If Senator Plett had a nickel for every time the government leader didn’t agree with the premise of our questions, he wouldn’t even have to be here. He’d be in Florida.

Senator Gold, the unjustified threat of 25% tariffs on Canadian goods announced by incoming President Trump this week isn’t about trade, and you know that. It’s about Canada’s porous border and the serious consequences that has for both of our countries. With illegal border crossings into the U.S. and fentanyl trafficking devastating American communities, your government’s lax approach to immigration and drug policy is undermining our credibility as a secure and responsible partner. Marc Miller’s recent statement that Canada will simply take people at their word with regard to the 4.9 million visas set to expire next year only adds to this concern.

Why hasn’t your government taken this seriously? How is it that Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland were surprised by this announcement? Nobody else was. Now that you do know, what steps will you take to secure our borders, crack down on drug trafficking and restore confidence in the Canadian immigration system, which is a catastrophe?

Senator Gold, where have you been? Canadian security forces, including the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, have for years have been talking about all the illegal agencies in Canada and organizations that have been shipping drugs to the United States. Where have you been? Given the already high inflation rate, the rising energy costs and weakening GDP growth after nine years of Justin Trudeau, will you finally reconsider your plan to quadruple the carbon tax to 61 cents per litre, which risks further burdening Canadians and undermining our competitiveness in this critical time? Get your head out of the sand.