messages of support.

It is, indeed, a lot of fun when we — me, and others — can find occasions where we can put aside partisanship and celebrate something that we all enjoy together.

Yes, colleagues, Team Plett was in Ottawa to curl. And they did this marvellously, as they are now the 2023 Ottawa Junior SuperSpiel champions. They went 6-0 in their continued quest for excellence.

Following the Senate’s incredible welcome from last week, I think it is fair to say that we all wish them well as they continue to travel and represent Canada wherever their curling journey brings them next.

In closing, I will add that I am proud that they represent Canada in such an amazing professional manner.

Congratulations, Team Plett!

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, we received word just before the Senate began sitting this afternoon that you will be reordering Government Business to put Inquiry No. 5 ahead of Government Bills. Inquiry No. 5 is about the budget the Trudeau government handed down way back in March.

Senator Gold, is it correct that you are reordering business today? If so, why are you doing it?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Government spokesperson, last Friday, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a ruling that many Canadians — myself included — found disappointing, disturbing and, quite frankly, disgusting. The Supreme Court ruled that mandatory minimum penalties for the despicable crime of child luring are unconstitutional. Our highest court says a six-month jail sentence for a summary conviction and a one-year sentence for an indictment amount to cruel and unusual punishment. Child luring is cruel and unusual punishment. Canada’s children deserve better protection.

After the decision was handed down, Canadians were told the Minister of Justice was reviewing it closely. What is the Trudeau government going to do in response? For example, will it invoke the notwithstanding clause?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Having this Liberal government is cruel and unusual punishment. Time and again, the Prime Minister shows he’s not worth the cost, and this response to the matter of victims’ rights is no exception. The NDP-Liberal government let the position of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime go vacant for 361 days. In 2018, when the position of the ombudsman for federally sentenced offenders became vacant, it was filled the very next day.

Why are victims’ rights and safe streets always an afterthought for the Trudeau government?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Well, again, government spokesperson, yesterday — as Senator Housakos already pointed out — Liberal MPs, together with Bloc MPs, voted against supporting Canadians. Instead, they continue to support Prime Minister Trudeau’s carbon tax as punishment for not voting Liberal — and they had help, as I said, from the Bloc.

Yesterday, La Presse reported that the Bloc MPs have told Liberal cabinet ministers they will be patient about triggering an election, which is scheduled two years from now. They have Jagmeet Singh, and now they have a group that is sworn to breaking up our country supporting the Prime Minister.

What did the Prime Minister promise the separatist Bloc to vote with him against carbon tax relief for all Canadians and support him for another two years?