Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Shortly after President Joe Biden was elected, Prime Minister Trudeau and the President spoke to discuss issues of importance to both Canada and the United States. A media release put out by the Prime Minister’s Office on January 22 states that they discussed “. . . strengthening Canada-U.S. supply chain security and resilience.”

In September of 2020, the former president Trump issued a presidential border-crossing permit for the Alaska – Alberta Railway Development Corporation to lay tracks across the border between Alaska and the Yukon. The A2A Rail, as it is called, is an estimated $22-billion railway project connecting Alaska to Alberta, that will run from Delta Junction in Alaska through the Yukon, potentially northeast British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and on to Fort McMurray in Alberta.

This project will potentially span two Canadian provinces and two Canadian territories, and would likely require a joint panel review by the Canadian Impact Assessment Agency and the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board, along with Northwest Territories, B.C. and Alberta environmental assessment agencies. The Alaska – Alberta Railway Development Corporation is saying they are expecting to submit a project description by Q2 of this year. This project is of significant interest to Canadians.

My questions are: Was this project and the permits issued by the former president discussed by the two leaders? And if the government leader could advise: Has the Prime Minister’s Office undertaken any planning or discussions with First Nations’ governments or the premiers of the Yukon, B.C., Alberta or the Northwest Territories?