Senator LaBoucane-Benson: Yes, I do agree with you. That is my understanding.

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question and for adding to the insinuations of wrongdoing that you make with no evidence or justification whatsoever. The government stands by its practices to manage the economy and its affairs in an honest way for the benefit of Canadians.

Senator Plett: The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. He has no common sense. He thinks he can outsource leadership. One thing he’s good at, though, is taking care of his friends. In 2016, Liberal MPs voted to shut down a committee study into a tax-evasion scheme involving KPMG. At around the same time, a KPMG executive was named Treasurer for the Liberal Party. What a coincidence. Leader, why is it always Liberal insiders who get ahead under this government, while Canadians struggle to get by?

Senator Marshall: — with the Phoenix system.

Can you assure us that the government has control over this program and that it will be successfully implemented?

Senator Gold: Thank you for raising the subject.

The report of the Auditor General is important. It shines light on a problem that, as I said, has been neglected by governments. This is not to blame previous governments; many governments going back far too long have neglected it.

The government is seized with the issue and will do everything it can to address this.

Senator Ringuette: Okay, then let me phrase that in a debate manner.

It seems not very often that we get such kinds of bills; my latest recollection is about 10 or 12 years ago. Yes, I believe that probably the Legal Committee is a good committee to undertake such studies. However, I must admit that, in my mind, I look at the agenda of the Legal Committee in this debate, and I would question if it’s reasonable for this chamber to decide that —

[Translation]

Senator Loffreda: Thank you for that, Senator Gold.

We clearly need to accelerate the pace to ensure we meet our targets. I know the Treasury Board has been mandated to develop policy guidance and ensure that departments have the tools they need to implement the directive. What are these tools that the government is using to encourage and connect with Indigenous businesses so they are aware of procurement opportunities? What criteria are used to determine what constitutes an Indigenous-led business?

Senator Gold: Briefly, the central program is the Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program, which provides access to capital and other support.

With regard to the criteria, I’m informed that for the purposes of the target, an “Indigenous business” is defined as “Elders, band and tribal councils; businesses registered in the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Business Directory . . .” and “. . . businesses on a beneficiary business list.”

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Thank you. I wish I had the solutions. One thing is clear: Canadians have to understand, as governments do at all levels — federal, provincial and municipal — that we are in the stage of having to mitigate the impact.

Climate change is upon us; the impact is clear. Whatever we do in the future to address climate change has to include mitigating the current and foreseeable impacts of it.

Senator Gold: Yes, I undertake to do that. I see the minister on a weekly basis, and I’ll make a point to bring that to his attention.

Senator Gold: The reliance in the North, as you know better than I, senator, whether on diesel or home oil, is a fact that has to be taken into account in all adaptations of government programs. There are talented people in Canada and the North exploring alternatives, and I’m sure the government will work in partnership with them and the Government of Nunavut to the benefit of the residents in Nunavut.

Senator Housakos: What else is new? This former director general also testified that when he left the CBSA, the price tag he costed for ArriveCAN was $6.3 million. He said he was shocked at the news that it had ballooned to over $54 million — another Canadian realizing Justin Trudeau is just not worth the cost.

Was that a result of putting Deloitte in the penalty box in favour of GC Strategies? Shouldn’t the person who made the decision be held accountable, Senator Gold? Don’t we believe in accountability? Who took this decision, and why aren’t you interested in holding that person to account?

Senator Cardozo: My supplementary question is regarding mitigation. The Transport and Communications Committee is looking at the effects of climate change on transportation infrastructure across the country. What are your thoughts on the most important mitigation needs that we should be dealing with as a country?

Senator Moodie: Thank you. With the recent history of the pandemic that we have lived through, Canadians are justifiably focused on the government’s stockpile of essential health care supplies, such as flu and COVID vaccines, masks and other protective equipment. Does the government have a sufficient stockpile of these essentials for the 2023-24 winter season?

Senator Coyle: I would appreciate hearing more specifics on what that “more” would look like.

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Audette, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, for the third reading of Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation, as amended.

Senator Dupuis: May I clarify my question? Obviously, my colleague didn’t understand my question as I worded it.

Senator LaBoucane-Benson: Thank you, senator. I’m sure my colleagues would all agree that I am not the person to address the translation issues between French and English.

But I take your point. If I understand, what you are saying is “time immemorial” as it’s expressed in French and English may mean different things. No?

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Thank you for that. Again, vaccines are our best defence, and to date, I’m advised that more than 11 million total doses of the new formulation — that’s mRNA XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccines — have already been delivered by the Government of Canada to the provinces and territories to support the immunization programs in those provinces and territories. I’m assured that doses will continue to arrive and be distributed throughout the fall.

Senator LaBoucane-Benson: Senator, I don’t disagree with your rendition of history at all. I do disagree that in the preamble it says “Indigenous peoples.” It doesn’t say “Métis.”

Truly, every law in Canada is written in the language of the colonizer. “Indigenous” is not a Cree word. The Cree people don’t call themselves “Cree people.” The Métis people don’t necessarily call themselves “Métis people” in Michif, and yet here we are in the language of the colonizer, writing a bill that is talking about reconciliation.

I think the word “Indigenous” meets the standard, and is good enough in this bill at the beginning because it is inclusive. It doesn’t leave people out unintentionally, but I don’t disagree with the history that you are putting forward.