Order Paper and Notice Paper
The Order Paper and Notice Paper is a document that guides the deliberations of the Senate and lists items of business currently before it. These items are listed in several different categories and in a priority according to an arrangement adopted by the Senate as stipulated in the rules. The majority of these items constitute the Orders of the Day which are called following Routine Proceedings. These items are themselves divided into two principal categories - government business and other business. Within each of these two categories are items for bills, motions, inquiries and reports of committees.
The Notice Paper contains the text of motions and inquiries not yet called for debate.
The Order Paper and Notice Paper is prepared every day in advance of the actual sitting.
Order of Business
(The following is an outline of a typical sitting day in the Senate. Variations are possible subject to the Rules and to the decisions of the Senate.)
Senators' Statements (18 minutes)
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS (30 minutes)
1. Tabling of Documents
2. Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
3. Government Notices of Motions
4. Government Notices of Inquiries
5. Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
6. Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
7. First Reading of Commons Public Bills
8. Reading of Petitions for Private Bills
9. Introduction and First Reading of Private Bills
10. Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations
11. Notices of Motions
12. Notices of Inquiries
13. Tabling of Petitions
Question Period (30 minutes)
Delayed Answers
ORDERS OF THE DAY
Government Business
• Bills — Messages from the House of Commons
• Bills — Third Reading
• Bills — Reports of Committees
• Bills — Second Reading
• Reports of Committees — Other
• Motions
• Inquiries
• Other
Other Business
• Bills — Messages from the House of Commons
• Senate Public Bills — Third Reading
• Commons Public Bills — Third Reading
• Private Bills — Third Reading
• Senate Public Bills — Reports of Committees
• Commons Public Bills — Reports of Committees
• Private Bills — Reports of Committees
• Senate Public Bills — Second Reading
• Commons Public Bills — Second Reading
• Private Bills — Second Reading
• Reports of Committees — Other
• Motions
• Inquiries
• Other
NOTICE PAPER
• Notices of Motions
• Notices of Inquiries
Orders Of The Day
Government Business
Bills – Messages from the House of Commons
Nil
Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Bills – Second Reading
No. 1.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.
Reports of Committees – Other
Nil
Motions
No. 1.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
That the following Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:
To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:
We, Her Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Senate of Canada in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.
Inquiries
Nil
Other
Nil
Other Business
Rule 4-15(2) states:
Except as otherwise ordered by the Senate, any item of Other Business on the Order Paper and any motion or inquiry on the Notice Paper that have not been proceeded with during 15 sitting days shall be dropped from the Order Paper and Notice Paper.
Consequently, the number appearing in parentheses indicates the number of sittings since the item was last proceeded with.
Bills – Messages from the House of Commons
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Commons Public Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Private Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Commons Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Private Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Second Reading
No. 1.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-201, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Regulation Adapting the Canada Elections Act for the Purposes of a Referendum (voting age).—(Honourable Senator McPhedran)
No. 2.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-202, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate).—(Honourable Senator Bovey)
No. 3.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-203, An Act respecting a federal framework on autism spectrum disorder.—(Honourable Senator Housakos)
No. 4.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-204, An Act to amend the Customs Tariff (goods from Xinjiang).—(Honourable Senator Housakos)
No. 5.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-205, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to another Act (interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders).—(Honourable Senator Boisvenu)
No. 6.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (disclosure of information by jurors).—(Honourable Senator Boisvenu)
No. 7.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-207, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Châteauguay—Lacolle.—(Honourable Senator Dalphond)
No. 8.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-208, An Act respecting the Declaration on the Essential Role of Artists and Creative Expression in Canada.—(Honourable Senator Bovey)
No. 9.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-209, An Act respecting Pandemic Observance Day.—(Honourable Senator Mégie)
No. 10.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-210, An Act to restrict young persons’ online access to sexually explicit material.—(Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne)
No. 11.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-211, An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act and to amend the Customs Tariff.—(Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne)
No. 12.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-212, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation.—(Honourable Senator Pate)
No. 13.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-213, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (independence of the judiciary).—(Honourable Senator Jaffer)
No. 14.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-214, An Act to establish International Mother Language Day.—(Honourable Senator Jaffer)
No. 15.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-215, An Act respecting measures in relation to the financial stability of post-secondary institutions.—(Honourable Senator Moncion)
No. 16.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-216, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (use of resources of a registered charity).—(Honourable Senator Omidvar)
No. 17.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-217, An Act respecting the repurposing of certain seized, frozen or sequestrated assets.—(Honourable Senator Omidvar)
No. 18.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-218, An Act to amend the Department for Women and Gender Equality Act.—(Honourable Senator McCallum)
No. 19.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-219, An Act respecting a National Ribbon Skirt Day.—(Honourable Senator McCallum)
No. 20.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-220, An Act to amend the Languages Skills Act (Governor General).—(Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C.)
No. 21.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-221, An Act to amend the Governor General’s Act (retiring annuity and other benefits).—(Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C.)
No. 22.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-222, An Act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (use of wood).—(Honourable Senator Griffin)
No. 23.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-223, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs).—(Honourable Senator Ataullahjan)
No. 24.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-224, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons).—(Honourable Senator Ataullahjan)
No. 25.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-225, An Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments).—(Honourable Senator Ataullahjan)
No. 26.
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-226, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Parliament of Canada Act (Speaker of the Senate).—(Honourable Senator Mercer)
No. 27.
November 25, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-227, An Act to establish Food Day in Canada.—(Honourable Senator Black)
No. 28.
November 25, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-228, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (property qualifications of Senators).—(Honourable Senator Patterson)
Commons Public Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Private Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Reports of Committees – Other
Nil
Motions
No. 6.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine and report on a roadmap for post-pandemic economic and social policy to address the human, social and financial costs of economic marginalization and inequality, when and if the committee is formed;
That, given recent calls for action from Indigenous, provincial, territorial and municipal jurisdictions, the committee examine in particular potential national approaches to inter-jurisdictional collaboration to implement a guaranteed livable basic income; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2022.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 10.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean:
That the Senate of Canada:
(a)acknowledge that racism, in all its forms, was a cornerstone upon which the residential school system was created;
(b)acknowledge that racism, discrimination and abuse were rampant within the residential school system;
(c)acknowledge that the residential school system, created for the malevolent purpose of assimilation, has had profound and continuing negative impacts on Indigenous lives, cultures and languages; and
(d)apologize unreservedly for Canada’s role in the establishment of the residential school system, as well as its resulting adverse impacts, the effects of which are still seen and felt by countless Indigenous peoples and communities today.—(Honourable Senator McCallum)
No. 11.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
That the Senate of Canada call on the federal government to adopt anti-racism as the sixth pillar of the Canada Health Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race and affording everyone the equal right to the protection and benefit of the law.—(Honourable Senator McCallum)
No. 12.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources be authorized to examine and report on the cumulative positive and negative impacts of resource extraction and development, and their effects on environmental, economic and social considerations, when and if the committee is formed; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2022.—(Honourable Senator McCallum)
No. 13.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Ngo, seconded by the Honourable Senator Patterson:
That the Senate note that, by adopting the Journey to Freedom Day Act on April 23, 2015, and taking into account the first two elements of the preamble of the said Act, the Parliament of Canada unequivocally recognized violations of:
(a)the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Viet-Nam and its protocols (Paris Peace Accords); and
(b)the Act of the International Conference on Viet-Nam; and
That the Senate urge the Government of Canada to call upon six or more of the current parties to the Act of the International Conference on Viet-Nam, which include Canada, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Poland, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, amongst others, to agree to the reconvention of the International Conference on Viet-Nam pursuant to Article 7(b) of the Act of the International Conference on Viet-Nam in order to settle disputes between the signatory parties due to the violations of the terms of the Paris Peace Accords and the Act of the International Conference on Viet-Nam.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 15.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dalphond, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy:
That the Senate:
1.recall that, despite the commitment found in section 55 of the Constitution Act, 1982 to have a fully bilingual Constitution, as of today, of the 31 enactments that make up the Canadian Constitution, 22 are official only in their English version, including almost all of the Constitution Act, 1867; and
2.call upon the government to consider, in the context of the review of the Official Languages Act, the addition of a requirement to submit, every five years, a report detailing the efforts made to comply with section 55 of the Constitution Act, 1982.—(Honourable Senator Dalphond)
Inquiries
Nil
Other
Nil
Notice Paper
Motions
No. 3. (one)
By the Honourable Senator Omidvar:
November 24, 2021—That the Senate call upon the Government of Canada to implement the eighth recommendation of the first report of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector, entitled Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector, adopted by the Senate on November 3, 2020, during the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament, which proposed that the Canada Revenue Agency include questions on both the T3010 (for registered charities) and the T1044 (for federally incorporated not-for-profit corporations) on diversity representation on boards of directors based on existing employment equity guidelines.
No. 4. (one)
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
November 24, 2021—That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to:
(a)denounce the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime and recognize the Cuban opposition and civil society as valid interlocutors; and
(b)call on the Cuban regime to ensure the right of the Cuban people to protest peacefully without fear of reprisal and repudiation.
No. 5. (one)
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
November 24, 2021—That the Standing Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to examine and report on the situation in Lebanon and determine whether Canada should appoint a special envoy, when and if the committee is formed; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than February 28, 2022.
No. 7. (one)
By the Honourable Senator Galvez:
November 24, 2021—That the Senate of Canada recognize that:
(a)climate change is an urgent crisis that requires an immediate and ambitious response;
(b)human activity is unequivocally warming the atmosphere, ocean and land at an unprecedented pace, and is provoking weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe, including in the Arctic, which is warming at more than twice the global rate;
(c)failure to address climate change is resulting in catastrophic consequences especially for Canadian youth, Indigenous Peoples and future generations; and
(d)climate change is negatively impacting the health and safety of Canadians, and the financial stability of Canada;
That the Senate declare that Canada is in a national climate emergency which requires that Canada uphold its international commitments with respect to climate change and increase its climate action in line with the Paris Agreement’s objective of holding global warming well below two degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius; and
That the Senate commit to action on mitigation and adaptation in response to the climate emergency and that it consider this urgency for action while undertaking its parliamentary business.
No. 8. (one)
By the Honourable Senator Moncion:
November 24, 2021—That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on the Canadian assisted human reproduction legislative and regulatory framework and any other related issues deemed relevant by the committee, when and if the committee is formed; and
That the committee submit its final report on this study to the Senate no later than October 31, 2023, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
No. 9. (one)
By the Honourable Senator Moncion:
November 24, 2021—That the Senate recognize that, each year, thousands of Canadians are called to jury duty and contribute to the Canadian justice system; and
That the Senate call upon the Government of Canada to designate the second week of May in each year as Jury Appreciation Week in Canada, to encourage those Canadians who provide this public service and to recognize their civic duty.
No. 14. (one)
By the Honourable Senator Kutcher:
November 24, 2021—That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized, when and if it is formed, to examine and report on the Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention, including, but not limited to:
(a)evaluating the effectiveness of the Framework in significantly, substantially and sustainably decreasing rates of suicide since it was enacted;
(b)examining the rates of suicide in Canada as a whole and in unique populations, such as Indigenous, racialized and youth communities;
(c)reporting on the amount of federal funding provided to all suicide prevention programs or initiatives for the period 2000-2020 and determining what evidence-based criteria for suicide prevention was used in each selection;
(d)determining for each of the programs or interventions funded in paragraph (c), whether there was a demonstrated significant, substantive and sustained decrease in suicide rates in the population(s) targeted; and
(e)providing recommendations to ensure that Canada’s Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention and federal funding for suicide prevention activities are based on best available evidence of impact on suicide rate reduction; and
That the committee submit its final report on this study to the Senate no later than December 16, 2022.
No. 19.
By the Honourable Senator Patterson:
November 25, 2021—
Whereas the Senate provides representation for groups that are often underrepresented in Parliament, such as Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities and women;
Whereas paragraph (3) of section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867 requires that, in order to be qualified for appointment to and to maintain a place in the Senate, a person must own land with a net worth of at least four thousand dollars in the province for which he or she is appointed;
Whereas a person’s personal circumstances or the availability of real property in a particular location may prevent him or her from owning the required property;
Whereas appointment to the Senate should not be restricted to those who own real property of a minimum net worth;
Whereas the existing real property qualification is inconsistent with the democratic values of modern Canadian society and is no longer an appropriate or relevant measure of the fitness of a person to serve in the Senate;
Whereas, in the case of Quebec, each of the twenty-four Senators representing the province must be appointed for and must have either their real property qualification in or be resident of a specified Electoral Division;
Whereas an amendment to the Constitution of Canada in relation to any provision that applies to one or more, but not all, provinces may be made by proclamation issued by the Governor General under the Great Seal of Canada only where so authorized by resolutions of the Senate and House of Commons and of the legislative assembly of each province to which the amendment applies;
Whereas the Supreme Court of Canada has determined that a full repeal of paragraph (3) of section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867, respecting the real property qualification of Senators, would require a resolution of the Quebec National Assembly pursuant to section 43 of the Constitution Act, 1982;
Now, therefore, the Senate resolves that an amendment to the Constitution of Canada be authorized to be made by proclamation issued by Her Excellency the Governor General under the Great Seal of Canada in accordance with the Schedule hereto.
SCHEDULE
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF CANADA
1.(1) Paragraph (3) of section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867 is repealed.
(2) Section 23 of the Act is amended by replacing the semi-colon at the end of paragraph (5) with a period and by repealing paragraph (6).
2.The Declaration of Qualification set out in The Fifth Schedule to the Act is replaced by the following:
I, A.B., do declare and testify that I am by law duly qualified to be appointed a member of the Senate of Canada.
3. This Amendment may be cited as the Constitution Amendment, [year of proclamation] (Real property qualification of Senators).
Inquiries
No. 1.
By the Honourable Senator Dasko:
November 24, 2021—That she will call the attention of the Senate to the role of leaders’ debates in enhancing democracy by engaging and informing voters.
No. 2.
By the Honourable Senator Simons:
November 24, 2021—That she will call the attention of the Senate to the challenges and opportunities that Canadian municipalities face, and to the importance of understanding and redefining the relationships between Canada’s municipalities and the federal government.
No. 3.
By the Honourable Senator Boyer:
November 24, 2021—That she will call the attention of the Senate to the positive contributions and impacts that Métis, Inuit, and First Nations have made to Canada, and the world.
No. 4.
By the Honourable Senator Coyle:
November 24, 2021—That she will call the attention of the Senate to the importance of finding solutions to transition Canada’s society, economy and resource use in pursuit of a fair, prosperous, sustainable and peaceful net-zero emissions future for our country and the planet.
No. 5.
By the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C.:
November 25, 2021—That he will call the attention of the Senate to the role and mandate of the RCMP, the skills and capabilities required for it to fulfill its role and mandate, and how it should be organized and resourced in the 21st century.
Written Questions
No. 1.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the 5G security review:
1.According to public statements made by former Minister Ralph Goodale, the current government has been conducting a review of whether to allow Huawei to join Canada’s 5G network since at least September 2018. On what date did the 5G security review formally begin?
2.Which departments, agencies or other entities of the Government of Canada have been involved in this review since 2018?
3.How many full-time equivalents have been assigned to this review since it began?
4.How much funding has been allocated to this review since it began?
5.When is the review expected to be completed?
6.Have any preliminary reports or findings on this matter been provided to any government Minister? If so, on which date, and in which department or agency?
7.Will a final report be submitted? If so, who will receive it, and will it be publicly available, in whole or in part?
No. 2.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding 24 Sussex Drive:
In May 2016, former Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly said a plan to renovate 24 Sussex Drive was forthcoming. In June 2021, the National Capital Commission released its Official Residences of Canada: Asset Portfolio Condition Report. This report found 24 Sussex Drive is in “critical” condition, needing $36.6 million to restore it to “good” condition.
1.What is the timeline for delivering a plan?
2.Which departments and agencies are working on a plan?
3.How much has been spent since 2016 on developing a plan?
4.Are all options, including tearing down the building, being considered?
No. 3.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding suicide prevention:
In December 2020, the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion calling upon the federal government to take immediate action in collaboration with our provinces to establish a National Suicide Prevention hotline that consolidates all suicide crisis numbers into one easy to remember three-digit (9-8-8) hotline that is accessible to all Canadians.
1.What work has been done to date to implement a three-digit suicide prevention hotline?
2.How has the Government of Canada collaborated with the provinces and territories on this work? When did this work begin? Has it been completed?
3.How many public servants at Health Canada or any other department or agency of the Government of Canada are working on the implementation of this hotline, on either a full-time or part-time basis?
4.What is the budget allocated to support work to create this hotline?
5.What interaction has taken place to date between the Government of Canada and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regarding the implementation of this hotline?
6.What date is this hotline expected to be operational?
7.Is the Government of Canada considering a different number other than 9-8-8 for the national suicide prevention hotline?
No. 4.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Finance Canada:
1.Prior to the announcement of Mr. Dominic Barton as Chair of the Government of Canada’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth in February 2016, did he undergo a vetting process? Did any of the 14 members of the council undergo a vetting process prior to the government’s announcement of the composition of the council in March 2016? If so, who conducted the vetting?
2.Was a security screening conducted for the Chair of the council? Were security screenings conducted for any of the other members of the council? If so, who conducted the security screening? If security screenings were not conducted, why not?
3.Was the Chair required to disclose his involvement with foreign state-owned enterprises prior to being named to the council? Were any of the other members of the council required to disclose their involvement with foreign state-owned entities prior to being named to the council? If not, why not?
4.While council members were paid a salary of $1, their expenses were reimbursed by the Government of Canada. How much was reimbursed by the Government of Canada for each of the council members? What is the total amount reimbursed to council members as a whole?
No. 5.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB):
An answer provided to Order Paper question No. 114 in the 43rd Parliament, received on March 17, 2021 stated: “…Canadian companies have directly benefited economically from the AIIB. We are aware of three Canadian firms having signed contracts as part of the AIIB’s corporate procurement since Canada officially joined the AIIB in March 2018. In 2018, Hatch provided consulting services on an AIIB-financed project in Uzbekistan. In 2019, Edmonton-based Insignia Software Corporation provided library management system services to the institution. In 2020, EQ Consulting Inc. was awarded two separate contracts by the AIIB for the implementation of market risk tools and order management systems support.”
1.How many jobs were created in Canada through Hatch providing consulting services on an AIIB-financed project in Uzbekistan? How many of these were middle-class jobs?
2.How many jobs were created in Canada through Insignia Software Corporation providing library management system services to the institution? How many of these were middle-class jobs?
3.How many jobs were created in Canada through EQ Consulting Inc. being awarded two contracts for the AIIB for the implementation of market risk tools and order management systems support? How many of these were middle-class jobs?
4.Have any other AIIB contracts been awarded to Canadian companies since the original answer was provided? If so, what are they, and how many middle-class jobs in Canada did they create?
5.The answer stated: “In September 2020, the AIIB also collaborated with the Canadian Embassy in Beijing to organize an informational webinar for Canadian companies to introduce them to the Bank and potential business opportunities.” How many Canadian businesses were awarded contracts with the AIIB following this webinar? How many middle-class jobs in Canada were created as a result?
6.The answer also states: “The AIIB’s Treasury Department has also worked with Canadian financial institutions, such as TD, BMO, RBC and Scotiabank, as part of its funding program. The AIIB is also working with Canadian regulators and legal advisors towards its first issuance on the Canadian fixed income market (known as the “Maple Bond” market).” How many Canadian businesses were awarded contracts with the AIIB as part of this initiative? How many middle-class jobs in Canada were created as a result?
No. 6.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Government of Canada’s $5.9 billion financial support agreement with Air Canada announced on April 12, 2021:
1.During its negotiations with Air Canada, did the Government of Canada ask Air Canada to disclose information regarding bonuses, share appreciation units, or other compensation paid to executives and management during the COVID-19 pandemic? If not, why not?
2.Did Air Canada provide this information to the Government of Canada? If so, when, and which department(s)/Minister’s office(s) received this information?
No. 7.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding excise duty on alcohol products:
1.What is the total amount of excise duty taxes collected by the federal government through its alcohol escalator tax for the fiscal year 2020-2021?
2.How much was collected for each type of alcohol?
(a)Wine
(b)Beer
(c)Spirits
No. 8.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Government of Canada’s approval of the sale of Retirement Concepts to Anbang Insurance Group (through its Canadian subsidiary Cedar Tree Investments) in February 2017:
1. In January 2017, the New York Times reported that Morgan Stanley chose not to advise Anbang on United States mergers and acquisitions as it could not obtain information from the company to satisfy its “know your client” guidelines.
(a) Did the Government of Canada clarify Anbang’s corporate ownership and structure as part of the Investment Canada Act review process?
(b) If so, how did it make this determination? If not, why was this sale approved?
2. When the sale was approved in February 2017, a statement from the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development to the Globe and Mail said: “[It] has agreed to maintain at least the current levels of full-time and part-time employees at facilities operated by Retirement Concepts; ensure a significant ongoing role for Canadians in the business; have the current Canadian operator ... continue to manage the business; not close or re-purpose any of the existing residences; [and] financially support the expansion of the business.”
(a) After the Government of Canada approved this purchase, how did the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development monitor these commitments, particularly regarding staffing at the facilities?
(b) What were the department’s findings regarding these commitments?
(c) Were these findings communicated to the former Minister? If so, when?
3. After the Chinese government seized control of Anbang Insurance Group in February 2018, a spokesperson for the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development told the CBC: “We are aware of Anbang’s situation in China and monitoring closely for any implications on its investments in Canada.”
(a) After Anbang was seized by the Chinese government, how did the department monitor the commitments made at the time of the sale?
(b) What were the department’s findings regarding these commitments?
(c) Were these findings communicated to the former Minister? If so, when?
4. In late 2019 and early 2020, British Columbia public health authorities seized control of four out of 21 Retirement Concepts care homes in the province due to serious allegations of neglect, abuse, understaffing, and mismanagement. In December 2019, a spokesperson for the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development told the Globe and Mail “…the federal government would monitor commitments around the number of jobs and facilities.”
(a) During the period when disturbing allegations surfaced and British Columbia seized control of four Retirement Concepts facilities, how did the department monitor the commitments made at the time of the sale?
(b) What were the department’s findings regarding these commitments?
(c) Were these findings communicated to the former Minister? If so, when?
No. 9.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) project:
In July 2020, a press release from the Department of National Defence about the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship project asserted: “The AOPS project will provide the RCN with six new ice-capable ships, as well as two variants of the AOPS for the Canadian Coast Guard. Construction of the seventh and eighth ships is expected to begin in 2022 and 2023, respectively”.
1.Is the Government of Canada still on target to meet that objective?
2.When will a contract be signed related to the construction of these two AOPS for the Canadian Coast Guard?
3.What design changes are being made to the original AOPS design for the Royal Canadian Navy?
4.What are the total costs of these design changes?
5.What is the envisaged total cost for the two additional AOPS for the Coast Guard?
6.When are these vessels anticipated to enter service?
No. 10.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Governor in Council (GIC) Appointments:
1.Could the Government of Canada provide a list of all GIC appointments for each province and territory from October 2015 to date, including the name of the appointee, the appointment received, and the length of the term?
2.Currently, how many vacancies are there in GIC appointed positions, and what is the percentage of vacancies compared to the total number of GIC positions?
No. 11.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Ministerial Appointments:
Could the Government of Canada provide a list of all Ministerial appointments for each province and territory from November 2016 to date, including the name of the appointee, the appointment received, and the length of the term?
No. 12.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Global Affairs Canada:
1.What is the status of a promise made during the 2015 federal election campaign to open a Canadian Embassy in Armenia?
2.When is the Canadian Embassy in Armenia expected to officially open?
3.If the Government of Canada has decided to break this campaign promise, what is the rationale for doing so? Has the Government of Canada communicated this decision to the Government of the Republic of Armenia?
No. 13.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding searching burial sites at former residential schools:
In August 2021, the federal government announced $321 million for programs to help Indigenous communities search burial sites at former residential schools. A total of $110 million is earmarked to fund searches of burial sites and to commemorate children who died at residential schools.
1.What is the process for determining how these funds will be dispensed, how priorities for searches will be set, and how the search processes themselves will be governed?
2.What parameters have been set for initiating searches and is there an envisaged time length for such searches?
3.How many applications for searches has the government received to date?
4.Is it the intent of the government to ensure that experts in historical archeology, forensics and pathology are integrated into all search efforts? Will the assessments of such experts be made public for each potential burial site?
No. 14.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Crown-Indigenous Relations:
Bill C-15 came into force on June 21, 2021 and under terms of the legislation, the Minister “must, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples and with other federal ministers, prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of the Declaration”. Additionally, the preparation of the action plan “must be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than two years after the day on which this section comes into force”.
The Government has pledged to engage Indigenous partners to understand their priorities. It has specifically stated that it will consult with: national and regional indigenous organizations, indigenous rights holders, modern treaty and self-governing nations, women’s and youth organizations, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous persons, urban Indigenous people and other identified Indigenous groups.
Ms. Laurie Sargent, Assistant Deputy Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, told the Senate Committee that the process would require “meaningful participation, seeking to get consensus at a national level. This is going to be a complex undertaking and we will be guided by the principle of free, prior and informed consent, as well as the concepts of consultation and cooperation”.
Former Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett also told the Senate Aboriginal Peoples Committee on May 7, 2021: “We’ve already begun preliminary discussions with Indigenous partners on the design of that process”
1.In this regard, could the government provide a full list of:
(a)A list of all stakeholders consulted in the “preliminary discussions” with Indigenous partners that were referenced in former Minister Bennett’s statement to the Senate Aboriginal Peoples Committee on May 7, 2021? A list of all stakeholders (specifically: all national and regional indigenous organizations, indigenous rights holders, modern treaty and self-governing nations, women’s and youth organizations, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous persons, urban Indigenous people and other identified Indigenous groups) who have been consulted since Bill C-15 came into force?
(b)All stakeholders consulted in relation to the design of the “action plan consultation process”, to ensure that it is inclusive, equitable and addresses the concerns of treaty holders? Could the government outline how it will ensure that “meaningful participation” of all rights holders will be ensured in a manner that conforms to the principle of “free, prior and informed consent” for those rights holders?
2.Could the government provide a description and road map of the consultation process going forward, including the envisaged timeline and key milestones for completing that process?
No. 15.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF):
A May 25, 2018, CBC report quoted the former Minister of National Defence’s office as saying: “In line with the government of Canada’s objective of raising the numbers of Forces personnel, there are currently initial discussions to review the possibility for foreign nationals’ recruitment beyond skills applicants.”
1.Has the Government of Canada completed a review of the citizenship requirement for CAF personnel? If so, when did the review begin and when was the review completed? If not, when is the review expected to be completed?
2.What programs does the CAF have today permitting non-citizens to join? Where do these programs rank relative to other CAF recruitment objectives? For example, how are recruits from such programs prioritized relative to other CAF recruiting objectives?
3.What additionally is being reviewed in the way of expanding non-citizen recruitment?
4.Since its creation in 2014, how many foreign nationals have applied for Canadian citizenship under the fast track process for permanent residents serving in the CAF and foreign military members on exchange with the CAF? What countries have the applicants come from? How many of these applicants have become citizens?
No. 16.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF):
Prior to agreeing to settle class-action lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in the Canada Armed Forces, in late 2017 the federal government argued in a court filing to strike the proceedings that it did not “owe a private law duty of care to individual members within the CAF to provide a safe and harassment-free work environment, or to create policies to prevent sexual harassment or sexual assault.” The federal government also argued it had no duty “to create policies to prevent sexual harassment or sexual assault which are already prohibited by the Canadian Human Rights Act.”
1.When was the former Minister of National Defence and/or his office made aware this argument would be made to the court?
2.When was the Prime Minister and/or his office made aware this argument would be made to the court?
3.Was this class-action lawsuit ever discussed before the former Cabinet Committee on Litigation Management? If so, on which dates?
4.Why did the federal government believe these arguments were justified in 2017, especially given that Operation Honour was initiated in 2015?
No. 17.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC):
1. How much did the CBC’s failed lawsuit against the Conservative Party of Canada cost Canadian taxpayers?
2. How is this amount broken down by the CBC’s legal fees, the costs awarded to the Conservative Party, and any other expenses that were incurred?
No. 18.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC):
1. In 2015, the CBC hired an external investigator to review complaints of conflict of interest, nepotism and favouritism in its contracting. Since then, how many similar complaints have been brought forward regarding conflict of interest, nepotism and favouritism at the CBC?
2. Since 2015, has the CBC hired an external investigator to review similar complaints? If so, what is the name of the investigator(s), and the date, length and value of the contract(s)? What were the findings of the investigations?
3. If an external investigator was not hired to review these complaints, how were they investigated and addressed?
No. 19.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Chapter 2 of the Auditor General of Canada’s Spring 2021 report reviewing the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) management of the Canada Child Benefit:
1. The Auditor General noted: “According to program eligibility conditions, benefit payments are supposed to go to the parent who is the primary caregiver for a child or children, where the parent is not otherwise a shared-custody parent. By law, the primary caregiver is presumed to be the female parent. Given the diversity of families today in Canada, this concept has had an impact on the administration of the program.” CRA’s response to the Auditor General’s recommendation 4.42 was as follows: “…(t)he agency will review procedures and communications tools, such as the Canada.ca website, applicable guides, and forms. The review will be to ensure that information is readily available to help everyone understand the steps required for the primary caregiver of a family to receive the Canada Child Benefit.”
(a)Has the CRA completed this review of its procedures and communications tools? If so, when was the review completed?
(b)If the review was completed, what changes were made as a result? If the review has not yet been completed, why not, and when is it expected to be finished?
2.The Auditor General recommended that CRA require a valid proof of birth for all Canada Child Benefit applications. CRA’s response stated: “The agency will conduct a review to determine risks associated with the requirement to provide a valid proof of birth for all applications. The agency will also review the timing of when this documentation should be provided to validate and support the Canada Child Benefit application.”
(a)Has the CRA completed these reviews? If so, when were they completed?
(b)If the reviews were completed, what changes were made as a result? If the reviews have not been completed, why not, and when are they expected to be finished?
No. 20.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Canadian Coast Guard vessels:
In 2020, the Government of Canada awarded a contract to Seaspan Shipyards to support early concept design work for a new class of up to 16 multi-purpose vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard.
1.Please outline the projected timeline and milestones envisaged for this project.
2.When is it anticipated that design work will be complete?
3.When is it anticipated that an order will be placed for the first of these vessels?
4.When is it envisaged that they are to enter service?
5.It is envisaged that the vessels will be capable of icebreaking in “moderate conditions” as well as fulfilling other tasks. What specific level of icebreaking capability is envisaged for these ships?
6.Can the department please outline all the roles that these vessels will be expected to perform?
7.What will be the endurance and speed requirements of these vessels?
8.Is it envisaged that they are to be either helicopter or UAV-capable?
9.What is the envisaged total cost of this program for up to 16 multi-role ships?
10.Since the requirement is of “up to 16” vessels, what factors will govern how many ships of this type will be built?
No. 21.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Investment Development Corporation (CDEV):
In fall/winter 2016, the Government of Canada engaged Credit Suisse to provide financial advice regarding the privatization of Canadian airports. An answer to Senate Order Paper question No. 2 in the 43rd Parliament stated “In processing Parliamentary Returns, the Government applies the Privacy Act and the principles set out in the Access to Information Act. As a result, information pertaining to the cost and publication of the Credit Suisse study have been withheld on the following grounds: a) Economic interests; b) Financial and commercial interests of a third party.”
1.Since 2016, how many reports provided to CDEV have been withheld from public release under the rationale stated above?
2.Since 2016, how many reports provided to CDEV by Credit Suisse have been withheld from public release under the rational stated above?
No. 22.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Department of National Defence (DND):
1.On what date in 2018 did the annual performance reviews for the Department of National Defence’s Order in Council appointments begin and on what date did they end? When did the annual performance review for the then-Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance begin and when did it end?
2.What was the approval process surrounding the pay raise for the Chief of Defence Staff in 2018? Did this process differ from any other process surrounding pay increases for the department’s other Order in Council appointments that year? If so, how was it different?
3.Were National Defence and the Privy Council Office the only two departments of the Government of Canada involved in this process in 2018? If not, which other departments were involved?
4.Did all of DND’s Order in Council appointments receive increases to their base salary and/or performance or “at risk” pay following their performance review in 2018? How many did not receive such increases?
No. 23.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB):
The Department of Employment and Social Development Canada admitted that it knowingly paid $500 million in CERB payments to those who were already collecting Employment Insurance and ineligible for it. This was a design of the program, not a bug, Deputy Minister Graham Flack told the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee: “We knew when we were launching the benefit that it was not possible in the time we had to have real-time reconciliation between the two systems.”
1.At the time CERB was launching and there was no expectation to have “real-time reconciliation between the two systems”, when was it expected that reconciliation would take place?
2.What (if any) measures were put in place to ensure reconciliation would take place?
3.If no measures were put in place at the time, what measures were put in place after the launch to establish reconciliation?
4.Was there an estimate at the time of the total cost of ineligible payments that would be sent out? If it was not $500 million, what was it? Was the Minister provided with that estimate? If not, why not?
5.How much money has been recovered so far?
6.In May 2020 when news of fraudulent applications for CERB became public, the Prime Minister said, “Of course there is going to be a few people who misrepresent themselves and try to defraud the situation.” How many people account for the half a billion dollars in overpayments? Is it a few, or more than a few?
No. 24.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF):
In August 2019, former Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced a plan to purchase two additional Cormorant search and rescue helicopters and upgrade the rest of the 14 aircraft in the fleet. However, the project was reportedly put on hold in November 2020, pending a review of the project’s “affordability”.
1.Has this review been completed?
2.What is the status of the project now?
3.If the project remains active, how does the RCAF anticipate deploying an enhanced Cormorant fleet to continue to provide effective search and rescue in Canada?
4.Do current plans envisage deploying an enhanced helicopter capacity to respond to search and rescue emergencies in the Arctic region, specifically in the region of the Northwest passage?
5.What is currently the estimated out-of-service date for the Cormorant fleet?
No. 25.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the COVID Alert app:
1.How many times has the Government of Canada’s COVID Alert app been downloaded to date?
2.How many active users are there currently of the COVID Alert app?
3.What is the estimated percentage of all active phones which have downloaded this app?
4.What is the estimated percentage of phones capable of downloading this app which have done so to date?
5.Is the number of people applying updates to the COVID Alert app tracked? If so, how many people have updated the app to the latest version?
6.How many exposure notifications have been sent to date?
7.How many people have entered one-time keys into the app after confirming their COVID-19 diagnosis?
8.How much has been spent to date on advertising to promote the use of the COVID Alert app, and what forms of advertising have been used?
9.Did the Government of Canada ask Bell, Telus, Rogers or any other carrier to send text messages inviting their customers to download the app? Were these messages bilingual? Did the Government of Canada ask carriers to ensure the text messages were bilingual?
No. 26.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding essential workers:
On February 14, 2021, former Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told the CBC: “We’re working very closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada and also with our provincial health authorities to [look] at implementing a system of regular testing to help protect those essential workers and truck drivers that are coming into the country and also to ensure that they’re not the source of any new infection.”
1.Since February 14, 2021, how many rapid tests have been sent by the Government of Canada to the Canada-U.S. border to test essential workers and truck drivers entering Canada for COVID-19? How is this number broken down by province?
2.Since February 14, 2021, how many of these rapid tests have been used at the Canada-U.S. border to test essential workers and truck drivers entering Canada for COVID-19? How is this number broken down by province?
3.How many of these essential workers and truck drivers have tested positive for COVID-19? How is this number broken down by province?
No. 27.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding COVID-19:
1.How many breakthrough cases of COVID-19 amongst fully-vaccinated Canadians have occurred to date?
2.What is the breakdown of these cases by:
(a)Province/Territory
(b)Age Group
(c)Type of COVID-19 vaccine received
3.How many of these breakthrough cases were in immunocompromised Canadians or those with underlying health conditions?
4.How many of these breakthrough cases have been hospitalized across Canada?
5.How many of these breakthrough cases have died across Canada?
No. 28.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 emergency response programs:
1.How much has been spent to date by each government department or agency on external consultants in relation to its COVID-19 emergency response programs?
2.For related contracts in each department or agency, please provide:
(a)The name of the recipient firm or individual of a related contract
(b)The amount of the contract(s)
(c)The date the contract began and ended, and
(d)A summary of the work provided under the contract.
No. 29.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding flights in Canada containing COVID-positive passengers:
1.To date, how many flights in Canada have contained at least one passenger who tested positive for COVID-19?
2.How many of these flights were domestic, and how many were international?
3.How many passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 were arriving or in transit from international destinations?
4.How many impacted fellow passengers were contacted by public health authorities to inform them of the positive case on their flight?
No. 30.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding mental health:
On May 3, 2020, the Prime Minister announced $240 million to develop, expand, and launch virtual care and mental health tools for Canadians.
1. Which mental health organizations in Canada were consulted prior to this announcement?
2. How much of this $240 million has been expended to date, and how is this broken down?
3. How much of this funding has been provided to mental health care organizations across Canada? Which groups received this funding? How were the specific allocations determined?
4. The bi-weekly report on the Government of Canada’s emergency COVID-19 spending dated August 6, 2020, stated: “Work on virtual care is proceeding with ongoing discussions with PTs.” Have agreements on virtual care since been reached with all provinces and territories? If not, which provinces and territories have reached agreements with the federal government? How much of this $240 million has been allocated to the provinces and territories to date?
5. How has the government promoted the Wellness Together Canada portal? How much has been spent on advertising to raise its awareness amongst Canadians? Does this funding come from the $240 million?
No. 31.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding COVID-19 research:
On March 24, 2021, the Government of Canada issued a Security Policy Statement warning the research community in Canada — especially those involved in COVID-19 research — about foreign espionage and/or interference activities.
“These activities pose threats to the integrity of Canada’s research enterprise, as well as our country’s national security, long-term economic competitiveness and prosperity”, the statement warned.
It further encouraged “all members of the research community — including those in government, academia, and the private sector — to take extra precautions to protect the security of their research, intellectual property, and knowledge development.”
This statement followed one on September 14, 2020 that specifically warned the COVID-19 research community to be vigilant and alert to possible threats to their people and their work. It specifically mentioned the actions of hostile actors targeting COVID-19 related research in Canada.
1.What prompted the security warning in September 2020? Was this warning in any way related to the ill-advised and failed Canada-China collaboration on vaccines that fell apart shortly after it was announced in May 2020? Did any suspicion or evidence of foreign state espionage prompt the September 2020 warning?
2.In total, how many research collaborations with which is Canada engaged are being carried out with organizations in countries that would be considered potentially hostile actors by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)? Who are those actors?
3.How many research collaborations with which Canada is engaged, specifically related to COVID-19, are being carried out with organizations in countries that would be considered potentially hostile actors by CSIS? Who are those actors?
4.Have any breaches occurred or been reported as a result of research collaborations and if so, how many?
5.Has a list of the most worrisome, or potentially troublesome, actors been provided to the research community involved in collaboration?
6.The security warning specifically identifies both human and cyber-security threats. How many breaches can be categorized as human and how many as cyber-security breaches?
7.What security precautions were in place prior to these warnings? Have they been enhanced? If so, how?
8.In “Safeguarding Your Research”, a government online guide for researchers, it says that “Some countries view academia and associated research and innovation as an opportunity to advance their own objectives. They seek to increase their own economic prosperity at the expense of other nations through espionage or other illicit means.” In August 2020, after the vaccine deal with China collapsed, Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, a former Assistant Deputy Minister in charge of vaccine collaboration with China specifically identified China as just such a country. Why did Canada get involved with China on vaccine production when it was well known by our officials and intelligence agencies that it is a hostile actor engaged in espionage?
No. 32.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
The Fall 2017 report of the Auditor General of Canada found the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) blocked more than half of the calls it received (about 29 million out of 53.5 million) because it could not handle the volume.
1.How many calls did CRA receive in 2020 and to date in 2021?
2.How many of these calls were blocked, by number and percentage?
3.How many of these calls reached an agent, by number and percentage?
4.How many of these calls went to automated self-service options, by number and percentage?
5.How many of these calls went to automated self-service options and the caller hung up in less than one minute, by number and percentage?
6.How many of these calls went to automated self-service options and the call lasted one minute or longer, by number and percentage?
No. 33.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
In April 2018, the CBC reported that tax reassessment rates across Canada’s North were several times higher than the national average. Reassessment rates between 2014 and 2016 were 12 to 15% in Nunavut, 11 to 14% in Yukon, and 13 to 16% in the Northwest Territories, while the national reassessment rate was about 4.6% for the same time period.
What were the tax reassessment rates in Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020?
No. 34.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA):
1.Does CRA track the number of women living in shelters across Canada who are able to receive the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) annually?
(a)If so, how many of these women received the CCB each year since 2018, the year in which the Taxpayer’s Ombudsman released a report looking into challenges faced by women living in shelters in accessing this benefit?
(b)If not, why not?
2.In 2018, CRA agreed with the three recommendations brought forward by the Taxpayer’s Ombudsman in the “Benefits Unsheltered” report.
(a)What progress has been made by CRA on each of the three recommendations?
(b)How is this progress measured?
No. 35.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding deportations:
1.1. Follow-up to Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) /Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA): The answer provided by CSC to Order Paper question No. 88 in the 43rd Parliament indicates that 58 of 254 foreign offenders granted parole for deportation were not successfully deported.
(a)How many of the 58 cases resulted from a judicial review? Other than bringing a judicial review, were there other reasons that an offender was not successfully deported? If so, what were those reasons?
(b)How many of the 58 offenders not deported were maintained in the community instead of being detained? How many of the 58 offenders were detained by Immigration/CBSA? How many were returned to CSC custody?
(c)How many of the 58 offenders are serving life sentences? How many of the 58 offenders are serving sentences for serious violent or sexual offending?
(d)Which agency has primary jurisdiction in managing foreign offenders who have been granted parole but have not been deported?
(e)Since the answer to question No. 88 was provided, have any of the 58 offenders been successfully deported?
2.Follow-up to CSC/CBSA/Global Affairs: For several countries (Colombia, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia) there have been no successful deportations since 2015. For other countries (e.g., Jamaica and Vietnam) there have been several unsuccessful deportations.
(a)Are members of the Parole Board of Canada made specifically aware of those countries where parole for deportation has either not been successful or where such deportations are often unsuccessful? If not, why not?
(b)What specific actions are being taken to address the inability or difficulties of deporting offenders to certain countries?
(c)Has the issue been raised with the governments of Colombia, Ethiopia, Vietnam or Jamaica? What has been the response in each case?
No. 36.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Global Affairs Canada:
Since January 1, 2016 to date, which Canadian diplomats have received a remuneration higher than the official pay scale, and what is the position and salary range of these individuals?
No. 37.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Department of National Defence (DND):
In March 2020, it was estimated that infrastructure maintenance and repair work at National Defence has been underspent by almost $250 million since 2015-16.
1.Does DND concur that their backlog in infrastructure repairs is about $250 million? If not, what is the current estimate for the backlog?
2.What proportion of real property, which DND is obligated to maintain, is actually in operational use by the department? Has National Defence made such an assessment?
3.A 2016 internal audit found that electrical outages, sewer backups, and other disruptions could threaten operations and the health and safety of the men and women of our Armed Forces. How has DND worked to address the issues raised in that audit?
4.In October 2013, the previous Conservative government launched Defence Renewal, a strategy to find efficiencies that would be reinvested back into Defence. In 2015, the Liberal election platform promised to make defence transformation a priority, but that was never reflected in mandate letters for the Minister of National Defence. To what extent were the following objectives met, as originally set in the Defence Renewal Initiative?
(a)To reinvest $750 million to $1,200 million in higher priority initiatives annually by 2017-18.
(b)To internally re-prioritize between 2,800 and 4,800 military and civilian personnel on higher value work, either within a given organization, or elsewhere within Defence.
(c)To “rationalize the real property portfolio to be efficient, effective, operationally relevant, affordable, and sustainable and to support the roles and missions of the Canadian Armed Forces”.
No. 38.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding classified or protected documents:
1.Across the Government of Canada, from January 1, 2020 to date, how many documents have been handled or stored in a manner which did not meet the requirements of the document’s security level?
2.Which government departments or agencies have seen the most incidents of improperly handled or stored documents from January 1, 2020 to date?
3.Have any security clearances been revoked in relation to the treatment of these documents from January 1, 2020 to date? If so, how many?
4.What guidance regarding the treatment of documents has been given to public servants working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic?
5.How do government agencies and departments conduct security checks to monitor the proper handling of documents remotely?
6.Have any “Protected C”, “Confidential”, “Secret”, and “Top Secret” documents been worked on from home during the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, how many, and from which departments or agencies?
No. 39.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding government advertising:
1.Since April 2018, how much have Government of Canada departments and agencies spent on Facebook and Instagram advertising, promotions, and sponsored posts and videos?
2.How is this spending broken down by government department and agency?
3.How much have Government of Canada departments and agencies spent on Facebook and Instagram advertising, promotions, and sponsored posts and videos specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic?
4.How much has the Government of Canada collected in GST from Facebook and Instagram ads on these platforms since 2019?
No. 40.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding seizures of fentanyl by Canadian law enforcement:
1.What quantity of fentanyl was seized by Canadian law enforcement authorities in 2020 and to date in 2021?
2.What is the estimated street value of the amount seized?
3.How does the quantity of fentanyl seized in 2020 and to date in 2021 break down by country of origin?
4.What was the average concentration of samples of seized fentanyl analysed by Health Canada in 2020 and to date in 2021? What was the highest concentration found?
5.What is the country of origin of the most highly concentrated seized fentanyl analysed by Health Canada in 2020 and to date in 2021?
6.In March 2017, Acting Chief Superintendent Andris Zarins (Director General, Federal Coordination Centres and Covert Operations, Federal Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police) told the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs: “With respect to China, the RCMP recently renewed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security that enhances law enforcement cooperation between the two law enforcement agencies. It strengthens cooperation on crime prevention and criminal investigations involving illegal drugs, tri-national crime, and smuggling. China has committed to cooperate with Canada and other international partners to disrupt the export of fentanyl, including classifying a number of fentanyl analogues as controlled substances under Chinese law and investigating leads provided by Canadian law enforcement.”
(a)Is this memorandum of understanding still operational? If not, when did it end, and why?
No. 41.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Government of Canada’s firearms buy-back program:
1. How was IBM Canada chosen to develop the framework of the Government of Canada’s firearms buy-back program? What was the criteria used to award this contract to IBM? When awarding this contract, did the Government of Canada take into account previous experiences with IBM, specifically on the Phoenix pay system?
2. On May 14, 2021, IBM’s contract with Public Safety Canada was increased by $395,688.37, to a revised estimated cost of $1,573,148.37.
(a)What was the reason for this increase?
(b)Has IBM’s contract been increased or decreased since May 2021? If so, what is the current revised estimated cost, and what was the reason(s) for the change to the contract?
3.How much has been spent to date by the Firearms Buy-back Secretariat? What is the breakdown of this spending?
4.How many Public Safety Canada personnel have been assigned to work on the firearms buy-back program?
5.In June 2021, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported it will cost up to $756 million to buy back close to 518,000 firearms. Does the Government of Canada dispute these figures?
No. 42.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding fire protection in First Nations communities:
A federal audit found that as of July 2016, 53 First Nations communities lacked adequate resources to fight fires. At that time, 14 of these communities were categorized as “underserviced sites” and 39 communities were categorized as “limited service sites”.
1.Currently, how many First Nations communities are categorized as “underserviced sites”?
(a)Which provinces are they located in?
(b)How long have they been considered “underserviced sites”?
2.Currently, how many First Nations communities are categorized as “limited service sites”?
(a)Which provinces are they located in?
(b)How long have they been considered “limited service sites”?
3.The Joint First Nations Fire Protection Strategy (2016-2021) expired on March 31, 2021. When is an updated strategy expected to be put in place?
4.What, if anything, is Indigenous Services Canada doing to obtain information on the number of fatalities in residential fires in First Nations communities across Canada?
No. 43.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding forced labour:
1. Since July 1, 2020, how many shipments of goods produced in whole or in part through forced labour have been stopped from entering Canada?
2. From which countries did these shipments originate?
3. What is the estimated value of these shipments?
4. How many shipments of imports that have been produced using forced and enslaved Uyghur labour have been stopped from entering Canada? What is the estimated value of these shipments?
5. Since July 1, 2020, how many companies that are a) sourcing directly or indirectly from Xinjiang or from entities relying on Uyghur labour, b) established in Xinjiang, or c) seeking to engage in the Xinjiang market, have signed an Integrity Declaration on Doing Business with Xinjiang Entities prior to receiving services and support from the Trade Commissioner Service?
No. 44.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Indigenous communities:
1.How many essential fuel storage tanks in Indigenous communities across Canada are not in compliance with federal regulations and standards?
2.What is the percentage of these non-compliant tanks out of the total number of fuel tanks in Indigenous communities across Canada?
3.Does the Government of Canada have a timeline to bring all essential fuel storage tanks in Indigenous communities into compliance? If so, what is it?
No. 45.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding newspaper articles written by government departments and agencies:
1.In both 2020 and to date in 2021, how much did the Government of Canada pay to publish news articles written by government employees?
2.Which departments or agencies paid for the distribution of these articles, and how much in total did they spend?
3.In which newspapers did these articles appear?
No. 46.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding harassment complaints across the Government of Canada:
1.How many workplace harassment complaints were lodged across Government of Canada departments, agencies, or other entities in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
2.How many of these complaints completed all five steps in the harassment complaint process in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 (acknowledging receipt, reviewing the complaint, exploring options, rendering a decision and notifying in writing, and restoring the well-being of the workplace)?
3.Which departments, agencies, or other entities were among the top five across the Government of Canada for harassment complaints lodged in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
4.Across the Government of Canada, how many cases of assault subject to the Criminal Code, including sexual assault and criminal harassment, were referred to the appropriate authorities in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
5.How much was paid out in settlements across Government of Canada departments, agencies or other entities in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
6.How many individuals received these settlements in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
No. 47.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the residences situated at Harrington Lake:
1.When was the “Caretaker’s House”, originally built in 1850, moved and renamed the “Farmhouse”?
2.Was the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Office and/or the Privy Council Office involved in the decision to move the Caretaker’s House?
3.What are the detailed costs of moving the Caretaker’s House and renovating the Farmhouse?
4.What is the budget for renovating the main cottage?
5.What is the timeline to complete the renovations?
No. 48.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP):
1.How many applications for HASCAP loans have been received to date? What is this breakdown by industry, and province/territory?
2.How many applications for HASCAP loans have been approved to date? What is this breakdown by industry, and province/territory?
3.The HASCAP loans can range from $25,000 to $1 million for businesses which qualify.
(a)What is the amount of the average HASCAP loan?
(b)What is the amount of the average HASCAP loan per industry?
(c)What is the amount of the average HASCAP loan per province/territory?
(d)How many businesses across Canada have received the maximum $1 million loan?
(e)How many businesses across Canada have received the minimum $25,000 loan?
4.When will HASCAP loans be made available to new businesses which started in 2020?
No. 49.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding homelessness amongst Canada’s Veterans:
1.Budget 2021 stated: “There are currently around 3,000 homeless veterans in Canada”. Does this figure pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic? Does the Government of Canada still consider this figure to be accurate?
2.What impact has the COVID-19 pandemic had on the number of homeless Veterans across Canada, and the support they can access from Veterans Affairs Canada?
3.Budget 2021 also stated that it proposed “…to provide $45 million over two years, beginning in 2022-23, for Employment and Social Development Canada to pilot a program aimed at reducing veteran homelessness through the provision of rent supplements and wrap-around services for homeless veterans such as counselling, addiction treatment, and help finding a job.” How many homeless veterans will be helped through this pilot program?
4.Has the Government of Canada set a date or goal for when veterans homelessness will end in Canada? If so, what is it? If no date or goal has been set, why not?
No. 50.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Huawei:
1.Since 2016, how many departments, agencies, granting councils or other entities of the Government of Canada have entered into partnerships or awarded contracts to Huawei?
2.For each of these contracts or partnerships, could the government provide the following?
(a)Date
(b)Amount
(c)Start and end date of the contract
(d)Description of goods or services provided
(e)Whether the contract was sole-sourced or tendered
(f)Whether a security check was conducted in relation to the contract
3.What is the total value of all contracts or partnerships entered into with Huawei since 2016?
No. 51.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding human trafficking:
1.The 2019 Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls noted that while Indigenous women represented only 4% of Canada’s population in 2016, they comprised nearly 50% of victims of human trafficking. Is this figure still accurate? If not, what is the current figure?
2.How has the Government of Canada worked to address issues raised in the Final Report surrounding human trafficking? Specifically:
(a)Difficulties with cooperation across different policing jurisdictions
(b)Lack of reliable data about human trafficking networks
(c)Lack of reliable data about recruitment methods in areas targeted by traffickers.
3.In September 2019, the Government of Canada reinstated a National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, which had been cancelled in 2016. How much of the $75 million under this plan has been allocated to directly help protect Indigenous women and girls against human trafficking? How has this funding been allocated?
4.Part of the September 2019 announcement included a commitment that Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) would “…enhance federal procurement supply chains with the goal of ensuring that they are free from human trafficking and labour exploitation”.
(a)How many federal suppliers have had their contracts cancelled in relation to human trafficking since September 2019?
(b)What is the total number and the value of these cancelled contracts?
(c)How does PSPC monitor compliance amongst its suppliers to ensure federal procurement supply chains are free from human trafficking?
No. 52.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding icebreakers:
The Government of Canada has indicated it will acquire the vessel Mangystau-2, currently operating in Turkmenistan, for icebreaking duties and tending to navigational buoys in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and the Atlantic region. This vessel is currently classed as a firefighting boat with a gross tonnage of 1,800 tons.
1.What is the current total estimated cost for acquiring this vessel and refurbishing it? What is the funding ceiling for this project?
2.How does the acquisition of this vessel fit into the Coast Guard’s other projects, particularly the planned acquisition of medium icebreakers and multi-purpose vessels? What specific capabilities (ships) will this vessel replace, and have delays in either the medium icebreaker project or the multi-purpose vessel project necessitated the acquisition of this vessel?
3.This vessel was completed in 2010. What icebreaking work has this vessel undertaken since it entered service? Has it always operated in the southern Caspian Sea where the waters generally remain ice free? Why is it assessed that this vessel is suitable for operation in Canadian waters, particularly in an icebreaking capacity?
4.How long will it take for this vessel to transit to Canada? What are the costs of this transit? What costs will be incurred as a result of this vessel’s transit through Russian internal canals to the Black Sea?
5.What are the terms for the acquisition of this vessel? Is it a sole source contract and if so, why was it made a sole source contract? Why was Atlantic Towing selected for this contract and were there any other bidders for this work? If so, which firms?
No. 53.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—In relation to the answers provided by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to Order Paper question No. 28 in the 43rd Parliament:
1. Question 2 was not answered. Therefore, the question is repeated: “The Government has asked for an RFI from Canadian shipyards on their ability to build the Diefenbaker icebreaker as a replacement for the Louis S. St-Laurent. For what reason did the Government remove the Diefenbaker from the Seaspan yard in June 2019 only to issue an RFI, including Seaspan, eight months later? Why did it take the Government eight months to issue this RFI, after removing the Diefenbaker icebreaker from the Seaspan yard, when the project is clearly extremely urgent? What explains the fact that it has taken the Government four years, since taking office in November 2015, to issue this RFI related to the replacement of the Louis S. St-Laurent?”
2. Question 3 inquired as to the critical path and milestones related to the construction of the planned polar icebreaker. The Department’s answer was that the Coast Guard: “is working with Public Services and Procurement Canada to explore options for a timely procurement of the Polar Icebreaker to meet operational requirements. ... Ultimately, Polar Icebreaker construction timelines will vary depending on the procurement approach, as shipyards’ construction workbooks and schedules differ”.
The Government has since set a new objective of building two polar icebreakers (one at the Davie yard and one at the Seaspan yard) with the first to enter service by 2030. How was that specific date selected? Does the Government have a critical path with clear milestones for ensuring that this objective is met? If there is no critical path, how was the Government able to select the objective of “2030” without such a path? If a critical path exists, please provide that path to cover the period up to the end of 2030 for the first icebreaker and the critical path for the second icebreaker?
3. In relation to Question 4, the answer indicates that cost estimates for building the polar icebreaker are a “Cabinet confidence”. How then has the Government seen fit to provide a cost estimate for the acquisition of the Canadian Surface Combatants (CSC), but refuses to provide such an estimate for the polar icebreaker? Are not cost estimates for the construction of CSC also a cabinet confidence? Parliament is responsible for voting funds for all projects proposed by the Government. Therefore, when parliamentarians ask for cost estimates for particular projects, such estimates should be provided so that Parliament is able to fulfil its constitutional role. Please provide the current cost estimates for the construction of the two planned polar icebreakers.
4. The answer to Question 5 indicates that the final medium icebreaker will not enter service until 2038/39. Can the Government assure Parliament that the interim icebreakers being acquired will be fully able to meet Canada’s icebreaking requirements until the final medium icebreaker enters service? Does the Government believe that additional life extensions to the current icebreaker fleet will be required, notwithstanding the acquisition of the interim icebreakers? If so, please outline any such plans.
5. Question 6 was not answered. Therefore, it is repeated with revisions given the fact that the Government has missed the objective of negotiating an umbrella agreement with Davie Shipbuilding by the end of 2020 and set a new objective of 2021: Is the Government on track to meet its revised objective for negotiating an umbrella agreement with Davie Shipbuilding by the end of 2021? If not, what is the new objective? When will construction of the first medium icebreaker begin?
6. Question 8 inquired how many times the Minister responsible for the Canadian Coast Guard has met with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement since 2015 to discuss either the Polar icebreaker or medium icebreaker projects. The Department answered that the Ministers meet “regularly” to discuss fleet renewal. How often did the ministers meet during 2020 and 2021 specifically for the purpose of discussing those projects – either in person or by video/phone?
No. 54.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding immigration removals:
1.Report 1 of the Spring 2020 Auditor General’s report states: “In April 2019, we determined that there were about 50,000 individuals with enforceable removal orders. Two thirds of these — 34,700 cases in the wanted inventory — involved individuals whose whereabouts were unknown.” What is being done to determine the whereabouts of these 34,700 missing individuals?
2.Currently, how many individuals were there with enforceable removal orders? How many of these are individuals whose whereabouts are unknown? How many of these involve individuals with criminality? How many have criminal convictions in Canada? How many have served sentences in provincial prisons? How many have served federal sentences? How many were released from correctional institutions with deportation orders whose whereabouts are now unknown?
3.The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) stopped carrying out immigration removals in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. How many removals have taken place since CBSA resumed removals in November 2020?
4.What is the Government of Canada doing to improve the data quality issues across the immigration removals system, as identified in the Auditor General’s report? How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted CBSA’s plans to improve the input of information to support removals, through systems upgrades and additional training measures?
5.Is CBSA on track to meet its removals target of at least 80% for the 2021-22 fiscal year?
No. 55.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Government of Canada contracts:
1.Since 2016, how many departments, agencies or other entities of the Government of Canada have entered into partnerships or awarded contracts to social media influencers or digital influencers for sponsored content?
2.For each of these contracts or partnerships, could the government provide the following?
(a)Date
(b)Amount
(c)Start and end date of the contract
(d)Description of goods or services provided
(e)Whether the contract was sole-sourced or tendered
(f)Whether the contract specified if the content must be identified as sponsored
3.What is the total value of all contracts or partnerships entered into with social media influencers or digital influencers since 2016?
No. 56.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Infrastructure Bank:
1. Since 2017, how much has the Infrastructure Bank paid out in each category?
(a) Termination benefits
(b) Short-term incentive or performance benefits
(c) Long-term incentive or performance benefits
(d) Any other discretionary bonuses
2. What is the total amount the Infrastructure Bank has paid out in all forms of compensation since 2017?
No. 57.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding high-speed internet:
1.Since November 2015, which departments, agencies, tribunals or other Government of Canada entities have advertised employment opportunities that required access to high-speed internet as part of the job’s conditions of employment? Which ones have done so in the past 12 months?
2.How many positions in total have been advertised with this requirement since November 2015? How many of these were advertised in the past 12 months?
3.How many Canadians does the Government of Canada estimate are unable to apply for these positions due to their inability to access high-speed internet?
No. 58.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding interprovincial trade:
1.What is the current annual cost to the Canadian economy of interprovincial trade barriers, in both dollar figures and as a percentage of GDP?
2.What are the concrete measures taken by the Government of Canada since 2016 to improve internal trade within the country?
3.Can the government identify specific barriers to trade between provinces that have been taken down within the last year?
4.Has the Government of Canada implemented any recommendations from the 2016 report Tear Down These Walls: Dismantling Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers from the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce? If so, which recommendations? If not, why not?
5.Which provinces allow interprovincial alcohol shipments under amendments to the Importation of Intoxicating Liquor Act in 2012 and 2014?
6.Is the Canadian Free Trade Agreement’s Regulatory and Reconciliation Cooperation Table on track to meet the timelines laid out to complete each of the items in its work plan dated September 2020?
7.On July 19, 2018, following his appointment as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc stated his intention to streamline interprovincial trade.
(a)What are the concrete actions taken by Minister LeBlanc in the last three years to streamline interprovincial trade?
(b)Has the Government of Canada estimated the impact of Minister LeBlanc’s actions? Can it provide the data to that effect?
(c)What is Minister LeBlanc’s plan to streamline interprovincial trade?
No. 59.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Supreme Court of Canada’s R. v. Jordan decision of July 2016:
1.How many criminal cases were stayed in 2020 and to date in 2021 due to the timelines set out in the Jordan decision, broken down by province and territory?
2.How many applications to have criminal cases dismissed under Jordan timelines are currently pending in each province and territory?
3.Does the Department of Justice track the number of criminal cases in each province and territory that are in danger of being stayed due to the timelines set out in the Jordan decision? If so, how many cases in each province and territory are approaching the 18-month time limit? How many are approaching the 30-month time limit?
No. 60.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding judicial appointments:
1.Budget 2017 contained $55 million over five years, and $15.5 million per year thereafter, to create 28 new federally appointed judicial positions. How many of these positions have been created to date? Where are they located?
2.Budget 2018 contained $77.2 million over four years to support the expansion of unified family courts, beginning in 2019-2020, to create 39 new judicial positions in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. How many of these positions have been created to date? Where are they located?
3.Budget 2018 contained $17.1 million over five years for seven judicial positions in Saskatchewan and Ontario. How many of these positions have been created to date? Where are they located?
No. 61.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Library and Archives Canada:
1. Does Library and Archives Canada track the practice of the removal and/or banning of books by libraries, bookstores, and/or school boards across Canada?
(a) If so, how many books have been banned since 2016? What are their titles?
(b) If not, why not?
2. Since 2016, how many libraries, bookstores and/or school boards have sought guidance from Library and Archives Canada regarding challenged or banned books? What guidance has been provided by Library and Archives Canada in these instances?
3. Has the Government of Canada articulated to Library and Archives Canada any position on how to address reported restrictions on the rights guaranteed in the Charter to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression including freedom of the press and other media communication? If so, what was communicated?
No. 62.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF):
1.How many companies and industry associations have contacted Minister’s offices and/or departments identifying problems with/requesting changes to the LEEFF? In particular, how many have contacted the following Ministers and/or their offices/departments since the LEEFF was launched?
(a)Prime Minister
(b)Deputy Prime Minister
(c)Minister of Finance
(d)Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
(e)Minister of Transport
(f)Minister of Natural Resources
2.Could the government break down the number of companies and industry associations which contacted the Government of Canada regarding changes to the LEEF by each economic sector listed below?
(a)Aerospace
(b)Airlines
(c)Manufacturing
(d)Oil and Gas
(e)Retail
(f)Tourism/Hospitality
3.How many applications did the LEEFF program receive?
No. 63.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Enbridge Line 5:
Since November 2020, how many representatives of the Government of Canada have spoken directly, either in person or by video/phone, with Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan about Enbridge Line 5? Please provide the dates and name of the Cabinet Minister or other representative of the Government of Canada who spoke directly with the Governor about Enbridge Line 5.
No. 64.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding litigation:
1.How many legal claims currently pending involve the Government of Canada?
2.How many of these current legal claims name the Government of Canada as the defendant or respondent?
3.What is the potential liability of all current statements of claim against the Government of Canada?
4.For the fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, how much did the Department of Justice pay external law firms and other legal agents? How many law firms and agents received these funds, and what were the top ten recipients?
5.How much has been spent so far on external law firms and other legal agents in the current fiscal year?
No. 65.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding long-term care facilities for people with disabilities:
During Committee of the Whole in the Senate on May 1, 2020, Minister Carla Qualtrough was asked if she knew how many facilities for people with disabilities across Canada have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks, and if this is something the Minister was tracking. The Minister responded: “In terms of tracking, unfortunately, no, I couldn’t tell you with any certainty. I could tell you anecdotally, but there is no rigor attached to the numbers I would give you. I have heard some horrible stories.”
1.Has any Government of Canada department or agency tracked the number of outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities for people with disabilities across Canada? If so, how many have occurred, in total and by province?
2.How many COVID-19 cases are tied to outbreaks at long-term care facilities for people with disabilities, amongst staff and/or residents, in total and by province?
3.Which government department or agency is responsible for tracking these outbreaks? Is that information communicated to Employment and Social Development Canada?
No. 66.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Canada’s military justice system:
1.The Spring 2018 report of the Auditor General of Canada found that delays in resolving military justice cases contributed to 10 cases being dismissed or not proceeding to court martial. How many cases have been dismissed under similar circumstances since the release of the Auditor General’s report in May 2018?
2.The Auditor General found the average time to complete a court martial case was 17.7 months after charges were laid. What is the current average time to complete a court martial case after charges are laid?
3.When did the Justice Administration and Information Management System (JAIMS) become operational? How has the implementation of JAIMS reduced delays in the military justice system?
4.When did the Military Justice System Performance Monitoring Framework become operational? How has the implementation of this framework reduced delays in the military justice system?
5.Military justice system time standards were published in response to the Auditor General’s Spring 2018 report. What percentage of cases meet the time standards for each of the 31 identified phases of the military justice system?
No. 67.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—With respect to special ministerial exemptions granted under COVID-19 quarantine rules, please provide a list of all exemptions granted since March 10, 2020, including:
1.The total number of exemptions granted;
2.The individual to whom an exemption was granted;
3.The dates on which exemptions were granted;
4.The name of the Minister who granted the exemption;
5.The location in which the individual receiving the exemption entered Canada;
6.The reasons for each exemption that has been granted;
7.The proposed activities that the individual granted an exemption planned to engage in;
8.Whether any restrictions were placed by the Minister or their department on such activities in the context of the exemption granted; and
9.The nature of follow-up undertaken by the Minister or their department to ensure conditions were adhered to.
No. 68.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding personal protective equipment (PPE):
It has been reported that two million surgical masks were stolen in Hamilton, Ontario in early July 2020.
1.What is the dollar value of the missing masks?
2.Were the missing masks insured against theft? If so, for how much?
3.Had the missing masks been determined as meeting the federal government’s specification requirements for use by front-line health care workers, or had they been determined to be faulty?
4.What were the arrangements for signing over authority for the masks upon arrival and verifying the identity of who picked them up?
5.It has been reported that the Hamilton Police Service has ended their investigation into the theft of these masks. Why was the investigation dropped? What is being done to recover these masks or find the responsible individuals?
6.Why didn’t the Government of Canada alert the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport of the theft of the masks?
7.Why didn’t the Government of Canada reveal the theft of these masks to Canadian taxpayers?
8.How many other shipments of PPE purchased by the Government of Canada have gone missing since March 2020?
(a)What do these shipments contain?
(b)What is their dollar value?
(c)What is being done to retrieve them?
9.After this theft occured, how were security arrangements changed to ensure this doesn’t happen again? Can the Government of Canada assure Canadians that secure arrangements are now in place to ensure that medical necessities for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic don’t similarly disappear without the government telling Canadians?
No. 69.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Global Affairs Canada (GAC):
1.How much did GAC spend in total on Mr. Bill Morneau’s failed bid to become Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development?
2.How many public servants at GAC worked on this campaign on either a full-time or part-time basis? What support did they provide? What is the total amount spent on staffing?
3.What was the total amount spent on hospitality? Were all hospitality costs incurred in Paris? If not, where else were they incurred?
4.Were any travel costs incurred by GAC? If so, how much in total was spent?
5.Were any other Government of Canada departments or agencies involved in Mr. Morneau’s campaign? If so:
(a)What support did they provide?
(b)How many public servants worked on the campaign, either on a full-time or part-time basis?
(c)What was the total amount spent on the campaign by the department or agency?
No. 70.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding N95 face masks/respirators:
1.According to Public Services and Procurement Canada, as of March 31, 2021, the Government of Canada had signed contracts worth $791,459,627.66 with 25 companies for the purchase of N95 masks.
(a)Is this information still accurate? If not, what is the most recent information?
(b)How many N95 masks do these contracts represent?
(c)How many N95 masks have been received to date?
2.How many N95 masks purchased by the Government of Canada since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic were produced in Canada? How many were produced internationally?
3.How many N95 or KN95 masks purchased by the Government of Canada have since been rejected for failing to meet federal standards? Were these masks returned to their country of origin or disposed of in Canada? If they were disposed of in Canada, how did that occur? How much has been spent in total on rejected N95 or KN95 masks, and from how many companies?
4.It has been reported that in 2019, the Government of Canada threw out at least two million expired N95 masks from the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile warehouse in Saskatchewan. Two other warehouses were also reportedly closed.
(a)How many expired N95 masks were thrown out in total when these three warehouses were shuttered?
(b)Were more than three warehouses closed? If so, how many, and how many N95 masks were thrown away as a result?
(c)Has the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile since been replenished with N95 masks? If so, how many N95 masks have been replenished, and how were they procured? If not, is there a timetable for when the Government of Canada intends to replenish the stockpile with N95 masks?
5.Have any autoclaves or other medical devices to sterilize and re-use N95 masks been approved by Health Canada? If so, how many? Are any such devices currently being evaluated by Health Canada? How widely are any such approved devices in use?
No. 71.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding witness testimony during the January 2019 pre-trial hearing of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman concerning Access to Information request processing in the Canadian Forces and Department of National Defence:
1. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) was asked to investigate this matter. When did this investigation begin and when did it end?
2. How many CFNIS personnel were assigned to this investigation?
3. How many people were interviewed throughout the course of this investigation?
4. Was a report produced at the end of the CFNIS investigation?
(a) If so, who received the report, and when?
(b) What were its conclusions?
(c) When will it be made publicly available?
5. How did the CFNIS arrive at the determination that its investigation did not reveal sufficient evidence to pursue criminal or service offence charges in this matter?
6. Since 2016, how many CFNIS investigations have taken place concerning allegations of hiding documents, using code words to circumvent Access to Information, or the improper processing of Access to Information requests?
7. On February 28, 2020, the Minister of National Defence responded to a letter from the Information Commissioner, laying out his department’s response to her recommendations regarding the processing of Access to Information requests. Can the Department of National Defence confirm that the use of code words is no longer used to evade the release of information under Access to Information?
No. 72.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding witness testimony during the January 2019 pre-trial hearing of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman concerning Access to Information request processing in the Canadian Forces and Department of National Defence and the failed prosecution of the Vice-Admiral:
1. The Information Commissioner of Canada stated in her July 2020 Special Report to Parliament: “Information also came to my attention during the investigation that, in my view, was evidence of the possible commission of an offence under the Act during the processing of an access request related to Vice-Admiral Norman. Since I do not have the authority to investigate such offences, I disclosed this information to the Attorney General of Canada in February 2019.”
(a) When did the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada forward this matter to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada?
(b) What is the current status of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada investigation?
2. The Department of Justice has previously stated that the legal costs incurred in the failed prosecution of the Vice-Admiral were $1,425,389.68, as of Dec. 9, 2019. Is this number still accurate? If not, what is the updated amount?
No. 73.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the National Research Council (NRC):
A statement from the NRC dated October 14, 2021 says in part: “No Canadian IP was to be provided to CanSino as part of the agreement to develop its COVID-19 vaccine. Nevertheless, as part of the NRC’s due diligence for this collaboration, we engaged the Government of Canada’s lead security agencies before proceeding.”
1. Which of the Government of Canada’s lead security agencies did the NRC engage with regarding its collaboration with CanSino Biologics Inc.?
2. When did this occur?
3. Were formal or written risk assessments or security warnings provided by the lead security agencies to the NRC? If so, what was the substance and content of the risk assessments or security warnings? Were these assessments or warnings also relayed to the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development and/or his office, or the Prime Minister’s Office?
4. Did the Department of Foreign Affairs, or any Canadian diplomatic mission in the People’s Republic of China, provide any advice or assessment regarding the partnership of the NRC with CanSino Biologics Inc., either before the agreement was initially reached, during the partnership, or after the deal ended?
(a) If so, when was this assessment provided?
(b) If so, what was the substance and content of that assessment?
5. What is the total cost to Canadian taxpayers as a result of the failed vaccine development partnership between the NRC and CanSino Biologics Inc.?
No. 74.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Ocean Protections Plan:
1. What is Environment and Climate Change Canada’s plan to correct problems associated with the Oceans Protection Plan, as outlined in the February 2021 report Evaluation of the Environment and Climate Change Canada Components of the Oceans Protection Plan? How has this plan been implemented since the time of the report? Is the department on track to ensure the initial objectives of the plan are met?
2. What is Transport Canada’s plan to correct problems associated with the Oceans Protection Plan, as outlined in the January 2020 report Audit of the Oceans Protection Plan governance and oversight and validation of the Strategic Dashboard? How has this plan been implemented since the time of the report? Is the department on track to ensure the initial objectives of the plan are met?
3. What is Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s plan to correct problems associated with the Oceans Protection Plan, as outlined in the June 2019 report Evaluation of the Oceans Protection Plan? How has this plan been implemented since the time of the report? Is the department on track to ensure the initial objectives of the plan are met?
No. 75.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Parks Canada:
1.A September 2018 report prepared for Parks Canada by Opus International Consultants found: “When reviewed, 24 per cent of the asset(s) were assessed as being in good condition, 36 per cent in fair condition, and 40 per cent in poor or very poor condition.” What are the most current figures for each of these categories?
2.The Opus International Consultants report also stated: “…the cost to mitigate accessibility issues is estimated to be $428 million…”. Does Parks Canada agree with this figure? How much has been spent by Parks Canada since the report was received to improve accessibility for disabled visitors?
3.An answer from Parks Canada to Order Paper question No. 67 in the 43rd Parliament stated: “Based on the Parks Canada 2019 Asset Report Card, the estimated deferred work for heritage assets is $1.5 billion. Deferred work is based on estimates determined from physical inspections; however, since not all assets are inspected annually this value is likely understated”. What is the current estimate for this work?
4.What is the current replacement value of Parks Canada’s asset portfolio?
5.Parks Canada committed to complete a review by fall 2020, in consultation with other departments, on the implementation of changes to conserve federal heritage properties. Was the review completed? What were the findings of the review? If the review was not completed, when is it expected to end?
No. 76.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding government contracts:
In Spring 2019, the Privy Council Office gave two sole-sourced contracts to WE Charity.
The first contract (Procurement Identification Number 8040926) from March 19th to March 31st was for $17,050.34. The information in the government’s contracts database states that it was for “Other professional services not elsewhere specified” and “Honoraria”.
The second contract (Procurement Identification Number 6026849) for “management consulting” was worth $24,996.00, just a few dollars under the threshold to advertise the contract for tendering. The contract ran from May 1st to May 3rd, 2019 and some of the only information about this contract in the database states: “conference/workshop services”.
1.Could the government please provide the following information on these two contracts:
(a)Who authorized these contracts?
(b)What were these contracts for?
(c)What work was provided?
(d)What was the location where the work was provided?
(e)Who received the money?
(f)Why were these contracts sole sourced instead of tendered?
2.With respect to PCO contract 8040926, no individual’s name was attached to this contract, as is the case with other “Honoraria” contracts in the government’s database. Why?
No. 77.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Privy Council Office (PCO):
In January 2016, Mr. Matthew Mendelsohn was appointed Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery) in the Privy Council Office. On March 4, 2020, the Prime Minister announced Mr. Mendelsohn had stepped down from his position.
1.What was Mr. Mendelsohn’s salary or salary range?
2.Did Mr. Mendelsohn receive severance pay or any amount after leaving his position?
3.Who replaced Mr. Mendelsohn as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery)?
4.How many PCO employees were assigned to Results and Delivery between January 2016 and March 2020?
5.What results were delivered by the Results and Delivery section of the Privy Council Office between January 2016 and March 2020?
No. 78.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Privy Council Office (PCO):
1.When did PCO’s Security Operations Division begin its investigation of the leak to former CBC journalist James Cudmore of Cabinet deliberations and decisions regarding the interim supply ships? When did PCO’s Security Operations Division end this investigation?
2.Were any outside investigators hired to assist in this PCO probe? If so, how many, and at what cost? What were the total costs associated with this investigation?
3.How many individuals were interviewed during the course of this investigation? Could a list of their names be provided?
4.Who received the final report from PCO’s Security Operations Division regarding this investigation? When was it submitted? Did PCO’s Security Operations Division recommend asking the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to investigate the leak?
5.On what date was the RCMP asked to investigate the leak? How was the request made, and who made the request?
6.How many investigations into leaks from Cabinet or any other government leaks have been conducted by PCO’s Security Operations Division since 2016?
(a)Was it asked to investigate the leak surrounding the judicial selection process of the 2017 Supreme Court appointment?
(b)Was it asked to investigate the leak of Statistics Canada’s labour force survey for April 2020?
No. 79.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the public service:
In 2018, changes to the rules surrounding performance pay for Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointees stated any performance pay and associated compensation could be clawed back if the appointee is found to have committed serious breaches of conduct or mismanagement in their annual performance review, or “willfully or recklessly” sought to hide or misrepresent their achievements such that any deficiencies would have been difficult to detect at the time of review.
1.Since 2018, how much performance pay and associated compensation has been recouped by the Government of Canada as a result of this policy change in the Performance Management Program?
2.How is the amount recouped broken down by the following categories?
(a)Performance Pay
(b)Bonuses
(c)In-range Increases
(d)Re-calculation of Pension Entitlements
3.From how many GIC appointees was this pay recouped?
4.How many GIC appointees received ratings of “did not meet” for performance reviews in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21?
5.What is the process for determining if a GIC appointee has willfully or recklessly sought to hide or misrepresent their achievements such that any deficiencies would have been difficult to detect at the time of the performance evaluation? How many of these processes have taken place to date?
No. 80.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC):
1.How many infants in Canada have been hospitalized for neonatal abstinence syndrome in each year since 2017? How are these numbers broken down by province and territory?
2.What percentage does this represent out of the total number of infants born each year?
3.Does PHAC track physical or mental development issues with infants hospitalized for neonatal abstinence syndrome? If so, what has this research shown since 2017?
No. 81.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding government spending:
An answer to a question on the House of Commons Order Paper tabled on November 16, 2020, found $2,778,152.26 was spent between March 1, 2020 and September 23, 2020 by the Government of Canada on plexiglass, cough and sneeze guards, protection partitions, and custom glass (for health protection) to prepare government offices for safe re-opening in response to COVID-19.
Could the government provide a break down of how each of these items were procured? Were these items sole-sourced, or were the respective procurement processes competitive?
No. 82.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the 2016 republication of the Prime Minister’s autobiography by a Chinese state-owned enterprise:
1. Did any Government of Canada entities provide security warnings or risk assessments to the Prime Minister’s Office and/or the Privy Council Office regarding the republication of the Prime Minister’s autobiography in China by a Chinese state-owned enterprise?
(a) If so, which department or agency relayed these assessments or warnings, and when?
(b) If so, what was the substance and content of that assessment or warning?
2. Did Global Affairs Canada, or any Canadian diplomatic mission in the People’s Republic of China, provide any advice or assessment regarding the republication of the Prime Minister’s autobiography in China by a Chinese state-owned enterprise?
(a) If so, when was this assessment provided?
(b) If so, what was the substance and content of that assessment?
No. 83.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Parliamentary Precinct:
In response to Order Paper question No. 31 in the 43rd Parliament concerning the Government of Canada’s contribution to the space for Indigenous Peoples in the Parliamentary Precinct, the Departments of Public Services and Procurement Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada provided an answer on December 16, 2020 in which the latter department stated: “[operating] costs over the next five years have not yet been finalized as these decisions will depend upon when the short-term space will open to the public, particularly in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic”.
The department further stated: “Costs to support the ongoing operations and management of the Indigenous Peoples’ Space have not yet been determined, as the design and final plans for the building have not been completed. Planning for the ongoing operations and management will take place in close partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leadership”.
1. Can any progress be reported on this matter since December 2020? What is the status of discussions with Indigenous partners on this matter?
2. What is the position of the federal government concerning long-term funding for this facility? Is the federal government prepared to provide full funding for the operation of this space indefinitely?
3. Could the Government of Canada provide: a) any current minimum cost estimate (or estimate range) for the total annual funding required to operate this facility at a basic level; and b) all other cost estimates for operating the facility at levels being suggested/requested by Indigenous partners?
No. 84.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding th/e Royal Canadian Air Force:
1. How many of the Australian F-18 Hornets purchased by the Government of Canada in 2018 are currently operational?
2. When is full operational capability of these aircraft expected to be achieved?
3. Has Canada received all of the non-operational Australian F-18 Hornets purchased for spare parts? If not, when are they expected to arrive?
No. 85.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Royal Canadian Navy:
The defence policy statement “Strong Secure and Engaged (SSE)” states that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) requires a balanced mix of platforms including submarines, surface combatants, support ships and patrol vessels in sufficient quantities to meet our domestic and international needs. A fleet built around an ability to deploy and sustain two naval task groups, each composed of up to four combatants and a joint support ship. (Pg 34, SSE)
1. Given the above policy statement, can the RCN crew four frigates per coast now, and continue to meet training requirements as well as staffing requirements? In other words, can the RCN meet the SSE requirements now? If not now, when? How many frigates can be crewed on each coast currently?
2. How many trained personnel are required (Automated Employment Report) to fully man the Halifax-class frigates, Victoria-class submarines, Harry DeWolf-class patrols vessels, and Kingston-class vessels inclusive of any helicopter detachment that may be carried? Additionally, what is the personnel demand for the new platforms coming online, Harry De Wolf-class and Protecteur-class and how is this demand being met against the requirements of the current fleet?
3. How short are the RCN and RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) in terms of trained effective strength (TES) when measured against the Preferred Manning Levels (PML)? Could the government provide current RCN and RCAF trained effective strength in total vs PML and then provide TES vs. PML for each individual trade for both Officers and Non-Commissioned Members (NCMs), in the case of the RCAF particularly for pilots and aircraft maintenance personnel?
4. What are the total number of sailors who are currently not medically fit and therefore unable to go to sea in Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV’s), frigates (FFH’s), Arctic/Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPV) and submarines (SSK’s)? How does this figure impact the trained effective strength of the RCN? Do numbers of personnel not deemed medically fit hamper ship deployments? How does this figure impact the RCN’s ability to meet SSE task group requirements? Could the government provide the numbers of sailors not deemed medically fit in each individual RCN trade (please provide numbers for both Officers and NCMs)?
5. Of those unable to go to sea for medical reasons, how many are due to temporary medical employment limitations (6 months or less), and how many are greater than 6 months? What is the effect on the Fleet and the RCN?
6. Of those on medical employment limitations, how many RCN Personnel are suffering from mental health issues today? How many sailors (NCM & Officers) are currently reporting “burnout” in the RCN? Is a study being conducted to understand the cause of this? If so, what is the timeline for the study’s completion?
7. What is the current number of healthy RCN trained Personnel able to go to sea now (Officers and NCM), by individual trade?
8. Given the current operational schedules, the demand for people, the supply of people, shortages discussed previously (either by trade or collectively), is the RCN capable of continuing to meet Canada’s maritime commitments (on both coasts)?
9. Has there been an in-depth personnel study, by an independent organization, to scientifically review the current personnel status of the RCN? Has there been a predictive analytic done to review the outlook for trained personnel as a whole, and by trade, in order to accurately look at personnel shortages over the short, medium and long terms?
10. Has an in-depth objective study been carried out, by an independent organization, on the effects of both stress and the effects of current senior leadership issues on the morale and esprit de corps in the RCN?
No. 86.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the National Capital Commission:
1.Since October 2, 2017, how much has the National Capital Commission spent on renovations at Rideau Hall carried out at the request of former Governor General Julie Payette and/or her office? What is the breakdown of these renovation projects and their costs?
2.Were these renovation projects completed by January 21, 2021, when the former Governor General resigned? If not, how many were not concluded, and what is their current status?
3.How many nights did the former Governor General spend at Rideau Hall during her tenure?
No. 87.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC):
1.A Special Staff Assistance Visit Report on the Climate, Training Environment, Culture and Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) Programme at the Royal Military College of Canada — Kingston was released in March 2017.
(a)What progress has been made to implement each of the over 70 recommendations made in the report?
2.The Auditor General of Canada released a report looking into the Royal Military College in Fall 2017.
(a)How has the Department of National Defence (DND) implemented each of the report’s six recommendations?
(b)One recommendation stated: “The Royal Military College of Canada should ensure that before senior Officer Cadets are appointed to leadership positions, they demonstrate high standards of conduct and ethical behaviour.” What progress has been made on this specific point? What is the most recent data on incidences of serious military misconduct and academic misconduct at the RMC? Please explain how “high standards of conduct and ethical behavior” is defined by the Canadian Armed Forces?
(c)The Auditor General found that at the time of its audit, some designated first responders were not fully trained to take action to prevent and respond to suicides. Is this still the case?
3.A redacted version of the final report of a Board of Inquiry into the suicides of three RMC Officer Cadets in 2016 was released in July 2018.
(a)What progress has been made on each of the recommendations in the report?
(b)In its report, the Board found that stigma was a major obstacle preventing Officer Cadets from seeking support. What progress has been made on this particular point?
No. 88.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the implementation of Bill S-3, An Act to amend the Indian Act in response to the Superior Court of Quebec decision in Descheneaux vs. Canada (“Procureur général”).
1. How many individuals currently await processing for registration under the provisions of Bill S-3? What is the current average wait time to process the applications for the registration of individuals who apply? What, if any, measures are being taken to speed up the registration process?
2. According to a 2005 report produced for Government (Indian Registration: Unrecognized and Unstated Paternity), in 1996 more than 25 percent of registered Indian children lived in single mother families. Aboriginal women aged 15 to 24 years were found to be more than three times as likely to be single mothers than the general population in that age group.
• Currently, how many of the individuals who have registered or who have applied to be registered under the terms of Bill S-3 are single mothers?
• What is the current income level for women and children who have: a) registered under the terms of Bill S-3? b) applied for the reinstatement of benefits under Bill S-3?
3. How many bands currently have membership bylaws which potentially prevent an individual from being registered with their home band if status is reinstated? What remedial action is the government taking (or considering) to address such issues?
No. 89.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Advisory Board for Senate Appointments:
1. The most recent report on the Board’s website is its Spring 2018 (April 2018 to September 2018) report. Has the Board submitted any reports on its work to the Government of Canada since this report was submitted on December 5, 2018?
2. If the Board has submitted reports to the Government of Canada since December 2018:
(a) How many reports were submitted, and when?
(b) Who received the reports?
(c) Why weren’t they made public?
(d) Who made the decision not to publicly release the reports?
3. If the Board has not submitted reports to the Government of Canada since December 2018:
(a) When was this decision made?
(b) Who made this decision?
(c) What was the basis for this decision?
4. The Spring 2018 report states: “A total of 11 deliberation meetings were held for the Spring 2018 cycle.” How many deliberation meetings have been held by the Board since the Spring 2018 cycle?
5. The Spring 2018 report states: “Expenses for the Spring 2018 cycle are still being processed. Estimated costs are in the range of $550,000”. What was the total amount spent for the Spring 2018 cycle?
6. What is the total amount spent by the Advisory Board for Senate Appointments since its establishment? How much has been spent annually since its establishment and what is the breakdown of these expenses, including the amount spent on per diems and the amount spent on travel expenditures for in-person meetings?
No. 90.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments:
On March 9, 2020, Order in Council 2020-0120 re-appointed “Vianne Timmons, O.C., of Regina, Saskatchewan, as a special adviser to the Prime Minister, to serve as an ad hoc provincial member of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, to hold office during pleasure for a term ending on April 30, 2020.”
1.Why did the government re-appoint Dr. Timmons as a Saskatchewan member of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments when the Board of Regents of Memorial University of Newfoundland announced in December 2019 that Dr. Timmons would become its president and vice-chancellor, effective April 1, 2020?
2.Are provincial members of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments required to be residents of the province they represent? If not, why not? How many other provincial members of the Advisory Board are not residents of the province they represent?
3.According to the government’s Senate appointments website, applications are only supposed to be retained for two years. Have there been instances where a list older than two years has been used to fill a Senate seat for any province? If so, how many? When was the last list for the province of Saskatchewan submitted?
No. 91.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the 2019 Economic and Fiscal Update:
Page 23 of the 2019 Economic and Fiscal Update, released on December 16, 2019 states: “The Government will also launch the first phase of a comprehensive review of government spending and tax expenditures, to ensure that resources are efficiently allocated to continue to invest in people and keep the economy strong and growing. This review will result in $1.5 billion in annual savings, starting in 2020-21.”
1.Which person, group or department within the Government of Canada was designated as the lead for this comprehensive review?
2.Were any contracts signed with outside consultants in relation to this review? If so, how many? Which departments authorized these contracts? Which consultants received contracts? How were these consultants chosen? How much were the contracts worth?
3.Has this comprehensive review since been abandoned? If so, when was it abandoned? If not, what departments and/or programs have been targeted for the first phase of the review?
4.If this review has not been abandoned, are all types of government spending being reviewed, or just operating spending?
5.If this review has not been abandoned, are tax policies currently under consideration? If so, which ones?
6.If the review has not been abandoned, does the Government of Canada still maintain that it will result in $1.5 billion in annual savings? If this target amount has been revised, what is it?
No. 92.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey:
Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey (LFS) for April 2020 was leaked to a media outlet, which publicized the numbers over half an hour before their official release. When a Statistics Canada investigation into the leak was announced, former Finance Minister Bill Morneau said: “We will be leaving no stone unturned” and “We need to make sure that information that’s important like this, that can be market moving is kept confidential right up until the time that it is released publicly.”
1.A report dated June 5, 2020, on the investigation into this leak led by the Audit and Evaluation branch of Statistics Canada concluded: “Based on the investigation and review of results, there is no evidence that Bloomberg obtained Labour Force Survey pre-release information from Statistics Canada personnel, nor as a result of a technical error.” Has this incident been further investigated by any of the organizations and/or responsible Minister’s office which received the advance release of the April 2020 LFS?
(a)Finance Canada
(b)Employment and Social Development Canada
(c)Privy Council Office
(d)Bank of Canada
(e)Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
2.Regarding investigations conducted by the five organizations listed above:
(a)On what date did the investigation begin?
(b)Is the investigation still ongoing? If so, when is it expected to conclude?
(c)If the investigation has concluded:
(i)When did it end?
(ii)Has a final report been submitted regarding this investigation? If so, when, and who received it? What were its findings?
(d)Were any outside investigators hired to assist in the investigation?
(i)If so, how many?
(ii)If so, what was the cost?
(e)How many individuals were interviewed during the investigation? Could a list of their names be provided?
(f)How many email records were analyzed during the investigation?
(g)How many telephone account logs were reviewed during the investigation?
(h)Was blame assigned to any individual, office, or department for the LFS leak, as a result of the investigation or by any other means? If so, who was found to be ultimately responsible for the leak? Was any sanction applied as a result?
3.After the leak, Statistics Canada suspended the pre-release of LFS information to government officials.
(a)Has this practice since resumed?
(b)If not, is it expected to resume?
(c)If so, when did it resume?
(d)If so, has it resumed for all five organizations who previously received this information?
(e)If so, were any new or enhanced security measures attached to providing advance notice of this information to government officials?
4.Statistics Canada’s report into their investigation noted: “On April 7, 2020, pre-release access to the LFS estimates was granted by authorization of the Clerk of the Privy Council on the recommendation of the Chief Statistician to two additional departments: Bank of Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.” Why did the former Clerk of the Privy Council authorize these two entities to have access to the pre-release of the LFS?
5.Is the Government of Canada embarrassed that it did not have the integrity to keep this information secure?
No. 93.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW):
On March 16, 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada announced that after March 21, 2021, TFWs who will need to travel by public means to a secondary location upon arrival in Canada will be required to stay in a Government Authorized Accommodation (GAA) and await the results of their COVID-19 test.
1.How many TFWs have entered Canada since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic but prior to the change in policy effective March 21, 2021?
2.How many of these TFWs travelled by public means to a secondary location upon arrival in Canada?
No. 94.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Security and Intelligence Diversity and Inclusion Tiger Team:
1.In its 2019 Annual Report, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians stated: “In January 2017, the leaders of the CAF, the Canadian Coast Guard, CBSA, CSIS, CSE, DND and the RCMP established the “Security and Intelligence Diversity and Inclusion Tiger Team” with the stated aim of “exploring, advancing and implementing joint efforts to learn from one another and share best practices to enhance diversity and inclusion within and across [their] organizations through a variety of activities and initiatives. The team met approximately every seven weeks and reported to the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery) every six months. At the time of writing, the Tiger Team had not met since July 2018.” Has the Tiger Team met since this report was written? If so, when? If not, why not?
2.The 2019 Annual Report also stated: “The Committee noted several shortcomings with this initiative. First, the Tiger Team did not establish specific objectives for diversity and inclusion nor develop a performance measurement framework to assess the success of its initiatives. Second, the representatives from each organization were all from human resources departments and organizations did not seek out members of employment equity groups for membership or participation on the Tiger Team. Organizations also did not always send the same representative to each meeting. Third, the Tiger Team did not engage with designated groups within the security and intelligence community to inform their activities or initiatives. Finally, throughout its discussions, the Tiger Team focused on short-term initiatives without considering systemic challenges raised in various organization-specific studies or class-action lawsuits (the CAF and the RCMP), such as workplace culture and discrimination.” What work has been done since this report was released to address shortcomings in each of the four areas identified?
3.Which organization is currently chairing the Tiger Team?
No. 95.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project:
1.Question No. 56 on the Order Paper in the 43rd Parliament asked how many investors had expressed interest in purchasing Trans Mountain in June 2018. An answer from the Department of Finance stated: “Due to commercial confidentiality, the Government cannot state the names of the companies involved in the 2018 process.” The question did not ask for the names of companies; it asked for a number. How many investors expressed interest in purchasing Trans Mountain in June 2018, as the former Minister of Finance indicated at the time?
2.Trans Mountain Pipeline LP has said that in 2020, it “…experienced a significant reduction in available insurance capacity” and that “(i)t sought and secured partial replacement policies to compensate for this reduction, but did so at a significantly higher cost.” What was the “significantly higher” cost of Trans Mountain’s increased insurance costs in 2020?
No. 96.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding COVID-19 vaccinations:
1.How many Canadians who received COVID-19 vaccines in the United States have registered their vaccinations with provincial or local public health units?
2.How many Canadians does the Government of Canada estimate have received COVID-19 vaccines while living in the United States?
3.How many Canadians does the Government of Canada estimate have travelled to the United States to specifically receive one or more doses of COVID-19 vaccines?
4.How many Canadians does the Government of Canada estimate have received COVID-19 vaccines while on short term work visas, such as an O-1 visa, in the United States?
5.How many Canadians does the Government of Canada estimate have received COVID-19 vaccines upon the invitation of Indigenous groups in the United States?
6.How many Canadians in total does the Government of Canada estimate have received COVID-19 vaccines in the United States?
No. 97.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC):
1.How many Veterans currently receive reimbursement for child care expenses from VAC?
2.What are the eligibility criteria for receiving these reimbursements? When did the criteria come into force? Has it been changed in recent years?
3.How many Veterans have had their child care reimbursements revoked by VAC in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and to date in 2021?
4.What are the most common reasons for VAC revoking the reimbursement of child care expenses?
5.What is the process for revoking these benefits?
No. 98.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the processing of disability benefits at Veterans Affairs Canada:
1.What is the current backlog in processing applications for disability benefits from Veterans? How many applications in the backlog are completed applications, and how many are incomplete applications?
2.Since March 15, 2020, have any applications for disability benefits been flagged for suspected fraud or abuse? If so, how many, and were those applications subject to further investigation?
3.How does Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) explain why Canada Emergency Response Benefit payments were automatically approved even when fraud was suspected, while applications for disability benefits for our Veterans remain backlogged by the tens of thousands?
4.How many claims were placed on hold as a result of the inability of Veterans to access supporting documentation due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
5.Due to the closure to the public of in-person Service Canada offices, did the VAC call centre see an increase in call volume? If so, by how much?
(a)A 2019 report from the Office of the Auditor General found that the VAC call centre allowed all callers to speak with an agent — is that still the case?
(b)Is the average wait time for a caller still five minutes, as was reported by the Auditor General? If not, what is it? What percentage of calls are answered within the department’s timeliness target of two minutes?
6.In a September 2018 report, the Veterans Ombudsman found that francophone applicants waited longer for decisions than anglophone applicants, and women waited longer than men. What are the current wait times for each of these groups?
No. 99.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—
Regarding Veterans Affairs Canada:
1.With respect to Operational Stress Injury (OSI) clinics across Canada, how long is the wait time for Veterans in each of the following areas?
(a)Response to first phone call or other request for help
(b)First appointment with a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional
(c)Receive a medical exam(s)
(d)Creation of a treatment plan
(e)Commencement of work on a treatment plan
2.Are each of the OSI clinics fully staffed at this time? If not, how many staff vacancies are there in each clinic, broken down by the number of vacant positions for psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, and other specialized clinicians?
3.Budget 2021 proposed a new program at Veterans Affairs Canada that would cover the mental health care costs of veterans with PTSD, depressive, or anxiety disorders while their disability benefit application is being processed.
(a)Is this program operational? If not, when is it expected to be up and running?
(b)If it is operational, how much has been provided to Veterans to date under this program?
No. 100.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP):
1.To date, how many claims have been received?
2.To date, how many claims have been approved?
3.What is the total amount provided under this program to date, and what is the dollar value of the average successful claim?
4.To date, what is the average timeframe of the process from beginning to end for successful claimants?
5.If any claims have been unsuccessful to date, what are the main reasons why the claims have been denied?
6.To date, how many claims have gone through the appeals process? How many of these claims had their rejections overturned after completing the appeals process?
No. 101.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Veterans:
1.What is the total cost to the Government of Canada related to court cases, including legal costs (actual and notional costs) and settlements, involving Canadian Veterans since November 2015?
2.What is the current number of legal claims involving the Government of Canada and Veterans? What is the potential liability to the Government of Canada of these current cases?
No. 102.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—With respect to a report in the Toronto Star on May 30th 2019, about tax evasion in the real estate markets of Ontario and British Columbia, and claims that “Canada Revenue Agency audits have added more than $1 billion to government coffers”, would the Government of Canada provide the following information:
1. How many Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) have been identified as having evaded taxes through real estate transactions?
2. How many non-Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) have been identified as having evaded taxes through real estate transactions?
3. Of those Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) identified, how many of them are being, or have been reviewed by the Canada Revenue Agency?
4. Of those non-Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) identified, how many of them are being, or have been reviewed by the Canada Revenue Agency?
5. How many audits have been undertaken against these Canadians by the Canada Revenue Agency?
(a) How many reassessments or related compliance actions have been undertaken?
6. How many audits have been closed?
7. How many audits are still ongoing?
8. How many audits have been undertaken against these non-Canadians by the Canada Revenue Agency?
(a) How many reassessments or related compliance actions have been undertaken?
9. How many audits have been closed?
10. How many audits are still ongoing?
11. How many identified Canadians have availed themselves of the Voluntary Disclosure Program with the Canada Revenue Agency?
12. How many identified non-Canadians have availed themselves of the Voluntary Disclosure Program with the Canada Revenue Agency?
13. How many identified Canadians have settled with the Canada Revenue Agency?
14. How many identified non-Canadians have settled with the Canada Revenue Agency?
15. How much money, including unpaid taxes, fines, etc., has the Canada Revenue Agency assessed as a result of investigating these cases, broken down by the following categories:
(a) in unpaid taxes;
(b) in interest;
(c) in fines; and
(d) in penalties?
16. How much of the money has been collected?
17. How many of these cases are under appeal?
18. How many cases remain open?
19. How many of the cases have been closed, i.e. the full amount of taxes, interest, fines and penalties have been collected?
20. How many tax evasion charges have been laid?
21. How many convictions have been recorded?
No. 103.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—With respect to overseas tax evasion:
On April 3rd, 2016 the Panama Papers were disclosed, including the names of more than 600 Canadians. On May 9th of that same year the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) gained access to the external Panama Papers database. Subsequently, the CRA committed to “combatting the abusive use of offshore jurisdictions and protecting the integrity of the Canadian tax system” and would “pursue audits related to offshore tax evasion including some Canadian clients” named in the Panama Papers.
However, more than five years later, the CRA seems not to have shared in the success that other national revenue agencies have achieved. According to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists — the organization that broke the Panama Papers story — in the years since the release of the Papers, many countries have worked swiftly and forcefully to act on the information discovered.
As of April 2021, other countries have recovered:
•Germany: $195.7 million
•Spain: $166.5 million
•Ecuador: $84.3 million
•Australia: $137.7 million
•Mexico: $21.6 million
•Malta: $16.5 million
•Lithuania: $358,830
•Iceland: $25.5 million
•Numerous individuals charged and convicted worldwide.
And over $1.3 billion collected. Not “identified”, collected.
During this same time, Canada, according to the same source, has recovered no money whatsoever.
Also, unlike in other countries, not a single Canadian had been convicted, or even charged with tax evasion as a result of the Panama Papers.
After more than five years, can the Canada Revenue Agency join other countries in pointing to any real progress resulting from the release of the Panama Papers?
Any at all?
With that in mind, would the Government of Canada provide the following:
1.How many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) have been identified in the Panama Papers?
2.Of those Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) identified, how many of their accounts are being, or have been reviewed by the Canada Revenue Agency since the release of the Panama Papers?
3.How many audits have been undertaken against these Canadians by the Canada Revenue Agency?
(a)How many reassessments or related compliance actions have been undertaken?
4.How many audits have been closed?
5.How many audits are still ongoing?
6.How many identified Canadians have requested that their cases be dealt with under the auspices of the Voluntary Disclosure Program with the Canada Revenue Agency?
7.How many of those requests have been granted
8.How many identified Canadians have settled with the Canada Revenue Agency?
9.How much money, including unpaid taxes, fines, etc., has the Canada Revenue Agency assessed as a result of investigating these cases?
10.How much money identified as owing has been collected by the Canada Revenue Agency?
11.How many cases remain open?
12.How many of the audits have been completed, including the full amount of taxes, interest, fines and penalties having been collected?
13.How many tax evasion charges have been laid?
No. 104.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—With respect to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA):
Regarding the commitment in the 2016 Federal Budget to spend $444.4 million (over five years) to combat tax evasion, and the commitment in the 2017 Federal Budget to spend $523.9 million (over five years) for the same purpose, for a combined total $968.3 million, of as well as the claim by the CRA that “The CRA remains on track to spend the budget investments over the 5-year period for which they have been outlined”:
1.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2016-2017, how much of the $41.8 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2016 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $41.8 million budgeted was used to fund employee benefit plans?
2.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2017-2018 how much of the $62.8 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2016 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $62.8 million budgeted was used to fund employee benefit plans?
3.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2017-2018 how much of the $54.9 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2017 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $54.9 million budgeted was used to fund employee benefit plans?
4.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2018-2019 how much of the $85.7 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2016 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $85.7 million budgeted was used to fund employee benefit plans?
5.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2018-2019 how much of the $78.1 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2017 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $78.1 million budget was used to fund employee benefit plans?
6.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2019-2020 how much of the $98.6 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2016 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $98.6 million budget was used to fund employee benefit plans?
7.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2019-2020 how much of the $77.6 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2017 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $77.6 million budget was used to fund employee benefit plans?
8.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2020-2021 how much of the $155.5 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2016 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $155.5 million budget was used to fund employee benefit plans?
9.As of the end of Fiscal Year 2020-2021 how much of the $127.6 million (from the $968.3 million total) budgeted for “Cracking down on Tax Evasion and Combatting Tax Avoidance” for that Fiscal Year in Budget 2017 had actually been spent;
•How much of the money spent from the $127.6 million budget was used to fund employee benefit plans?
No. 105.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—Regarding the Canada Child Benefit for the benefit years 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021:
1.How much money was provided via the Canada Child Benefit per federal electoral district in Prince Edward Island?
2.How many families in Prince Edward Island received the Canada Child Benefit?
3.How many children in Prince Edward Island were covered by the Canada Child Benefit?
4.What was the largest monthly payment for a Prince Edward Island family receiving the Canada Child Benefit?
5.What was the smallest monthly payment for a Prince Edward Island family receiving the Canada Child Benefit?
6.What percentage of recipients of the Canada Child Benefit in Prince Edward Island had adjusted net family annual income:
(a)Under $30,000
(b)Between $30,000 and $49,999
(c)Between $50,000 and $79,999
(d)Over $80,000
7.What was the average adjusted net family income for those Prince Edward Islanders receiving the Canada Child Benefit?
No. 106.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—Since 2005, qualified medically released Canadian Forces veterans have been eligible for priority employment appointments in the federal public service.
For the period from January 1, 2005, to November 23, 2021:
1.How many people were hired by the federal public service?
2.How many casual employees were hired by the federal public service?
3.How many term employees were hired by the federal public service?
4.How many indeterminate employees were hired by the federal public service?
5.How many members of the Canadian Forces, by rank upon release, have been medically released?
6.How many of these qualified medically released members, by rank upon release, have applied for a priority employment appointment in the federal public service?
(a)How many of these were hired as casual employees?
(b)How many of these were hired as term employees?
(c)How many of these were hired as indeterminate employees?
7.How many, by rank upon release, were still on the priority employment appointment list when their eligibility period expired?
8.How many qualified medically released Canadian Forces veterans, by rank upon release, were hired by each federal Government department?
(a)How many of these were hired as casual employees by each federal Government department?
(b)How many of these were hired as term employees by each federal Government department?
(c)How many of these were hired as indeterminate employees by each federal Government department?
No. 107.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—As stated in the Public Accounts of Canada 2018-2019:
Ministerial approval represents authority given to Ministers under the Financial Administration Act (FAA) or other Acts of Parliament as follows:
•Section 25(1) of the FAA gives Ministers, through Treasury Board regulations, general authority to approve the write-off of any debt, obligation or claim other than accountable advances or overpayments of salaries, wages, or employment-related allowances that would not result in a charge to an appropriation.
•Section 155.1(4) of the FAA gives Ministers, through Treasury Board regulations, authority to waive interest on overdue amounts owing to Her Majesty and to waive administrative charges for dishonoured instruments (e.g. NSF cheques) imposed under section 155.1 of the FAA.
•Other Acts of Parliament (e.g. Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act) give Ministers general authority to approve the write-off or forgiveness of specific debts, obligations or claims.
Under this authority, the Minister of National Revenue wrote off, forgave or waived interest or administrative charges in 1,534,315 cases of “debts, obligations and claims” to the Government of Canada in Fiscal Year 2018-2019, for a total of $4,166,405,553.
These include:
•1,190,147 cases under the Financial Administration Act, totaling $3,237,650,407;
•25,303 cases under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, totaling $352,032,596;
•7,637 cases under the Excise Tax Act, totaling $98,070,653; and
•311,228 cases under the Income Tax Act, totaling $478,651,897.
With this in mind, regarding the Financial Administration Act and the Income Tax Act, would the Government of Canada provide the following information for the Fiscal Year 2018-2019:
1.How many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) have had their debts written off?
2.What was the largest amount written off?
3.What was the smallest amount written off?
4.What was the largest amount forgiven?
5.What was the smallest amount forgiven?
6.How many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) have had interest and/or administrative charges waived?
7.What was the largest amount of interest or administrative charges waived?
8.What was the smallest amount of interest or administrative charges waived?
9.What was the Minister of National Revenue’s justification for writing off or forgiving those debts, and waiving interest and administrative charges?
10.Is the Canada Revenue Agency still actively trying to recover the debts owed but written off?
11.If so, what steps are being taken?
12.If not, why not?
13.How much of this debt has been recovered?
No. 108.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
In a Monday, May 11th 2020 appearance before the House of Commons Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, Ted Gallivan, Assistant Commissioner of International, Large Business and Investigations for the Canada Revenue Agency made a number of statements regarding the Agency’s work to combat overseas tax evasion.
With that in mind, could the government provide the following information:
1.Mr. Gallivan stated that $4.4 billion is the “gross amount” of money identified as being owed to the Government of Canada. Of that amount:
(a)how much has actually been recovered,
(b)how much of that is related to overseas tax evasion,
(c)how many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) comprise that $4.4 billion,
(d)how many Canadians have been charged with tax evasion, and
(e)how many Canadians have been convicted of tax evasion?
2.Mr. Gallivan also stated that this amount is “many years ahead of schedule”. What, then, is the Canada Revenue Agency’s “schedule” for recovering this money?
3.Mr. Gallivan also referred to “over 3,000 cases” currently before the courts. Of that amount:
(a)how many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) are represented in that number,
(b)how many of those cases relate to overseas tax evasion,
(c)what is the largest amount of taxes alleged to have been evaded,
(d)what is the smallest amount,
(e)what is the average amount, and
(f)how many years do these cases go back?
No. 109.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
At the May 6, 2021, meeting of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, the Committee heard testimony to the effect that the organization and structure of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) hinders its ability to combat international tax evasion. In fact, Ms. Debi Daviau, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, stated that there is “not the right organizational structure in place to maximize our ability to go after international tax cheats” and that in the past there had been “some organizational changes that were not helpful”.
To shed light on those “organizational changes”, could the government:
Provide a list of all organizational changes affecting personnel and groups involved in fighting overseas tax evasion at the Canada Revenue Agency for the period 2001-2021, including:
1.The nature of these changes, including the names of any groups being moved, renamed and/or reconstituted, the approximate number of people affected, etc.
2.The justification for these changes.
3.The findings of any study or examination of the impact of those changes.