Thank you for your question and the advance notice.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II was a significant and tragic event for all Canadians. Canada was represented by former prime ministers and the Governor General to pay respects to the monarch who oversaw almost half of our time as an independent country.

As reported in the media, colleagues, the price of hotels surged significantly ahead of the Queen’s funeral. Many hotels were sold out in London because of high demand. Availability was limited, given the unexpected nature of the event and the high demand for accommodations from the 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries, their staff and official delegations.

The Canadian delegation, which totalled 56 individuals, was larger than the typical delegation due to the significance of representing Canada at this historic event. The official delegation stayed at one single hotel in London in order to effectively participate in official events at Canada House and state funeral events. All members of the official delegation stayed at the same hotel, including the Governor General, former prime minister Stephen Harper, former prime minister Paul Martin, former prime minister Kim Campbell and former prime minister Jean Chrétien, as well as their staff members.

I do remember vinyl records, Senator Plett, and I remember the innovation of vinyl records where depending on where you dropped the needle, you could get a different ending.

I gave you a different answer today than I did yesterday.

Let me say this because the expenditure of public funds is important, and Canadians are hurting right now.

I’ve never dismissed or denigrated the importance of these questions or holding the government to account.

Because there are so many senators who are relatively new to this chamber, let me remind you of what typically — and not, perhaps, inappropriately —

Then without the —

Without further context, in the year 2012, Prime Minister Harper took two trips, leading a delegation. He went to Davos in 2012. That cost $566,000. Adjusted for inflation, that is $709,000 representing Canada. In the same year, Prime Minister Harper went to China, and was accompanied by a delegation of 30 Canadian chief executive officers. That trip cost $972,000. The Canadian government under Prime Minister Harper covered the expenses of those 30 Canadian chief executive officers. That’s frugality.

It’s fantastic that the government leader is drawing on past experiences. I will remind some of the new senators who have arrived here that in the pre-Trudeau Senate there used to be Liberal senators sitting in the opposition who would check the public accounts and hold our government to account daily. There are very few left. But you remember those days. Senator Mitchell was definitely part of that crew.

Now, government leader, let me tell you something else about those good old days. When a minister would go somewhere, like London, and spend $16 on a glass of orange juice, the opposition made sure they were held to account. Do you know what happened to that minister? A few days later, she lost her job. That’s what’s called accountability, and all of us should practise some of it.

Furthermore, I would also like to point out to your earlier answer. Somebody just checked the River Suite at the hotel that you claim was “price surged” during the Queen’s funeral, and as of a few days ago, it was still $6,000 a night. So that excuse doesn’t hold water.

It is time to shine more light on government and ensure that it remains focused on the people it is meant to serve. . . .

That’s a quote, government leader. That’s a quote that I’m not sure you recognize, senator, but it is a quote taken from Justin Trudeau’s Liberal platform in 2015.

Senator Gold, do you agree with the objective of shining more light on government? If so, how would you justify your government and your own stonewalling on answering a simple question about who stayed in a suite that cost $35,000? Once we find out who it is, explain to us why? There might be a legitimate explanation. I’d love to hear it. $35,000 for six nights. Who stayed in that suite and why? It’s a simple question, and it’s in the public accounts. Taxpayers need to know.

Thank you for the question. I do, of course, accept the legitimacy. As I said, again, I sound like the broken vinyl record perhaps. But I have provided all the information today that I am in a position to provide. In that regard, senator, I have really nothing further to add to the answer I gave to Senator Plett’s question.

Senator Gold, it would be bad enough if this were a one-time lapse in judgment on the part of this Prime Minister, but it’s not. It’s a pattern. In the past seven years, Justin Trudeau has broken the law with his vacation on “billionaire islands,” has jetted back and forth across the country on the taxpayer dime to go surfing, bungee jumping and to hang out with celebrities. Now, the cherry on top: he stayed in a $7,000‑a‑night luxury suite with a private butler so he could ham it up at the piano bar with Gregory Charles, all on the taxpayers’ dime. Of course, at a funeral mourning the Queen.

Senator Gold, you don’t think that’s a question worth answering on behalf of the people who footed the bill? At the end of the day, you’re the government leader and a member of the Privy Council. But you are also our representative in this chamber. You sit on Privy Council for a reason: in order to provide us accountable answers to questions.

Quite frankly, it’s just not appropriate for weeks and days to not be able to answer on behalf of your role to this chamber and through this chamber to the taxpayers: Who stayed in that room? It’s not a complicated question.

Thank you for your question and the commentary that preceded it. Again, I repeat and I know you are not happy with this answer, but I have provided all the information I am in a position to provide, and I have nothing further to add to my statement.