Honourable senators, my question is also for Senator Gold, the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Senator Gold, the government has not released its debt management report for the 2020-21 fiscal year — a year that ended 11 months ago. That year was also the first year of the pandemic, during which the government borrowed heavily, so that report is of great interest. The government has a statutory obligation to table that report within 30 sitting days of the release of the public accounts. By delaying the release of the public accounts to December 14, the government has been able to push back the deadline for the release of the 2020-21 debt management report to March 28. Since we’re now studying Supplementary Estimates (C) and Bill C-8, which implements the fall fiscal update, when can we expect to see the debt management report?

Thank you for that response, Senator Gold.

We’re seeing a worrying trend: Government either withholds certain information while other information, such as the Public Accounts of Canada and the Departmental Results Reports, are being released very late. They’re really not relevant by the time we get those reports; they are almost historical information.

The impression that’s being given is that government is deliberately withholding certain information and reports. So is the government deliberately withholding and delaying the release of accountability information?