QUESTION PERIOD — Prime Minister’s Office
Progress of Legislation
June 23, 2021
Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold. The government’s behaviour, when it comes to forcing legislation forward, has been particularly offensive this session, in some cases convening secrete committee meetings and passing secret amendments. They were even admonished by their Speaker for their behaviour.
Senator Gold, can we please seek an assurance that when a government has had six years in office to present their legislation, they do not literally dump a bill on our doorstep at the eleventh hour, claiming it must be passed in mere hours, especially when we have not even seen the legislation in its final form when you ask us to accept it here in the chamber, which was the case yesterday?
In fact, after inquiry, I just received the bill today moments before we convened.
Can we have that assurance?
Senator Wallin, thank you for your question. As colleagues in this chamber and my leadership colleagues certainly know, I have been consistent in defending with pride and respect the role of the Senate in providing a proper critical review of government legislation. To the credit of all of us in the chamber during this past year, there have been many circumstances where we did dispense with our usual processes, or, perhaps more accurately, we used extraordinary processes to pass legislation in a much more expeditious way. I make no apologies for asking my colleagues — you and leaders — to help in that regard in the extraordinary circumstances.
With regard to the current situation, colleagues will know that although we have received several bills recently, notably Bill C-10 and Bill C-6, it is our collective view that these are important bills that require proper study and will receive proper study.
In that regard, you have my assurance and this government’s assurance that we will continue to respect the important and legitimate role of the Senate and of senators to give proper due consideration to government legislation.
When legislation profoundly changes our fundamental democratic rights in the most basic and hard-fought right of all, free speech — one that our parents and grandparents literally shed blood for — a government is obliged to inform the public of their intentions.
I will paraphrase John F. Kennedy: A nation that is afraid to let its people judge is a nation that is afraid of its people.
Senator Gold, is the secretive process around Bill C-10 evidence that this government is afraid to let the people judge it?
Senator Wallin, with the greatest of respect, I’m sure that I cannot agree with some of your characterizations. However, we will begin second reading debate on this bill today. That debate will continue into next week, and I’m sure at that juncture all senators will have an opportunity to participate, should they choose, and to listen with interest, as I’m sure they will, to comments that will continue to be made and to the input the Senate will provide as we begin our study of the bill.
