Order Paper and Notice Paper
The Order Paper and Notice Paper is a document that guides the deliberations of the Senate and lists items of business currently before it. These items are listed in several different categories and in a priority according to an arrangement adopted by the Senate as stipulated in the rules. The majority of these items constitute the Orders of the Day which are called following Routine Proceedings. These items are themselves divided into two principal categories - government business and other business. Within each of these two categories are items for bills, motions, inquiries and reports of committees.
The Notice Paper contains the text of motions and inquiries not yet called for debate.
The Order Paper and Notice Paper is prepared every day in advance of the actual sitting.
Order of Business
(The following is an outline of a typical sitting day in the Senate. Variations are possible subject to the Rules and to the decisions of the Senate.)
Senators' Statements (18 minutes)
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS (30 minutes)
1. Tabling of Documents
2. Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees
3. Government Notices of Motions
4. Government Notices of Inquiries
5. Introduction and First Reading of Government Bills
6. Introduction and First Reading of Senate Public Bills
7. First Reading of Commons Public Bills
8. Reading of Petitions for Private Bills
9. Introduction and First Reading of Private Bills
10. Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations
11. Notices of Motions
12. Notices of Inquiries
13. Tabling of Petitions
Question Period (30 minutes)
Delayed Answers
ORDERS OF THE DAY
Government Business
• Bills — Messages from the House of Commons
• Bills — Third Reading
• Bills — Reports of Committees
• Bills — Second Reading
• Reports of Committees — Other
• Motions
• Inquiries
• Other
Other Business
• Bills — Messages from the House of Commons
• Senate Public Bills — Third Reading
• Commons Public Bills — Third Reading
• Private Bills — Third Reading
• Senate Public Bills — Reports of Committees
• Commons Public Bills — Reports of Committees
• Private Bills — Reports of Committees
• Senate Public Bills — Second Reading
• Commons Public Bills — Second Reading
• Private Bills — Second Reading
• Reports of Committees — Other
• Motions
• Inquiries
• Other
NOTICE PAPER
• Notices of Motions
• Notices of Inquiries
Orders Of The Day
Government Business
Bills – Messages from the House of Commons
Nil
Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Bills – Second Reading
For Thursday, May 19, 2022
No. 1.
May 17, 2022—Second reading of Bill S-8, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
Reports of Committees – Other
Nil
Motions
No. 1.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
That the following Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:
To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:
We, Her Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful subjects, the Senate of Canada in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.
No. 41.
By the Honourable Senator Gagné:
May 17, 2022—That, in accordance with rule 10-11(1), the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages be authorized to examine the subject matter of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts, introduced in the House of Commons on March 1, 2022, in advance of the said bill coming before the Senate; and
That, for the purposes of this study, the committee be authorized to meet even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, with the application of rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) being suspended in relation thereto.
No. 42.
By the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:
May 17, 2022—That, in accordance with rule 10-11(1), the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be authorized to examine the subject matter of Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, introduced in the House of Commons on February 2, 2022, in advance of the said bill coming before the Senate; and
That, for the purposes of this study, the committee be authorized to meet even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, with the application of rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) being suspended in relation thereto.
Inquiries
No. 1.
By the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:
December 15, 2021—That he will call the attention of the Senate to the Economic and Fiscal Update 2021, tabled in the House of Commons on December 14, 2021, by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., and in the Senate on December 15, 2021.
No. 2.
May 11, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Gagné, calling the attention of the Senate to the budget entitled Budget 2022: A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable, tabled in the House of Commons on April 7, 2022, by the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., and in the Senate on April 26, 2022.
Other
Nil
Other Business
Rule 4-15(2) states:
Except as otherwise ordered by the Senate, any item of Other Business on the Order Paper and any motion or inquiry on the Notice Paper that have not been proceeded with during 15 sitting days shall be dropped from the Order Paper and Notice Paper.
Consequently, the number appearing in parentheses indicates the number of sittings since the item was last proceeded with.
Bills – Messages from the House of Commons
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Third Reading
No. 1. (five)
April 26, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Omidvar, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain, for the third reading of Bill S-217, An Act respecting the repurposing of certain seized, frozen or sequestrated assets, as amended.—(Honourable Senator Omidvar)
No. 2. (one)
May 12, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Quinn, seconded by the Honourable Senator White, for the third reading of Bill S-222, An Act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (use of wood), as amended.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
Commons Public Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Private Bills – Third Reading
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Commons Public Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Private Bills – Reports of Committees
Nil
Senate Public Bills – Second Reading
No. 1.
February 10, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McPhedran, seconded by the Honourable Senator White, for the second reading of Bill S-201, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Regulation Adapting the Canada Elections Act for the Purposes of a Referendum (voting age).—(Honourable Senator Patterson)
No. 2. (two)
February 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan, for the second reading of Bill S-204, An Act to amend the Customs Tariff (goods from Xinjiang).—(Honourable Senator Dean)
No. 3. (three)
November 30, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne, for the second reading of Bill S-212, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 4. (six)
November 30, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mégie, for the second reading of Bill S-218, An Act to amend the Department for Women and Gender Equality Act.—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 5. (five)
December 9, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos, for the second reading of Bill S-220, An Act to amend the Languages Skills Act (Governor General).—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 6. (eight)
April 7, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, for the second reading of Bill S-221, An Act to amend the Governor General’s Act (retiring annuity and other benefits).—(Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C.)
No. 7. (eight)
April 7, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, for the second reading of Bill S-225, An Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments).—(Honourable Senator Petitclerc)
No. 8. (seven)
November 24, 2021—Second reading of Bill S-226, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Parliament of Canada Act (Speaker of the Senate).—(Honourable Senator Mercer)
No. 9. (eight)
March 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Patterson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tannas, for the second reading of Bill S-228, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (property qualifications of Senators).—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 10. (fifteen)
December 14, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos, for the second reading of Bill S-229, An Act to amend the Language Skills Act (Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick).—(Honourable Senator Dalphond)
No. 11. (three)
December 7, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Griffin, for the second reading of Bill S-230, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 12. (one)
March 29, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells, for the second reading of Bill S-231, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Criminal Records Act, the National Defence Act and the DNA Identification Act.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 13. (one)
March 22, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boniface, seconded by the Honourable Senator Hartling, for the second reading of Bill S-232, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy for the decriminalization of illegal substances, to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 14. (six)
February 8, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean, for the second reading of Bill S-233, An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 15. (seven)
April 7, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, for the second reading of Bill S-234, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (final disposal of plastic waste).—(Honourable Senator Petitclerc)
No. 16. (fourteen)
February 9, 2022—Second reading of Bill S-235, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.—(Honourable Senator Jaffer)
No. 17. (five)
March 3, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Griffin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tannas, for the second reading of Bill S-236, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Employment Insurance Regulations (Prince Edward Island).—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 18. (eight)
March 29, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells, for the second reading of Bill S-237, An Act to establish the Foreign Influence Registry and to amend the Criminal Code.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 19. (twelve)
March 3, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boisvenu, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, for the second reading of Bill S-238, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (information about the victim).—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 20. (eleven)
March 22, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Ringuette, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ravalia, for the second reading of Bill S-239, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal interest rate).—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 21. (eleven)
March 22, 2022—Second reading of Bill S-240, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (definition of income).—(Honourable Senator Quinn)
No. 22.
March 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Klyne, seconded by the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., for the second reading of Bill S-241, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (great apes, elephants and certain other animals).—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 23.
April 5, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Patterson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cormier, for the second reading of Bill S-242, An Act to amend the Radiocommunication Act.—(Honourable Senator Dean)
No. 24. (one)
April 7, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Galvez, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gignac, for the second reading of Bill S-243, An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 25.
May 17, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Bellemare, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dalphond, for the second reading of Bill S-244, An Act to amend the Department of Employment and Social Development Act and the Employment Insurance Act (Employment Insurance Council).—(Honourable Senator Martin)
Commons Public Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Private Bills – Second Reading
Nil
Reports of Committees – Other
Nil
Motions
No. 3. (three)
February 8, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Omidvar, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dasko:
That the Senate call upon the Government of Canada to implement the eighth recommendation of the first report of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector, entitled Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector, adopted by the Senate on November 3, 2020, during the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament, which proposed that the Canada Revenue Agency include questions on both the T3010 (for registered charities) and the T1044 (for federally incorporated not-for-profit corporations) on diversity representation on boards of directors based on existing employment equity guidelines.—(Honourable Senator Housakos)
No. 4. (nine)
March 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells:
That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to:
(a)denounce the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime and recognize the Cuban opposition and civil society as valid interlocutors; and
(b)call on the Cuban regime to ensure the right of the Cuban people to protest peacefully without fear of reprisal and repudiation.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 5. (one)
May 5, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Smith:
That the Standing Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to examine and report on the situation in Lebanon and determine whether Canada should appoint a special envoy, when and if the committee is formed; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than February 28, 2022.—(Honourable Senator Housakos)
No. 6. (thirteen)
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Pate, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to examine and report on a road map for post-pandemic economic and social policy to address the human, social and financial costs of economic marginalization and inequality, when and if the committee is formed;
That, given recent calls for action from Indigenous, provincial, territorial and municipal jurisdictions, the committee examine in particular potential national approaches to interjurisdictional collaboration to implement a guaranteed livable basic income; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2022.—(Honourable Senator Plett)
No. 7. (seven)
December 2, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Galvez, seconded by the Honourable Senator Forest:
That the Senate of Canada recognize that:
(a)climate change is an urgent crisis that requires an immediate and ambitious response;
(b)human activity is unequivocally warming the atmosphere, ocean and land at an unprecedented pace, and is provoking weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe, including in the Arctic, which is warming at more than twice the global rate;
(c)failure to address climate change is resulting in catastrophic consequences especially for Canadian youth, Indigenous Peoples and future generations; and
(d)climate change is negatively impacting the health and safety of Canadians, and the financial stability of Canada;
That the Senate declare that Canada is in a national climate emergency which requires that Canada uphold its international commitments with respect to climate change and increase its climate action in line with the Paris Agreement’s objective of holding global warming well below two degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius; and
That the Senate commit to action on mitigation and adaptation in response to the climate emergency and that it consider this urgency for action while undertaking its parliamentary business.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 8. (seven)
March 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Moncion, seconded by the Honourable Senator Simons:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on the Canadian assisted human reproduction legislative and regulatory framework and any other related issues deemed relevant by the committee, when and if the committee is formed; and
That the committee submit its final report on this study to the Senate no later than October 31, 2023, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 10.
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean:
That the Senate of Canada:
(a)acknowledge that racism, in all its forms, was a cornerstone upon which the residential school system was created;
(b)acknowledge that racism, discrimination and abuse were rampant within the residential school system;
(c)acknowledge that the residential school system, created for the malevolent purpose of assimilation, has had profound and continuing negative impacts on Indigenous lives, cultures and languages; and
(d)apologize unreservedly for Canada’s role in the establishment of the residential school system, as well as its resulting adverse impacts, the effects of which are still seen and felt by countless Indigenous peoples and communities today.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 11. (thirteen)
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
That the Senate of Canada call on the federal government to adopt anti-racism as the sixth pillar of the Canada Health Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race and affording everyone the equal right to the protection and benefit of the law.—(Honourable Senator Duncan)
No. 12. (twelve)
November 25, 2021—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources be authorized to examine and report on the cumulative positive and negative impacts of resource extraction and development, and their effects on environmental, economic and social considerations, when and if the committee is formed; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2022.—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 19. (eight)
March 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Patterson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Greene:
Whereas the Senate provides representation for groups that are often underrepresented in Parliament, such as Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities and women;
Whereas paragraph (3) of section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867 requires that, in order to be qualified for appointment to and to maintain a place in the Senate, a person must own land with a net worth of at least four thousand dollars in the province for which he or she is appointed;
Whereas a person’s personal circumstances or the availability of real property in a particular location may prevent him or her from owning the required property;
Whereas appointment to the Senate should not be restricted to those who own real property of a minimum net worth;
Whereas the existing real property qualification is inconsistent with the democratic values of modern Canadian society and is no longer an appropriate or relevant measure of the fitness of a person to serve in the Senate;
Whereas, in the case of Quebec, each of the twenty-four Senators representing the province must be appointed for and must have either their real property qualification in or be resident of a specified Electoral Division;
Whereas an amendment to the Constitution of Canada in relation to any provision that applies to one or more, but not all, provinces may be made by proclamation issued by the Governor General under the Great Seal of Canada only where so authorized by resolutions of the Senate and House of Commons and of the legislative assembly of each province to which the amendment applies;
Whereas the Supreme Court of Canada has determined that a full repeal of paragraph (3) of section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867, respecting the real property qualification of Senators, would require a resolution of the Quebec National Assembly pursuant to section 43 of the Constitution Act, 1982;
Now, therefore, the Senate resolves that an amendment to the Constitution of Canada be authorized to be made by proclamation issued by Her Excellency the Governor General under the Great Seal of Canada in accordance with the Schedule hereto.
SCHEDULE
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF CANADA
1.(1) Paragraph (3) of section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867 is repealed.
(2) Section 23 of the Act is amended by replacing the semi-colon at the end of paragraph (5) with a period and by repealing paragraph (6).
2.The Declaration of Qualification set out in The Fifth Schedule to the Act is replaced by the following:
I, A.B., do declare and testify that I am by law duly qualified to be appointed a member of the Senate of Canada.
3. This Amendment may be cited as the Constitution Amendment, [year of proclamation] (Real property qualification of Senators).—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 30. (seven)
February 8, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Tannas, seconded by the Honourable Senator Black:
That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules, previous order or usual practice:
1.except as provided in this order, the question not be put on the motion for third reading of a government bill unless the orders for resuming debate at second and third reading have, together, been called at least three times, in addition to the sittings at which the motions for second and third readings were moved;
2.when a government bill has been read a first time, and before a motion is moved to set the date for second reading, the Leader of the Government in the Senate or the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate may, without notice, move that the bill be deemed an urgent matter, and that the provisions of paragraph 1 of this order not apply to proceedings on the bill; and
3.when a motion has been moved pursuant to paragraph 2 of this order, the following provisions apply:
(a)the debate shall only deal with whether the bill should be deemed an urgent matter or not;
(b)the debate shall not be adjourned;
(c)the debate shall last a maximum of 20 minutes;
(d)no senator shall speak for more than 5 minutes;
(e)no senators shall speak more than once;
(f)the debate shall not be interrupted for any purpose, except for the reading of a message from the Crown or an event announced in such a message;
(g)the debate may continue beyond the ordinary time of adjournment, if necessary, until the conclusion of the debate and consequential business;
(h)the time taken in debate and for any vote shall not count as part of Routine Proceedings;
(i)no amendment or other motion shall be received, except a motion that a certain senator be now heard or do now speak;
(j)when debate concludes or the time for debate expires, the Speaker shall put the question; and
(k)any standing vote requested shall not be deferred, and the bells shall ring for only 15 minutes.—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 50. (ten)
March 3, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dean, seconded by the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain:
That, pursuant to rule 12-18(2), for the remainder of this session, the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to meet at their approved meeting time as determined by the third report of the Committee of Selection, adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, on any Monday which immediately precedes a Tuesday when the Senate is scheduled to sit, even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding a week.—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 52. (ten)
March 3, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Cormier, seconded by the Honourable Senator Kutcher:
That, pursuant to rule 12-18(2), for the remainder of this session, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages be authorized to meet at their approved meeting time on any Monday which immediately precedes a Tuesday when the Senate is scheduled to sit, even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding a week.—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 55. (ten)
March 3, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Bellemare, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cordy:
That, pursuant to rule 12-18(2), for the remainder of this session, the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament be authorized to meet at their approved meeting time as determined by the third report of the Committee of Selection, adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, on any Monday which immediately precedes a Tuesday when the Senate is scheduled to sit, even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding a week.—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 57. (six)
April 5, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Marwah, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan:
That section 2 of Chapter 4:03 of the Senate Administrative Rules (SARs) be amended by adding the following after subsection (2):
“(3) During periods of prorogation and dissolution, the senators who were members of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Committee of Selection on the day on which Parliament was prorogued or dissolved may exercise collectively the powers of the Committee of Selection under subsection (2).
(4) If a senator referred to in subsection (3) retires, resigns or otherwise ceases to be a member of a particular recognized party or recognized parliamentary group for any reason during a period of prorogation or dissolution, he or she simultaneously ceases to be a member of the Committee of Selection for the purposes of subsection (3), with the resulting vacancy to be filled by the leader or facilitator of the party or group to which the senator had belonged.”—(Honourable Senator Martin)
Inquiries
No. 2. (one)
December 2, 2021—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Simons, calling the attention of the Senate to the challenges and opportunities that Canadian municipalities face, and to the importance of understanding and redefining the relationships between Canada’s municipalities and the federal government.—(Honourable Senator Housakos)
No. 3. (four)
December 9, 2021—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Boyer, calling the attention of the Senate to the positive contributions and impacts that Métis, Inuit, and First Nations have made to Canada, and the world.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 4. (ten)
March 3, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Coyle, calling the attention of the Senate to the importance of finding solutions to transition Canada’s society, economy and resource use in pursuit of a fair, prosperous, sustainable and peaceful net-zero emissions future for our country and the planet.—(Honourable Senator Wells)
No. 5. (fourteen)
December 2, 2021—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., calling the attention of the Senate to the role and mandate of the RCMP, the skills and capabilities required for it to fulfill its role and mandate, and how it should be organized and resourced in the 21st century.—(Honourable Senator Busson)
No. 6. (nine)
March 22, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator McPhedran, calling the attention of the Senate to parliamentary privilege, the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators and options for increasing accountability, transparency and fairness in the context of the Senate’s unique self-governance, including guidelines on public disclosure.—(Honourable Senator Pate)
No. 7. (eleven)
February 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Downe, calling the attention of the Senate to:
(a)The importance of the federal government as Canada’s largest single employer, with over 230,000 civilian employees;
(b)The fact that, although everyone understands that a significant portion of federal employees would be based in the nation’s capital, in recent years a trend has developed whereby the distribution of jobs between Ottawa and the regions has become more and more disproportionate in favour of the National Capital Region; and
(c)The role of the Senate in examining and discussing the opportunities for decentralizing federal government jobs and services, and urging the Government of Canada to restore the historical distribution of employment to one third of jobs in the National Capital Region and two thirds in the rest of the country, thereby contributing to the economic growth and stability of the regions of Canada.—(Honourable Senator Griffin)
Other
Nil
Notice Paper
Motions
No. 53. (ten)
By the Honourable Senator Tannas:
March 2, 2022—That a Special Senate Committee on the Invocation of the Emergencies Act be appointed to conduct a review of the public order emergency proclaimed on February 14, 2022;
That, without limiting its mandate, the committee be authorized to:
1.conduct a review of the circumstances that led to the proclamation being issued and the measures taken for dealing with the emergency;
2.examine if and how the invocation of the act affected the privileges of Parliament and of all parliamentarians;
3.review the application of the Senate’s Rules and procedures following a proclamation of an emergency;
4.examine all relevant information held by the government pertaining to the public order emergency;
5.examine the extent to which the oath of secrecy under section 62(3) of the Emergencies Act affords the Parliamentary Review Committee, to be established under section 62 of that act, access to classified information;
6.consider proposals for amendments to the Emergencies Act based on issues that emerged; and
7.review the definition of Parliamentary Precinct under the Parliament of Canada Act to ensure security around the Parliamentary Precinct;
That the committee be composed of nine members, to be designated by the whips and liaisons of all the recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups, by means of a notice, signed by all of them and filed with the Clerk of the Senate, who shall have the notice recorded in the Journals of the Senate;
That five members constitute a quorum;
That, notwithstanding rule 12-15(2), the committee be empowered to hold in camera meetings for the purpose of hearing witnesses and gathering specialized or sensitive information, and the documents and evidence related to such meetings not be made public;
That, notwithstanding rule 12-13(1), the committee hold its organization meeting no later than 30 days after the members are designated by the whips and liaisons of the recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups;
That the committee be authorized to retain the services of expert, professional, technical and clerical staff, including legal counsel;
That, pursuant to rule 12-18(2), the committee be empowered to meet during any adjournment of the Senate;
That the committee have the power to send for persons, papers and records; to hear witnesses; and to publish such papers and evidence from day to day as may be ordered by the committee;
That the papers and evidence received and taken and the work accomplished by the Special Senate Committee on the Pearson Airport Agreements in relation to the appendix to its final report, from December 1995, entitled The Power to Send for Persons, Papers and Records: Theory, Practice and Problems, during the First Session of the Thirty-fifth Parliament, be referred to the committee;
That the committee be authorized to report from time to time, submit a comprehensive interim report no later than June 15, 2022, and submit its final report no later than December 15, 2022;
That the committee be permitted to deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, with the reports then being deemed to have been tabled or presented in the Senate; and
That the committee retain the powers necessary to publicize its findings for 60 days after submitting its final report.
Inquiries
No. 1. (fifteen)
By the Honourable Senator Dasko:
November 24, 2021—That she will call the attention of the Senate to the role of leaders’ debates in enhancing democracy by engaging and informing voters.
Written Questions
No. 1.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the 5G security review:
1.According to public statements made by former Minister Ralph Goodale, the current government has been conducting a review of whether to allow Huawei to join Canada’s 5G network since at least September 2018. On what date did the 5G security review formally begin?
2.Which departments, agencies or other entities of the Government of Canada have been involved in this review since 2018?
3.How many full-time equivalents have been assigned to this review since it began?
4.How much funding has been allocated to this review since it began?
5.When is the review expected to be completed?
6.Have any preliminary reports or findings on this matter been provided to any government Minister? If so, on which date, and in which department or agency?
7.Will a final report be submitted? If so, who will receive it, and will it be publicly available, in whole or in part?
No. 3.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding suicide prevention:
In December 2020, the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion calling upon the federal government to take immediate action in collaboration with our provinces to establish a National Suicide Prevention hotline that consolidates all suicide crisis numbers into one easy to remember three-digit (9-8-8) hotline that is accessible to all Canadians.
1.What work has been done to date to implement a three-digit suicide prevention hotline?
2.How has the Government of Canada collaborated with the provinces and territories on this work? When did this work begin? Has it been completed?
3.How many public servants at Health Canada or any other department or agency of the Government of Canada are working on the implementation of this hotline, on either a full-time or part-time basis?
4.What is the budget allocated to support work to create this hotline?
5.What interaction has taken place to date between the Government of Canada and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regarding the implementation of this hotline?
6.What date is this hotline expected to be operational?
7.Is the Government of Canada considering a different number other than 9-8-8 for the national suicide prevention hotline?
No. 4.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Finance Canada:
1.Prior to the announcement of Mr. Dominic Barton as Chair of the Government of Canada’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth in February 2016, did he undergo a vetting process? Did any of the 14 members of the council undergo a vetting process prior to the government’s announcement of the composition of the council in March 2016? If so, who conducted the vetting?
2.Was a security screening conducted for the Chair of the council? Were security screenings conducted for any of the other members of the council? If so, who conducted the security screening? If security screenings were not conducted, why not?
3.Was the Chair required to disclose his involvement with foreign state-owned enterprises prior to being named to the council? Were any of the other members of the council required to disclose their involvement with foreign state-owned entities prior to being named to the council? If not, why not?
4.While council members were paid a salary of $1, their expenses were reimbursed by the Government of Canada. How much was reimbursed by the Government of Canada for each of the council members? What is the total amount reimbursed to council members as a whole?
No. 5.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB):
An answer provided to Order Paper question No. 114 in the 43rd Parliament, received on March 17, 2021 stated: “…Canadian companies have directly benefited economically from the AIIB. We are aware of three Canadian firms having signed contracts as part of the AIIB’s corporate procurement since Canada officially joined the AIIB in March 2018. In 2018, Hatch provided consulting services on an AIIB-financed project in Uzbekistan. In 2019, Edmonton-based Insignia Software Corporation provided library management system services to the institution. In 2020, EQ Consulting Inc. was awarded two separate contracts by the AIIB for the implementation of market risk tools and order management systems support.”
1.How many jobs were created in Canada through Hatch providing consulting services on an AIIB-financed project in Uzbekistan? How many of these were middle-class jobs?
2.How many jobs were created in Canada through Insignia Software Corporation providing library management system services to the institution? How many of these were middle-class jobs?
3.How many jobs were created in Canada through EQ Consulting Inc. being awarded two contracts for the AIIB for the implementation of market risk tools and order management systems support? How many of these were middle-class jobs?
4.Have any other AIIB contracts been awarded to Canadian companies since the original answer was provided? If so, what are they, and how many middle-class jobs in Canada did they create?
5.The answer stated: “In September 2020, the AIIB also collaborated with the Canadian Embassy in Beijing to organize an informational webinar for Canadian companies to introduce them to the Bank and potential business opportunities.” How many Canadian businesses were awarded contracts with the AIIB following this webinar? How many middle-class jobs in Canada were created as a result?
6.The answer also states: “The AIIB’s Treasury Department has also worked with Canadian financial institutions, such as TD, BMO, RBC and Scotiabank, as part of its funding program. The AIIB is also working with Canadian regulators and legal advisors towards its first issuance on the Canadian fixed income market (known as the “Maple Bond” market).” How many Canadian businesses were awarded contracts with the AIIB as part of this initiative? How many middle-class jobs in Canada were created as a result?
No. 6.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Government of Canada’s $5.9 billion financial support agreement with Air Canada announced on April 12, 2021:
1.During its negotiations with Air Canada, did the Government of Canada ask Air Canada to disclose information regarding bonuses, share appreciation units, or other compensation paid to executives and management during the COVID-19 pandemic? If not, why not?
2.Did Air Canada provide this information to the Government of Canada? If so, when, and which department(s)/Minister’s office(s) received this information?
No. 7.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding excise duty on alcohol products:
1.What is the total amount of excise duty taxes collected by the federal government through its alcohol escalator tax for the fiscal year 2020-2021?
2.How much was collected for each type of alcohol?
(a)Wine
(b)Beer
(c)Spirits
No. 10.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Governor in Council (GIC) Appointments:
1.Could the Government of Canada provide a list of all GIC appointments for each province and territory from October 2015 to date, including the name of the appointee, the appointment received, and the length of the term?
2.Currently, how many vacancies are there in GIC appointed positions, and what is the percentage of vacancies compared to the total number of GIC positions?
No. 11.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Ministerial Appointments:
Could the Government of Canada provide a list of all Ministerial appointments for each province and territory from November 2016 to date, including the name of the appointee, the appointment received, and the length of the term?
No. 14.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Crown-Indigenous Relations:
Bill C-15 came into force on June 21, 2021 and under terms of the legislation, the Minister “must, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples and with other federal ministers, prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of the Declaration”. Additionally, the preparation of the action plan “must be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than two years after the day on which this section comes into force”.
The Government has pledged to engage Indigenous partners to understand their priorities. It has specifically stated that it will consult with: national and regional indigenous organizations, indigenous rights holders, modern treaty and self-governing nations, women’s and youth organizations, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous persons, urban Indigenous people and other identified Indigenous groups.
Ms. Laurie Sargent, Assistant Deputy Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, told the Senate Committee that the process would require “meaningful participation, seeking to get consensus at a national level. This is going to be a complex undertaking and we will be guided by the principle of free, prior and informed consent, as well as the concepts of consultation and cooperation”.
Former Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett also told the Senate Aboriginal Peoples Committee on May 7, 2021: “We’ve already begun preliminary discussions with Indigenous partners on the design of that process”
1.In this regard, could the government provide a full list of:
(a)A list of all stakeholders consulted in the “preliminary discussions” with Indigenous partners that were referenced in former Minister Bennett’s statement to the Senate Aboriginal Peoples Committee on May 7, 2021? A list of all stakeholders (specifically: all national and regional indigenous organizations, indigenous rights holders, modern treaty and self-governing nations, women’s and youth organizations, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous persons, urban Indigenous people and other identified Indigenous groups) who have been consulted since Bill C-15 came into force?
(b)All stakeholders consulted in relation to the design of the “action plan consultation process”, to ensure that it is inclusive, equitable and addresses the concerns of treaty holders? Could the government outline how it will ensure that “meaningful participation” of all rights holders will be ensured in a manner that conforms to the principle of “free, prior and informed consent” for those rights holders?
2.Could the government provide a description and road map of the consultation process going forward, including the envisaged timeline and key milestones for completing that process?
No. 16.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF):
Prior to agreeing to settle class-action lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in the Canada Armed Forces, in late 2017 the federal government argued in a court filing to strike the proceedings that it did not “owe a private law duty of care to individual members within the CAF to provide a safe and harassment-free work environment, or to create policies to prevent sexual harassment or sexual assault.” The federal government also argued it had no duty “to create policies to prevent sexual harassment or sexual assault which are already prohibited by the Canadian Human Rights Act.”
1.When was the former Minister of National Defence and/or his office made aware this argument would be made to the court?
2.When was the Prime Minister and/or his office made aware this argument would be made to the court?
3.Was this class-action lawsuit ever discussed before the former Cabinet Committee on Litigation Management? If so, on which dates?
4.Why did the federal government believe these arguments were justified in 2017, especially given that Operation Honour was initiated in 2015?
No. 17.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC):
1. How much did the CBC’s failed lawsuit against the Conservative Party of Canada cost Canadian taxpayers?
2. How is this amount broken down by the CBC’s legal fees, the costs awarded to the Conservative Party, and any other expenses that were incurred?
No. 19.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Chapter 2 of the Auditor General of Canada’s Spring 2021 report reviewing the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) management of the Canada Child Benefit:
1. The Auditor General noted: “According to program eligibility conditions, benefit payments are supposed to go to the parent who is the primary caregiver for a child or children, where the parent is not otherwise a shared-custody parent. By law, the primary caregiver is presumed to be the female parent. Given the diversity of families today in Canada, this concept has had an impact on the administration of the program.” CRA’s response to the Auditor General’s recommendation 4.42 was as follows: “…(t)he agency will review procedures and communications tools, such as the Canada.ca website, applicable guides, and forms. The review will be to ensure that information is readily available to help everyone understand the steps required for the primary caregiver of a family to receive the Canada Child Benefit.”
(a)Has the CRA completed this review of its procedures and communications tools? If so, when was the review completed?
(b)If the review was completed, what changes were made as a result? If the review has not yet been completed, why not, and when is it expected to be finished?
2.The Auditor General recommended that CRA require a valid proof of birth for all Canada Child Benefit applications. CRA’s response stated: “The agency will conduct a review to determine risks associated with the requirement to provide a valid proof of birth for all applications. The agency will also review the timing of when this documentation should be provided to validate and support the Canada Child Benefit application.”
(a)Has the CRA completed these reviews? If so, when were they completed?
(b)If the reviews were completed, what changes were made as a result? If the reviews have not been completed, why not, and when are they expected to be finished?
No. 21.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Investment Development Corporation (CDEV):
In fall/winter 2016, the Government of Canada engaged Credit Suisse to provide financial advice regarding the privatization of Canadian airports. An answer to Senate Order Paper question No. 2 in the 43rd Parliament stated “In processing Parliamentary Returns, the Government applies the Privacy Act and the principles set out in the Access to Information Act. As a result, information pertaining to the cost and publication of the Credit Suisse study have been withheld on the following grounds: a) Economic interests; b) Financial and commercial interests of a third party.”
1.Since 2016, how many reports provided to CDEV have been withheld from public release under the rationale stated above?
2.Since 2016, how many reports provided to CDEV by Credit Suisse have been withheld from public release under the rational stated above?
No. 22.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Department of National Defence (DND):
1.On what date in 2018 did the annual performance reviews for the Department of National Defence’s Order in Council appointments begin and on what date did they end? When did the annual performance review for the then-Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance begin and when did it end?
2.What was the approval process surrounding the pay raise for the Chief of Defence Staff in 2018? Did this process differ from any other process surrounding pay increases for the department’s other Order in Council appointments that year? If so, how was it different?
3.Were National Defence and the Privy Council Office the only two departments of the Government of Canada involved in this process in 2018? If not, which other departments were involved?
4.Did all of DND’s Order in Council appointments receive increases to their base salary and/or performance or “at risk” pay following their performance review in 2018? How many did not receive such increases?
No. 23.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB):
The Department of Employment and Social Development Canada admitted that it knowingly paid $500 million in CERB payments to those who were already collecting Employment Insurance and ineligible for it. This was a design of the program, not a bug, Deputy Minister Graham Flack told the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee: “We knew when we were launching the benefit that it was not possible in the time we had to have real-time reconciliation between the two systems.”
1.At the time CERB was launching and there was no expectation to have “real-time reconciliation between the two systems”, when was it expected that reconciliation would take place?
2.What (if any) measures were put in place to ensure reconciliation would take place?
3.If no measures were put in place at the time, what measures were put in place after the launch to establish reconciliation?
4.Was there an estimate at the time of the total cost of ineligible payments that would be sent out? If it was not $500 million, what was it? Was the Minister provided with that estimate? If not, why not?
5.How much money has been recovered so far?
6.In May 2020 when news of fraudulent applications for CERB became public, the Prime Minister said, “Of course there is going to be a few people who misrepresent themselves and try to defraud the situation.” How many people account for the half a billion dollars in overpayments? Is it a few, or more than a few?
No. 26.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding essential workers:
On February 14, 2021, former Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told the CBC: “We’re working very closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada and also with our provincial health authorities to [look] at implementing a system of regular testing to help protect those essential workers and truck drivers that are coming into the country and also to ensure that they’re not the source of any new infection.”
1.Since February 14, 2021, how many rapid tests have been sent by the Government of Canada to the Canada-U.S. border to test essential workers and truck drivers entering Canada for COVID-19? How is this number broken down by province?
2.Since February 14, 2021, how many of these rapid tests have been used at the Canada-U.S. border to test essential workers and truck drivers entering Canada for COVID-19? How is this number broken down by province?
3.How many of these essential workers and truck drivers have tested positive for COVID-19? How is this number broken down by province?
No. 27.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding COVID-19:
1.How many breakthrough cases of COVID-19 amongst fully-vaccinated Canadians have occurred to date?
2.What is the breakdown of these cases by:
(a)Province/Territory
(b)Age Group
(c)Type of COVID-19 vaccine received
3.How many of these breakthrough cases were in immunocompromised Canadians or those with underlying health conditions?
4.How many of these breakthrough cases have been hospitalized across Canada?
5.How many of these breakthrough cases have died across Canada?
No. 28.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 emergency response programs:
1.How much has been spent to date by each government department or agency on external consultants in relation to its COVID-19 emergency response programs?
2.For related contracts in each department or agency, please provide:
(a)The name of the recipient firm or individual of a related contract
(b)The amount of the contract(s)
(c)The date the contract began and ended, and
(d)A summary of the work provided under the contract.
No. 29.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding flights in Canada containing COVID-positive passengers:
1.To date, how many flights in Canada have contained at least one passenger who tested positive for COVID-19?
2.How many of these flights were domestic, and how many were international?
3.How many passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 were arriving or in transit from international destinations?
4.How many impacted fellow passengers were contacted by public health authorities to inform them of the positive case on their flight?
No. 30.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding mental health:
On May 3, 2020, the Prime Minister announced $240 million to develop, expand, and launch virtual care and mental health tools for Canadians.
1. Which mental health organizations in Canada were consulted prior to this announcement?
2. How much of this $240 million has been expended to date, and how is this broken down?
3. How much of this funding has been provided to mental health care organizations across Canada? Which groups received this funding? How were the specific allocations determined?
4. The bi-weekly report on the Government of Canada’s emergency COVID-19 spending dated August 6, 2020, stated: “Work on virtual care is proceeding with ongoing discussions with PTs.” Have agreements on virtual care since been reached with all provinces and territories? If not, which provinces and territories have reached agreements with the federal government? How much of this $240 million has been allocated to the provinces and territories to date?
5. How has the government promoted the Wellness Together Canada portal? How much has been spent on advertising to raise its awareness amongst Canadians? Does this funding come from the $240 million?
No. 31.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding COVID-19 research:
On March 24, 2021, the Government of Canada issued a Security Policy Statement warning the research community in Canada — especially those involved in COVID-19 research — about foreign espionage and/or interference activities.
“These activities pose threats to the integrity of Canada’s research enterprise, as well as our country’s national security, long-term economic competitiveness and prosperity”, the statement warned.
It further encouraged “all members of the research community — including those in government, academia, and the private sector — to take extra precautions to protect the security of their research, intellectual property, and knowledge development.”
This statement followed one on September 14, 2020 that specifically warned the COVID-19 research community to be vigilant and alert to possible threats to their people and their work. It specifically mentioned the actions of hostile actors targeting COVID-19 related research in Canada.
1.What prompted the security warning in September 2020? Was this warning in any way related to the ill-advised and failed Canada-China collaboration on vaccines that fell apart shortly after it was announced in May 2020? Did any suspicion or evidence of foreign state espionage prompt the September 2020 warning?
2.In total, how many research collaborations with which is Canada engaged are being carried out with organizations in countries that would be considered potentially hostile actors by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)? Who are those actors?
3.How many research collaborations with which Canada is engaged, specifically related to COVID-19, are being carried out with organizations in countries that would be considered potentially hostile actors by CSIS? Who are those actors?
4.Have any breaches occurred or been reported as a result of research collaborations and if so, how many?
5.Has a list of the most worrisome, or potentially troublesome, actors been provided to the research community involved in collaboration?
6.The security warning specifically identifies both human and cyber-security threats. How many breaches can be categorized as human and how many as cyber-security breaches?
7.What security precautions were in place prior to these warnings? Have they been enhanced? If so, how?
8.In “Safeguarding Your Research”, a government online guide for researchers, it says that “Some countries view academia and associated research and innovation as an opportunity to advance their own objectives. They seek to increase their own economic prosperity at the expense of other nations through espionage or other illicit means.” In August 2020, after the vaccine deal with China collapsed, Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, a former Assistant Deputy Minister in charge of vaccine collaboration with China specifically identified China as just such a country. Why did Canada get involved with China on vaccine production when it was well known by our officials and intelligence agencies that it is a hostile actor engaged in espionage?
No. 32.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
The Fall 2017 report of the Auditor General of Canada found the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) blocked more than half of the calls it received (about 29 million out of 53.5 million) because it could not handle the volume.
1.How many calls did CRA receive in 2020 and to date in 2021?
2.How many of these calls were blocked, by number and percentage?
3.How many of these calls reached an agent, by number and percentage?
4.How many of these calls went to automated self-service options, by number and percentage?
5.How many of these calls went to automated self-service options and the caller hung up in less than one minute, by number and percentage?
6.How many of these calls went to automated self-service options and the call lasted one minute or longer, by number and percentage?
No. 33.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
In April 2018, the CBC reported that tax reassessment rates across Canada’s North were several times higher than the national average. Reassessment rates between 2014 and 2016 were 12 to 15% in Nunavut, 11 to 14% in Yukon, and 13 to 16% in the Northwest Territories, while the national reassessment rate was about 4.6% for the same time period.
What were the tax reassessment rates in Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020?
No. 34.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA):
1.Does CRA track the number of women living in shelters across Canada who are able to receive the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) annually?
(a)If so, how many of these women received the CCB each year since 2018, the year in which the Taxpayer’s Ombudsman released a report looking into challenges faced by women living in shelters in accessing this benefit?
(b)If not, why not?
2.In 2018, CRA agreed with the three recommendations brought forward by the Taxpayer’s Ombudsman in the “Benefits Unsheltered” report.
(a)What progress has been made by CRA on each of the three recommendations?
(b)How is this progress measured?
No. 36.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Global Affairs Canada:
Since January 1, 2016 to date, which Canadian diplomats have received a remuneration higher than the official pay scale, and what is the position and salary range of these individuals?
No. 37.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Department of National Defence (DND):
In March 2020, it was estimated that infrastructure maintenance and repair work at National Defence has been underspent by almost $250 million since 2015-16.
1.Does DND concur that their backlog in infrastructure repairs is about $250 million? If not, what is the current estimate for the backlog?
2.What proportion of real property, which DND is obligated to maintain, is actually in operational use by the department? Has National Defence made such an assessment?
3.A 2016 internal audit found that electrical outages, sewer backups, and other disruptions could threaten operations and the health and safety of the men and women of our Armed Forces. How has DND worked to address the issues raised in that audit?
4.In October 2013, the previous Conservative government launched Defence Renewal, a strategy to find efficiencies that would be reinvested back into Defence. In 2015, the Liberal election platform promised to make defence transformation a priority, but that was never reflected in mandate letters for the Minister of National Defence. To what extent were the following objectives met, as originally set in the Defence Renewal Initiative?
(a)To reinvest $750 million to $1,200 million in higher priority initiatives annually by 2017-18.
(b)To internally re-prioritize between 2,800 and 4,800 military and civilian personnel on higher value work, either within a given organization, or elsewhere within Defence.
(c)To “rationalize the real property portfolio to be efficient, effective, operationally relevant, affordable, and sustainable and to support the roles and missions of the Canadian Armed Forces”.
No. 38.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding classified or protected documents:
1.Across the Government of Canada, from January 1, 2020 to date, how many documents have been handled or stored in a manner which did not meet the requirements of the document’s security level?
2.Which government departments or agencies have seen the most incidents of improperly handled or stored documents from January 1, 2020 to date?
3.Have any security clearances been revoked in relation to the treatment of these documents from January 1, 2020 to date? If so, how many?
4.What guidance regarding the treatment of documents has been given to public servants working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic?
5.How do government agencies and departments conduct security checks to monitor the proper handling of documents remotely?
6.Have any “Protected C”, “Confidential”, “Secret”, and “Top Secret” documents been worked on from home during the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, how many, and from which departments or agencies?
No. 39.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding government advertising:
1.Since April 2018, how much have Government of Canada departments and agencies spent on Facebook and Instagram advertising, promotions, and sponsored posts and videos?
2.How is this spending broken down by government department and agency?
3.How much have Government of Canada departments and agencies spent on Facebook and Instagram advertising, promotions, and sponsored posts and videos specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic?
4.How much has the Government of Canada collected in GST from Facebook and Instagram ads on these platforms since 2019?
No. 40.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding seizures of fentanyl by Canadian law enforcement:
1.What quantity of fentanyl was seized by Canadian law enforcement authorities in 2020 and to date in 2021?
2.What is the estimated street value of the amount seized?
3.How does the quantity of fentanyl seized in 2020 and to date in 2021 break down by country of origin?
4.What was the average concentration of samples of seized fentanyl analysed by Health Canada in 2020 and to date in 2021? What was the highest concentration found?
5.What is the country of origin of the most highly concentrated seized fentanyl analysed by Health Canada in 2020 and to date in 2021?
6.In March 2017, Acting Chief Superintendent Andris Zarins (Director General, Federal Coordination Centres and Covert Operations, Federal Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police) told the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs: “With respect to China, the RCMP recently renewed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security that enhances law enforcement cooperation between the two law enforcement agencies. It strengthens cooperation on crime prevention and criminal investigations involving illegal drugs, tri-national crime, and smuggling. China has committed to cooperate with Canada and other international partners to disrupt the export of fentanyl, including classifying a number of fentanyl analogues as controlled substances under Chinese law and investigating leads provided by Canadian law enforcement.”
(a)Is this memorandum of understanding still operational? If not, when did it end, and why?
No. 41.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Government of Canada’s firearms buy-back program:
1. How was IBM Canada chosen to develop the framework of the Government of Canada’s firearms buy-back program? What was the criteria used to award this contract to IBM? When awarding this contract, did the Government of Canada take into account previous experiences with IBM, specifically on the Phoenix pay system?
2. On May 14, 2021, IBM’s contract with Public Safety Canada was increased by $395,688.37, to a revised estimated cost of $1,573,148.37.
(a)What was the reason for this increase?
(b)Has IBM’s contract been increased or decreased since May 2021? If so, what is the current revised estimated cost, and what was the reason(s) for the change to the contract?
3.How much has been spent to date by the Firearms Buy-back Secretariat? What is the breakdown of this spending?
4.How many Public Safety Canada personnel have been assigned to work on the firearms buy-back program?
5.In June 2021, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported it will cost up to $756 million to buy back close to 518,000 firearms. Does the Government of Canada dispute these figures?
No. 43.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding forced labour:
1. Since July 1, 2020, how many shipments of goods produced in whole or in part through forced labour have been stopped from entering Canada?
2. From which countries did these shipments originate?
3. What is the estimated value of these shipments?
4. How many shipments of imports that have been produced using forced and enslaved Uyghur labour have been stopped from entering Canada? What is the estimated value of these shipments?
5. Since July 1, 2020, how many companies that are a) sourcing directly or indirectly from Xinjiang or from entities relying on Uyghur labour, b) established in Xinjiang, or c) seeking to engage in the Xinjiang market, have signed an Integrity Declaration on Doing Business with Xinjiang Entities prior to receiving services and support from the Trade Commissioner Service?
No. 45.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding newspaper articles written by government departments and agencies:
1.In both 2020 and to date in 2021, how much did the Government of Canada pay to publish news articles written by government employees?
2.Which departments or agencies paid for the distribution of these articles, and how much in total did they spend?
3.In which newspapers did these articles appear?
No. 46.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding harassment complaints across the Government of Canada:
1.How many workplace harassment complaints were lodged across Government of Canada departments, agencies, or other entities in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
2.How many of these complaints completed all five steps in the harassment complaint process in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 (acknowledging receipt, reviewing the complaint, exploring options, rendering a decision and notifying in writing, and restoring the well-being of the workplace)?
3.Which departments, agencies, or other entities were among the top five across the Government of Canada for harassment complaints lodged in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
4.Across the Government of Canada, how many cases of assault subject to the Criminal Code, including sexual assault and criminal harassment, were referred to the appropriate authorities in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
5.How much was paid out in settlements across Government of Canada departments, agencies or other entities in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
6.How many individuals received these settlements in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021?
No. 47.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the residences situated at Harrington Lake:
1.When was the “Caretaker’s House”, originally built in 1850, moved and renamed the “Farmhouse”?
2.Was the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Office and/or the Privy Council Office involved in the decision to move the Caretaker’s House?
3.What are the detailed costs of moving the Caretaker’s House and renovating the Farmhouse?
4.What is the budget for renovating the main cottage?
5.What is the timeline to complete the renovations?
No. 50.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Huawei:
1.Since 2016, how many departments, agencies, granting councils or other entities of the Government of Canada have entered into partnerships or awarded contracts to Huawei?
2.For each of these contracts or partnerships, could the government provide the following?
(a)Date
(b)Amount
(c)Start and end date of the contract
(d)Description of goods or services provided
(e)Whether the contract was sole-sourced or tendered
(f)Whether a security check was conducted in relation to the contract
3.What is the total value of all contracts or partnerships entered into with Huawei since 2016?
No. 51.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding human trafficking:
1.The 2019 Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls noted that while Indigenous women represented only 4% of Canada’s population in 2016, they comprised nearly 50% of victims of human trafficking. Is this figure still accurate? If not, what is the current figure?
2.How has the Government of Canada worked to address issues raised in the Final Report surrounding human trafficking? Specifically:
(a)Difficulties with cooperation across different policing jurisdictions
(b)Lack of reliable data about human trafficking networks
(c)Lack of reliable data about recruitment methods in areas targeted by traffickers.
3.In September 2019, the Government of Canada reinstated a National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, which had been cancelled in 2016. How much of the $75 million under this plan has been allocated to directly help protect Indigenous women and girls against human trafficking? How has this funding been allocated?
4.Part of the September 2019 announcement included a commitment that Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) would “…enhance federal procurement supply chains with the goal of ensuring that they are free from human trafficking and labour exploitation”.
(a)How many federal suppliers have had their contracts cancelled in relation to human trafficking since September 2019?
(b)What is the total number and the value of these cancelled contracts?
(c)How does PSPC monitor compliance amongst its suppliers to ensure federal procurement supply chains are free from human trafficking?
No. 55.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Government of Canada contracts:
1.Since 2016, how many departments, agencies or other entities of the Government of Canada have entered into partnerships or awarded contracts to social media influencers or digital influencers for sponsored content?
2.For each of these contracts or partnerships, could the government provide the following?
(a)Date
(b)Amount
(c)Start and end date of the contract
(d)Description of goods or services provided
(e)Whether the contract was sole-sourced or tendered
(f)Whether the contract specified if the content must be identified as sponsored
3.What is the total value of all contracts or partnerships entered into with social media influencers or digital influencers since 2016?
No. 58.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding interprovincial trade:
1.What is the current annual cost to the Canadian economy of interprovincial trade barriers, in both dollar figures and as a percentage of GDP?
2.What are the concrete measures taken by the Government of Canada since 2016 to improve internal trade within the country?
3.Can the government identify specific barriers to trade between provinces that have been taken down within the last year?
4.Has the Government of Canada implemented any recommendations from the 2016 report Tear Down These Walls: Dismantling Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers from the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce? If so, which recommendations? If not, why not?
5.Which provinces allow interprovincial alcohol shipments under amendments to the Importation of Intoxicating Liquor Act in 2012 and 2014?
6.Is the Canadian Free Trade Agreement’s Regulatory and Reconciliation Cooperation Table on track to meet the timelines laid out to complete each of the items in its work plan dated September 2020?
7.On July 19, 2018, following his appointment as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc stated his intention to streamline interprovincial trade.
(a)What are the concrete actions taken by Minister LeBlanc in the last three years to streamline interprovincial trade?
(b)Has the Government of Canada estimated the impact of Minister LeBlanc’s actions? Can it provide the data to that effect?
(c)What is Minister LeBlanc’s plan to streamline interprovincial trade?
No. 59.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Supreme Court of Canada’s R. v. Jordan decision of July 2016:
1.How many criminal cases were stayed in 2020 and to date in 2021 due to the timelines set out in the Jordan decision, broken down by province and territory?
2.How many applications to have criminal cases dismissed under Jordan timelines are currently pending in each province and territory?
3.Does the Department of Justice track the number of criminal cases in each province and territory that are in danger of being stayed due to the timelines set out in the Jordan decision? If so, how many cases in each province and territory are approaching the 18-month time limit? How many are approaching the 30-month time limit?
No. 62.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF):
1.How many companies and industry associations have contacted Minister’s offices and/or departments identifying problems with/requesting changes to the LEEFF? In particular, how many have contacted the following Ministers and/or their offices/departments since the LEEFF was launched?
(a)Prime Minister
(b)Deputy Prime Minister
(c)Minister of Finance
(d)Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
(e)Minister of Transport
(f)Minister of Natural Resources
2.Could the government break down the number of companies and industry associations which contacted the Government of Canada regarding changes to the LEEF by each economic sector listed below?
(a)Aerospace
(b)Airlines
(c)Manufacturing
(d)Oil and Gas
(e)Retail
(f)Tourism/Hospitality
3.How many applications did the LEEFF program receive?
No. 64.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding litigation:
1.How many legal claims currently pending involve the Government of Canada?
2.How many of these current legal claims name the Government of Canada as the defendant or respondent?
3.What is the potential liability of all current statements of claim against the Government of Canada?
4.For the fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, how much did the Department of Justice pay external law firms and other legal agents? How many law firms and agents received these funds, and what were the top ten recipients?
5.How much has been spent so far on external law firms and other legal agents in the current fiscal year?
No. 65.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding long-term care facilities for people with disabilities:
During Committee of the Whole in the Senate on May 1, 2020, Minister Carla Qualtrough was asked if she knew how many facilities for people with disabilities across Canada have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks, and if this is something the Minister was tracking. The Minister responded: “In terms of tracking, unfortunately, no, I couldn’t tell you with any certainty. I could tell you anecdotally, but there is no rigor attached to the numbers I would give you. I have heard some horrible stories.”
1.Has any Government of Canada department or agency tracked the number of outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities for people with disabilities across Canada? If so, how many have occurred, in total and by province?
2.How many COVID-19 cases are tied to outbreaks at long-term care facilities for people with disabilities, amongst staff and/or residents, in total and by province?
3.Which government department or agency is responsible for tracking these outbreaks? Is that information communicated to Employment and Social Development Canada?
No. 66.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Canada’s military justice system:
1.The Spring 2018 report of the Auditor General of Canada found that delays in resolving military justice cases contributed to 10 cases being dismissed or not proceeding to court martial. How many cases have been dismissed under similar circumstances since the release of the Auditor General’s report in May 2018?
2.The Auditor General found the average time to complete a court martial case was 17.7 months after charges were laid. What is the current average time to complete a court martial case after charges are laid?
3.When did the Justice Administration and Information Management System (JAIMS) become operational? How has the implementation of JAIMS reduced delays in the military justice system?
4.When did the Military Justice System Performance Monitoring Framework become operational? How has the implementation of this framework reduced delays in the military justice system?
5.Military justice system time standards were published in response to the Auditor General’s Spring 2018 report. What percentage of cases meet the time standards for each of the 31 identified phases of the military justice system?
No. 67.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—With respect to special ministerial exemptions granted under COVID-19 quarantine rules, please provide a list of all exemptions granted since March 10, 2020, including:
1.The total number of exemptions granted;
2.The individual to whom an exemption was granted;
3.The dates on which exemptions were granted;
4.The name of the Minister who granted the exemption;
5.The location in which the individual receiving the exemption entered Canada;
6.The reasons for each exemption that has been granted;
7.The proposed activities that the individual granted an exemption planned to engage in;
8.Whether any restrictions were placed by the Minister or their department on such activities in the context of the exemption granted; and
9.The nature of follow-up undertaken by the Minister or their department to ensure conditions were adhered to.
No. 69.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Global Affairs Canada (GAC):
1.How much did GAC spend in total on Mr. Bill Morneau’s failed bid to become Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development?
2.How many public servants at GAC worked on this campaign on either a full-time or part-time basis? What support did they provide? What is the total amount spent on staffing?
3.What was the total amount spent on hospitality? Were all hospitality costs incurred in Paris? If not, where else were they incurred?
4.Were any travel costs incurred by GAC? If so, how much in total was spent?
5.Were any other Government of Canada departments or agencies involved in Mr. Morneau’s campaign? If so:
(a)What support did they provide?
(b)How many public servants worked on the campaign, either on a full-time or part-time basis?
(c)What was the total amount spent on the campaign by the department or agency?
No. 72.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding witness testimony during the January 2019 pre-trial hearing of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman concerning Access to Information request processing in the Canadian Forces and Department of National Defence and the failed prosecution of the Vice-Admiral:
1. The Information Commissioner of Canada stated in her July 2020 Special Report to Parliament: “Information also came to my attention during the investigation that, in my view, was evidence of the possible commission of an offence under the Act during the processing of an access request related to Vice-Admiral Norman. Since I do not have the authority to investigate such offences, I disclosed this information to the Attorney General of Canada in February 2019.”
(a) When did the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada forward this matter to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada?
(b) What is the current status of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada investigation?
2. The Department of Justice has previously stated that the legal costs incurred in the failed prosecution of the Vice-Admiral were $1,425,389.68, as of Dec. 9, 2019. Is this number still accurate? If not, what is the updated amount?
No. 76.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding government contracts:
In Spring 2019, the Privy Council Office gave two sole-sourced contracts to WE Charity.
The first contract (Procurement Identification Number 8040926) from March 19th to March 31st was for $17,050.34. The information in the government’s contracts database states that it was for “Other professional services not elsewhere specified” and “Honoraria”.
The second contract (Procurement Identification Number 6026849) for “management consulting” was worth $24,996.00, just a few dollars under the threshold to advertise the contract for tendering. The contract ran from May 1st to May 3rd, 2019 and some of the only information about this contract in the database states: “conference/workshop services”.
1.Could the government please provide the following information on these two contracts:
(a)Who authorized these contracts?
(b)What were these contracts for?
(c)What work was provided?
(d)What was the location where the work was provided?
(e)Who received the money?
(f)Why were these contracts sole sourced instead of tendered?
2.With respect to PCO contract 8040926, no individual’s name was attached to this contract, as is the case with other “Honoraria” contracts in the government’s database. Why?
No. 77.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Privy Council Office (PCO):
In January 2016, Mr. Matthew Mendelsohn was appointed Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery) in the Privy Council Office. On March 4, 2020, the Prime Minister announced Mr. Mendelsohn had stepped down from his position.
1.What was Mr. Mendelsohn’s salary or salary range?
2.Did Mr. Mendelsohn receive severance pay or any amount after leaving his position?
3.Who replaced Mr. Mendelsohn as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery)?
4.How many PCO employees were assigned to Results and Delivery between January 2016 and March 2020?
5.What results were delivered by the Results and Delivery section of the Privy Council Office between January 2016 and March 2020?
No. 78.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Privy Council Office (PCO):
1.When did PCO’s Security Operations Division begin its investigation of the leak to former CBC journalist James Cudmore of Cabinet deliberations and decisions regarding the interim supply ships? When did PCO’s Security Operations Division end this investigation?
2.Were any outside investigators hired to assist in this PCO probe? If so, how many, and at what cost? What were the total costs associated with this investigation?
3.How many individuals were interviewed during the course of this investigation? Could a list of their names be provided?
4.Who received the final report from PCO’s Security Operations Division regarding this investigation? When was it submitted? Did PCO’s Security Operations Division recommend asking the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to investigate the leak?
5.On what date was the RCMP asked to investigate the leak? How was the request made, and who made the request?
6.How many investigations into leaks from Cabinet or any other government leaks have been conducted by PCO’s Security Operations Division since 2016?
(a)Was it asked to investigate the leak surrounding the judicial selection process of the 2017 Supreme Court appointment?
(b)Was it asked to investigate the leak of Statistics Canada’s labour force survey for April 2020?
No. 79.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the public service:
In 2018, changes to the rules surrounding performance pay for Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointees stated any performance pay and associated compensation could be clawed back if the appointee is found to have committed serious breaches of conduct or mismanagement in their annual performance review, or “willfully or recklessly” sought to hide or misrepresent their achievements such that any deficiencies would have been difficult to detect at the time of review.
1.Since 2018, how much performance pay and associated compensation has been recouped by the Government of Canada as a result of this policy change in the Performance Management Program?
2.How is the amount recouped broken down by the following categories?
(a)Performance Pay
(b)Bonuses
(c)In-range Increases
(d)Re-calculation of Pension Entitlements
3.From how many GIC appointees was this pay recouped?
4.How many GIC appointees received ratings of “did not meet” for performance reviews in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21?
5.What is the process for determining if a GIC appointee has willfully or recklessly sought to hide or misrepresent their achievements such that any deficiencies would have been difficult to detect at the time of the performance evaluation? How many of these processes have taken place to date?
No. 80.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC):
1.How many infants in Canada have been hospitalized for neonatal abstinence syndrome in each year since 2017? How are these numbers broken down by province and territory?
2.What percentage does this represent out of the total number of infants born each year?
3.Does PHAC track physical or mental development issues with infants hospitalized for neonatal abstinence syndrome? If so, what has this research shown since 2017?
No. 81.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding government spending:
An answer to a question on the House of Commons Order Paper tabled on November 16, 2020, found $2,778,152.26 was spent between March 1, 2020 and September 23, 2020 by the Government of Canada on plexiglass, cough and sneeze guards, protection partitions, and custom glass (for health protection) to prepare government offices for safe re-opening in response to COVID-19.
Could the government provide a break down of how each of these items were procured? Were these items sole-sourced, or were the respective procurement processes competitive?
No. 82.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the 2016 republication of the Prime Minister’s autobiography by a Chinese state-owned enterprise:
1. Did any Government of Canada entities provide security warnings or risk assessments to the Prime Minister’s Office and/or the Privy Council Office regarding the republication of the Prime Minister’s autobiography in China by a Chinese state-owned enterprise?
(a) If so, which department or agency relayed these assessments or warnings, and when?
(b) If so, what was the substance and content of that assessment or warning?
2. Did Global Affairs Canada, or any Canadian diplomatic mission in the People’s Republic of China, provide any advice or assessment regarding the republication of the Prime Minister’s autobiography in China by a Chinese state-owned enterprise?
(a) If so, when was this assessment provided?
(b) If so, what was the substance and content of that assessment?
No. 84.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding th/e Royal Canadian Air Force:
1. How many of the Australian F-18 Hornets purchased by the Government of Canada in 2018 are currently operational?
2. When is full operational capability of these aircraft expected to be achieved?
3. Has Canada received all of the non-operational Australian F-18 Hornets purchased for spare parts? If not, when are they expected to arrive?
No. 85.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Royal Canadian Navy:
The defence policy statement “Strong Secure and Engaged (SSE)” states that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) requires a balanced mix of platforms including submarines, surface combatants, support ships and patrol vessels in sufficient quantities to meet our domestic and international needs. A fleet built around an ability to deploy and sustain two naval task groups, each composed of up to four combatants and a joint support ship. (Pg 34, SSE)
1. Given the above policy statement, can the RCN crew four frigates per coast now, and continue to meet training requirements as well as staffing requirements? In other words, can the RCN meet the SSE requirements now? If not now, when? How many frigates can be crewed on each coast currently?
2. How many trained personnel are required (Automated Employment Report) to fully man the Halifax-class frigates, Victoria-class submarines, Harry DeWolf-class patrols vessels, and Kingston-class vessels inclusive of any helicopter detachment that may be carried? Additionally, what is the personnel demand for the new platforms coming online, Harry De Wolf-class and Protecteur-class and how is this demand being met against the requirements of the current fleet?
3. How short are the RCN and RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) in terms of trained effective strength (TES) when measured against the Preferred Manning Levels (PML)? Could the government provide current RCN and RCAF trained effective strength in total vs PML and then provide TES vs. PML for each individual trade for both Officers and Non-Commissioned Members (NCMs), in the case of the RCAF particularly for pilots and aircraft maintenance personnel?
4. What are the total number of sailors who are currently not medically fit and therefore unable to go to sea in Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV’s), frigates (FFH’s), Arctic/Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPV) and submarines (SSK’s)? How does this figure impact the trained effective strength of the RCN? Do numbers of personnel not deemed medically fit hamper ship deployments? How does this figure impact the RCN’s ability to meet SSE task group requirements? Could the government provide the numbers of sailors not deemed medically fit in each individual RCN trade (please provide numbers for both Officers and NCMs)?
5. Of those unable to go to sea for medical reasons, how many are due to temporary medical employment limitations (6 months or less), and how many are greater than 6 months? What is the effect on the Fleet and the RCN?
6. Of those on medical employment limitations, how many RCN Personnel are suffering from mental health issues today? How many sailors (NCM & Officers) are currently reporting “burnout” in the RCN? Is a study being conducted to understand the cause of this? If so, what is the timeline for the study’s completion?
7. What is the current number of healthy RCN trained Personnel able to go to sea now (Officers and NCM), by individual trade?
8. Given the current operational schedules, the demand for people, the supply of people, shortages discussed previously (either by trade or collectively), is the RCN capable of continuing to meet Canada’s maritime commitments (on both coasts)?
9. Has there been an in-depth personnel study, by an independent organization, to scientifically review the current personnel status of the RCN? Has there been a predictive analytic done to review the outlook for trained personnel as a whole, and by trade, in order to accurately look at personnel shortages over the short, medium and long terms?
10. Has an in-depth objective study been carried out, by an independent organization, on the effects of both stress and the effects of current senior leadership issues on the morale and esprit de corps in the RCN?
No. 86.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the National Capital Commission:
1.Since October 2, 2017, how much has the National Capital Commission spent on renovations at Rideau Hall carried out at the request of former Governor General Julie Payette and/or her office? What is the breakdown of these renovation projects and their costs?
2.Were these renovation projects completed by January 21, 2021, when the former Governor General resigned? If not, how many were not concluded, and what is their current status?
3.How many nights did the former Governor General spend at Rideau Hall during her tenure?
No. 87.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC):
1.A Special Staff Assistance Visit Report on the Climate, Training Environment, Culture and Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) Programme at the Royal Military College of Canada — Kingston was released in March 2017.
(a)What progress has been made to implement each of the over 70 recommendations made in the report?
2.The Auditor General of Canada released a report looking into the Royal Military College in Fall 2017.
(a)How has the Department of National Defence (DND) implemented each of the report’s six recommendations?
(b)One recommendation stated: “The Royal Military College of Canada should ensure that before senior Officer Cadets are appointed to leadership positions, they demonstrate high standards of conduct and ethical behaviour.” What progress has been made on this specific point? What is the most recent data on incidences of serious military misconduct and academic misconduct at the RMC? Please explain how “high standards of conduct and ethical behavior” is defined by the Canadian Armed Forces?
(c)The Auditor General found that at the time of its audit, some designated first responders were not fully trained to take action to prevent and respond to suicides. Is this still the case?
3.A redacted version of the final report of a Board of Inquiry into the suicides of three RMC Officer Cadets in 2016 was released in July 2018.
(a)What progress has been made on each of the recommendations in the report?
(b)In its report, the Board found that stigma was a major obstacle preventing Officer Cadets from seeking support. What progress has been made on this particular point?
No. 89.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Advisory Board for Senate Appointments:
1. The most recent report on the Board’s website is its Spring 2018 (April 2018 to September 2018) report. Has the Board submitted any reports on its work to the Government of Canada since this report was submitted on December 5, 2018?
2. If the Board has submitted reports to the Government of Canada since December 2018:
(a) How many reports were submitted, and when?
(b) Who received the reports?
(c) Why weren’t they made public?
(d) Who made the decision not to publicly release the reports?
3. If the Board has not submitted reports to the Government of Canada since December 2018:
(a) When was this decision made?
(b) Who made this decision?
(c) What was the basis for this decision?
4. The Spring 2018 report states: “A total of 11 deliberation meetings were held for the Spring 2018 cycle.” How many deliberation meetings have been held by the Board since the Spring 2018 cycle?
5. The Spring 2018 report states: “Expenses for the Spring 2018 cycle are still being processed. Estimated costs are in the range of $550,000”. What was the total amount spent for the Spring 2018 cycle?
6. What is the total amount spent by the Advisory Board for Senate Appointments since its establishment? How much has been spent annually since its establishment and what is the breakdown of these expenses, including the amount spent on per diems and the amount spent on travel expenditures for in-person meetings?
No. 90.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments:
On March 9, 2020, Order in Council 2020-0120 re-appointed “Vianne Timmons, O.C., of Regina, Saskatchewan, as a special adviser to the Prime Minister, to serve as an ad hoc provincial member of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, to hold office during pleasure for a term ending on April 30, 2020.”
1.Why did the government re-appoint Dr. Timmons as a Saskatchewan member of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments when the Board of Regents of Memorial University of Newfoundland announced in December 2019 that Dr. Timmons would become its president and vice-chancellor, effective April 1, 2020?
2.Are provincial members of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments required to be residents of the province they represent? If not, why not? How many other provincial members of the Advisory Board are not residents of the province they represent?
3.According to the government’s Senate appointments website, applications are only supposed to be retained for two years. Have there been instances where a list older than two years has been used to fill a Senate seat for any province? If so, how many? When was the last list for the province of Saskatchewan submitted?
No. 91.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the 2019 Economic and Fiscal Update:
Page 23 of the 2019 Economic and Fiscal Update, released on December 16, 2019 states: “The Government will also launch the first phase of a comprehensive review of government spending and tax expenditures, to ensure that resources are efficiently allocated to continue to invest in people and keep the economy strong and growing. This review will result in $1.5 billion in annual savings, starting in 2020-21.”
1.Which person, group or department within the Government of Canada was designated as the lead for this comprehensive review?
2.Were any contracts signed with outside consultants in relation to this review? If so, how many? Which departments authorized these contracts? Which consultants received contracts? How were these consultants chosen? How much were the contracts worth?
3.Has this comprehensive review since been abandoned? If so, when was it abandoned? If not, what departments and/or programs have been targeted for the first phase of the review?
4.If this review has not been abandoned, are all types of government spending being reviewed, or just operating spending?
5.If this review has not been abandoned, are tax policies currently under consideration? If so, which ones?
6.If the review has not been abandoned, does the Government of Canada still maintain that it will result in $1.5 billion in annual savings? If this target amount has been revised, what is it?
No. 92.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey:
Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey (LFS) for April 2020 was leaked to a media outlet, which publicized the numbers over half an hour before their official release. When a Statistics Canada investigation into the leak was announced, former Finance Minister Bill Morneau said: “We will be leaving no stone unturned” and “We need to make sure that information that’s important like this, that can be market moving is kept confidential right up until the time that it is released publicly.”
1.A report dated June 5, 2020, on the investigation into this leak led by the Audit and Evaluation branch of Statistics Canada concluded: “Based on the investigation and review of results, there is no evidence that Bloomberg obtained Labour Force Survey pre-release information from Statistics Canada personnel, nor as a result of a technical error.” Has this incident been further investigated by any of the organizations and/or responsible Minister’s office which received the advance release of the April 2020 LFS?
(a)Finance Canada
(b)Employment and Social Development Canada
(c)Privy Council Office
(d)Bank of Canada
(e)Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
2.Regarding investigations conducted by the five organizations listed above:
(a)On what date did the investigation begin?
(b)Is the investigation still ongoing? If so, when is it expected to conclude?
(c)If the investigation has concluded:
(i)When did it end?
(ii)Has a final report been submitted regarding this investigation? If so, when, and who received it? What were its findings?
(d)Were any outside investigators hired to assist in the investigation?
(i)If so, how many?
(ii)If so, what was the cost?
(e)How many individuals were interviewed during the investigation? Could a list of their names be provided?
(f)How many email records were analyzed during the investigation?
(g)How many telephone account logs were reviewed during the investigation?
(h)Was blame assigned to any individual, office, or department for the LFS leak, as a result of the investigation or by any other means? If so, who was found to be ultimately responsible for the leak? Was any sanction applied as a result?
3.After the leak, Statistics Canada suspended the pre-release of LFS information to government officials.
(a)Has this practice since resumed?
(b)If not, is it expected to resume?
(c)If so, when did it resume?
(d)If so, has it resumed for all five organizations who previously received this information?
(e)If so, were any new or enhanced security measures attached to providing advance notice of this information to government officials?
4.Statistics Canada’s report into their investigation noted: “On April 7, 2020, pre-release access to the LFS estimates was granted by authorization of the Clerk of the Privy Council on the recommendation of the Chief Statistician to two additional departments: Bank of Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.” Why did the former Clerk of the Privy Council authorize these two entities to have access to the pre-release of the LFS?
5.Is the Government of Canada embarrassed that it did not have the integrity to keep this information secure?
No. 94.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Security and Intelligence Diversity and Inclusion Tiger Team:
1.In its 2019 Annual Report, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians stated: “In January 2017, the leaders of the CAF, the Canadian Coast Guard, CBSA, CSIS, CSE, DND and the RCMP established the “Security and Intelligence Diversity and Inclusion Tiger Team” with the stated aim of “exploring, advancing and implementing joint efforts to learn from one another and share best practices to enhance diversity and inclusion within and across [their] organizations through a variety of activities and initiatives. The team met approximately every seven weeks and reported to the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Results and Delivery) every six months. At the time of writing, the Tiger Team had not met since July 2018.” Has the Tiger Team met since this report was written? If so, when? If not, why not?
2.The 2019 Annual Report also stated: “The Committee noted several shortcomings with this initiative. First, the Tiger Team did not establish specific objectives for diversity and inclusion nor develop a performance measurement framework to assess the success of its initiatives. Second, the representatives from each organization were all from human resources departments and organizations did not seek out members of employment equity groups for membership or participation on the Tiger Team. Organizations also did not always send the same representative to each meeting. Third, the Tiger Team did not engage with designated groups within the security and intelligence community to inform their activities or initiatives. Finally, throughout its discussions, the Tiger Team focused on short-term initiatives without considering systemic challenges raised in various organization-specific studies or class-action lawsuits (the CAF and the RCMP), such as workplace culture and discrimination.” What work has been done since this report was released to address shortcomings in each of the four areas identified?
3.Which organization is currently chairing the Tiger Team?
No. 95.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project:
1.Question No. 56 on the Order Paper in the 43rd Parliament asked how many investors had expressed interest in purchasing Trans Mountain in June 2018. An answer from the Department of Finance stated: “Due to commercial confidentiality, the Government cannot state the names of the companies involved in the 2018 process.” The question did not ask for the names of companies; it asked for a number. How many investors expressed interest in purchasing Trans Mountain in June 2018, as the former Minister of Finance indicated at the time?
2.Trans Mountain Pipeline LP has said that in 2020, it “…experienced a significant reduction in available insurance capacity” and that “(i)t sought and secured partial replacement policies to compensate for this reduction, but did so at a significantly higher cost.” What was the “significantly higher” cost of Trans Mountain’s increased insurance costs in 2020?
No. 101.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 23, 2021—Regarding Veterans:
1.What is the total cost to the Government of Canada related to court cases, including legal costs (actual and notional costs) and settlements, involving Canadian Veterans since November 2015?
2.What is the current number of legal claims involving the Government of Canada and Veterans? What is the potential liability to the Government of Canada of these current cases?
No. 102.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—With respect to a report in the Toronto Star on May 30th 2019, about tax evasion in the real estate markets of Ontario and British Columbia, and claims that “Canada Revenue Agency audits have added more than $1 billion to government coffers”, would the Government of Canada provide the following information:
1. How many Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) have been identified as having evaded taxes through real estate transactions?
2. How many non-Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) have been identified as having evaded taxes through real estate transactions?
3. Of those Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) identified, how many of them are being, or have been reviewed by the Canada Revenue Agency?
4. Of those non-Canadians (individuals or companies/corporations) identified, how many of them are being, or have been reviewed by the Canada Revenue Agency?
5. How many audits have been undertaken against these Canadians by the Canada Revenue Agency?
(a) How many reassessments or related compliance actions have been undertaken?
6. How many audits have been closed?
7. How many audits are still ongoing?
8. How many audits have been undertaken against these non-Canadians by the Canada Revenue Agency?
(a) How many reassessments or related compliance actions have been undertaken?
9. How many audits have been closed?
10. How many audits are still ongoing?
11. How many identified Canadians have availed themselves of the Voluntary Disclosure Program with the Canada Revenue Agency?
12. How many identified non-Canadians have availed themselves of the Voluntary Disclosure Program with the Canada Revenue Agency?
13. How many identified Canadians have settled with the Canada Revenue Agency?
14. How many identified non-Canadians have settled with the Canada Revenue Agency?
15. How much money, including unpaid taxes, fines, etc., has the Canada Revenue Agency assessed as a result of investigating these cases, broken down by the following categories:
(a) in unpaid taxes;
(b) in interest;
(c) in fines; and
(d) in penalties?
16. How much of the money has been collected?
17. How many of these cases are under appeal?
18. How many cases remain open?
19. How many of the cases have been closed, i.e. the full amount of taxes, interest, fines and penalties have been collected?
20. How many tax evasion charges have been laid?
21. How many convictions have been recorded?
No. 103.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—With respect to overseas tax evasion:
On April 3rd, 2016 the Panama Papers were disclosed, including the names of more than 600 Canadians. On May 9th of that same year the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) gained access to the external Panama Papers database. Subsequently, the CRA committed to “combatting the abusive use of offshore jurisdictions and protecting the integrity of the Canadian tax system” and would “pursue audits related to offshore tax evasion including some Canadian clients” named in the Panama Papers.
However, more than five years later, the CRA seems not to have shared in the success that other national revenue agencies have achieved. According to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists — the organization that broke the Panama Papers story — in the years since the release of the Papers, many countries have worked swiftly and forcefully to act on the information discovered.
As of April 2021, other countries have recovered:
•Germany: $195.7 million
•Spain: $166.5 million
•Ecuador: $84.3 million
•Australia: $137.7 million
•Mexico: $21.6 million
•Malta: $16.5 million
•Lithuania: $358,830
•Iceland: $25.5 million
•Numerous individuals charged and convicted worldwide.
And over $1.3 billion collected. Not “identified”, collected.
During this same time, Canada, according to the same source, has recovered no money whatsoever.
Also, unlike in other countries, not a single Canadian had been convicted, or even charged with tax evasion as a result of the Panama Papers.
After more than five years, can the Canada Revenue Agency join other countries in pointing to any real progress resulting from the release of the Panama Papers?
Any at all?
With that in mind, would the Government of Canada provide the following:
1.How many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) have been identified in the Panama Papers?
2.Of those Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) identified, how many of their accounts are being, or have been reviewed by the Canada Revenue Agency since the release of the Panama Papers?
3.How many audits have been undertaken against these Canadians by the Canada Revenue Agency?
(a)How many reassessments or related compliance actions have been undertaken?
4.How many audits have been closed?
5.How many audits are still ongoing?
6.How many identified Canadians have requested that their cases be dealt with under the auspices of the Voluntary Disclosure Program with the Canada Revenue Agency?
7.How many of those requests have been granted
8.How many identified Canadians have settled with the Canada Revenue Agency?
9.How much money, including unpaid taxes, fines, etc., has the Canada Revenue Agency assessed as a result of investigating these cases?
10.How much money identified as owing has been collected by the Canada Revenue Agency?
11.How many cases remain open?
12.How many of the audits have been completed, including the full amount of taxes, interest, fines and penalties having been collected?
13.How many tax evasion charges have been laid?
No. 105.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—Regarding the Canada Child Benefit for the benefit years 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021:
1.How much money was provided via the Canada Child Benefit per federal electoral district in Prince Edward Island?
2.How many families in Prince Edward Island received the Canada Child Benefit?
3.How many children in Prince Edward Island were covered by the Canada Child Benefit?
4.What was the largest monthly payment for a Prince Edward Island family receiving the Canada Child Benefit?
5.What was the smallest monthly payment for a Prince Edward Island family receiving the Canada Child Benefit?
6.What percentage of recipients of the Canada Child Benefit in Prince Edward Island had adjusted net family annual income:
(a)Under $30,000
(b)Between $30,000 and $49,999
(c)Between $50,000 and $79,999
(d)Over $80,000
7.What was the average adjusted net family income for those Prince Edward Islanders receiving the Canada Child Benefit?
No. 107.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—As stated in the Public Accounts of Canada 2018-2019:
Ministerial approval represents authority given to Ministers under the Financial Administration Act (FAA) or other Acts of Parliament as follows:
•Section 25(1) of the FAA gives Ministers, through Treasury Board regulations, general authority to approve the write-off of any debt, obligation or claim other than accountable advances or overpayments of salaries, wages, or employment-related allowances that would not result in a charge to an appropriation.
•Section 155.1(4) of the FAA gives Ministers, through Treasury Board regulations, authority to waive interest on overdue amounts owing to Her Majesty and to waive administrative charges for dishonoured instruments (e.g. NSF cheques) imposed under section 155.1 of the FAA.
•Other Acts of Parliament (e.g. Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act) give Ministers general authority to approve the write-off or forgiveness of specific debts, obligations or claims.
Under this authority, the Minister of National Revenue wrote off, forgave or waived interest or administrative charges in 1,534,315 cases of “debts, obligations and claims” to the Government of Canada in Fiscal Year 2018-2019, for a total of $4,166,405,553.
These include:
•1,190,147 cases under the Financial Administration Act, totaling $3,237,650,407;
•25,303 cases under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, totaling $352,032,596;
•7,637 cases under the Excise Tax Act, totaling $98,070,653; and
•311,228 cases under the Income Tax Act, totaling $478,651,897.
With this in mind, regarding the Financial Administration Act and the Income Tax Act, would the Government of Canada provide the following information for the Fiscal Year 2018-2019:
1.How many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) have had their debts written off?
2.What was the largest amount written off?
3.What was the smallest amount written off?
4.What was the largest amount forgiven?
5.What was the smallest amount forgiven?
6.How many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) have had interest and/or administrative charges waived?
7.What was the largest amount of interest or administrative charges waived?
8.What was the smallest amount of interest or administrative charges waived?
9.What was the Minister of National Revenue’s justification for writing off or forgiving those debts, and waiving interest and administrative charges?
10.Is the Canada Revenue Agency still actively trying to recover the debts owed but written off?
11.If so, what steps are being taken?
12.If not, why not?
13.How much of this debt has been recovered?
No. 108.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
In a Monday, May 11th 2020 appearance before the House of Commons Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, Ted Gallivan, Assistant Commissioner of International, Large Business and Investigations for the Canada Revenue Agency made a number of statements regarding the Agency’s work to combat overseas tax evasion.
With that in mind, could the government provide the following information:
1.Mr. Gallivan stated that $4.4 billion is the “gross amount” of money identified as being owed to the Government of Canada. Of that amount:
(a)how much has actually been recovered,
(b)how much of that is related to overseas tax evasion,
(c)how many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) comprise that $4.4 billion,
(d)how many Canadians have been charged with tax evasion, and
(e)how many Canadians have been convicted of tax evasion?
2.Mr. Gallivan also stated that this amount is “many years ahead of schedule”. What, then, is the Canada Revenue Agency’s “schedule” for recovering this money?
3.Mr. Gallivan also referred to “over 3,000 cases” currently before the courts. Of that amount:
(a)how many Canadians (individuals, trusts, foundations and companies) are represented in that number,
(b)how many of those cases relate to overseas tax evasion,
(c)what is the largest amount of taxes alleged to have been evaded,
(d)what is the smallest amount,
(e)what is the average amount, and
(f)how many years do these cases go back?
No. 109.
By the Honourable Senator Downe:
November 25, 2021—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency:
At the May 6, 2021, meeting of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, the Committee heard testimony to the effect that the organization and structure of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) hinders its ability to combat international tax evasion. In fact, Ms. Debi Daviau, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, stated that there is “not the right organizational structure in place to maximize our ability to go after international tax cheats” and that in the past there had been “some organizational changes that were not helpful”.
To shed light on those “organizational changes”, could the government:
Provide a list of all organizational changes affecting personnel and groups involved in fighting overseas tax evasion at the Canada Revenue Agency for the period 2001-2021, including:
1.The nature of these changes, including the names of any groups being moved, renamed and/or reconstituted, the approximate number of people affected, etc.
2.The justification for these changes.
3.The findings of any study or examination of the impact of those changes.
No. 114.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding Global Affairs Canada:
On December 12, 2021, the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, tweeted the following about the Act respecting the laicity of the State, adopted in 2019 by the National Assembly of Québec: “There is a deep, discriminatory meaning to this law. It clearly runs counter to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. Ambassador Rae’s tweets bear the caption “Canadian government official”.
1.Is Ambassador Rae’s opinion on Bill 21 the official position of the Government? If not, why did he send this tweet?
2.Which formal legal opinions did Ambassador Rae receive before tweeting his own legal opinion on the Act? Did he share these opinions with the Government of Canada before sending his tweet?
3.Are there rules regarding tweets or other public statements that can be made by Canadian diplomats? If so, what sanctions are applied for violating these rules? Are they free to express any opinion, thought or idea on a Twitter account under the caption “Canadian government official”?
4.Are Canadian diplomats required to use both official languages when using a “Canadian government official” Twitter account? If not, why not? If so, what sanctions are applied for violating this requirement?
No. 115.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding the Department of Finance Canada:
Conservative MP Larry Maguire’s Private Member’s Bill C-208 was passed by the Senate and received royal assent in June 2021.
1.On June 17, 2021, during debate on C-208 in the Senate, Senator Marc Gold, Leader of the Government in the Senate, stated: “…these are serious tax-avoidance opportunities that will come at a significant cost to the fiscal framework which the government has already carefully plotted out in Budget 2021. In short, Bill C-208 would provide considerable benefits to some taxpayers in the form of tax-free distributions of corporate surplus without adequately ensuring that a genuine intergenerational business transfer has occurred.” Did the Department of Finance provide any information or data to Senator Gold in preparation for his speech? If so, what information or data?
2.Does the Department of Finance support the claims made by Senator Gold in his June 17, 2021 speech?
3.On June 17, 2021, during debate on C-208 in the Senate, Senator Yuen Pau Woo, who was defending the position of the federal government, stated: “This bill will open tax avoidance opportunities.” Did the Department of Finance provide any information or data to Senator Woo in preparation for his speech? If so, what information or data?
4.Does the Department of Finance support the claims made by Senator Woo in his June 17, 2021 speech?
5.On June 22, 2021, during debate on C-208 in the Senate, Senator Pierre Dalphond, who was defending the position of the federal government, stated: “The lack of proper safeguards as they exist in the Quebec framework is made more concerning by the fact that Bill C-208 will come into force immediately. In other words, there is no transition period contemplated to allow the Canada Revenue Agency to adapt to this new reality, to issue any forms needed or to train its employees.” Did the Department of Finance provide any information or data to Senator Dalphond in preparation for his speech? If so, what information or data?
6.Does the Department of Finance support the claims made by Senator Dalphond in his June 22, 2021 speech?
7.On June 22, 2021, during debate on C-208 in the Senate, Senator Peter Harder, who was defending the position of the federal government, stated: “…the bill becomes a substantial fiscal cost to the Government of Canada. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has spoken of earlier contributions and estimated the cost at half a billion dollars four years ago. Combined with behavioural responses as more tax firms offer this product, I can only assume that this number will be much exceeded should this bill be adopted.” Did the Department of Finance provide any information or data to Senator Harder in preparation for his speech? If so, what information or data?
8.Does the Department of Finance support the claims made by Senator Harder in his June 22, 2021 speech?
9.A Department of Finance press release issued on June 30, 2021 stated: “The government proposes to introduce legislation to clarify that these amendments would apply at the beginning of the next taxation year, starting on January 1, 2022.” Regarding this press release:
(a)Has the Department received any legal notice(s) confirming that it may, by press release, decide on the effective date of a bill that has received Royal Assent? If so, from whom? Can the Department provide a copy of the legal opinion(s)?
(b)Did the Minister of Finance authorize this press release? If not, who is the person with the highest level of authority in the Department who authorized the release?
10.On July 19, 2021, the Department of Finance issued another press release rescinding the provisions of its June 30th release. It includes the following quote from the Minister of Finance: “Bill C-208 was voted on by Parliament and received Royal Assent. The law is the law.” Who decided to change the Department’s position on the coming into force of Bill C-208?
11.In the July 19, 2021 press release, the federal government “…is clarifying that it does intend to bring forward amendments to the Income Tax Act that honour the spirit of Bill C-208 while safeguarding against any unintended tax avoidance loopholes that may have been created by Bill C-208.” To date, no such amendments to the Income Tax Act have been introduced. Why? Can the federal government provide an estimate of the tax loss caused by its failure to protect itself against these “loopholes”?
No. 118.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding business fees:
What is the status of the government’s September 2019 promise to eliminate all fees from the Business Development Bank of Canada, Export Development Canada, and Farm Credit Canada for business advisory services such as mentorship and training to business owners? Have these fees been eliminated? If not, why not, and when will they be eliminated?
No. 120.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding honorary consuls:
In 2020, a review of the process of appointing honorary consuls by Global Affairs Canada found: “There are inconsistent approaches to carrying out personal and professional suitability of honorary consul candidates.” A spokesperson for the department, Patricia Skinner, told the media in December 2020 that the department had developed a code of conduct and shared it with the diplomatic corps in Canada setting clear guidelines about who they expect to be in the position. She also said there is also a new standard process for foreign affairs to vet these candidates, which requires a deeper look into their background.
1.Could the department provide the following?
(a)A full statement of the parameters of the review initiated in 2020 related to the process of appointing honorary consuls.
(b)The text of the Code of Conduct subsequently developed related to the appointment of honorary consuls.
(c)A description of the process involved in vetting candidates and what, precisely, the “deeper look into their backgrounds” entails.
2.Can the department confirm that this process is now followed in every case where the appointment of an honorary consul is considered?
3.How many honorary consuls have been appointed since the Code of Conduct was put in place?
4.How many potential candidates have been rejected specifically because they did not meet the guidelines established in the Code of Conduct?
No. 122.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:
1.The Spring 2019 report from the Auditor General of Canada found the call centre for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had a 32-minute wait time for callers to reach an agent. What is the current wait time for callers to reach an agent?
2.For the 2020-2021 fiscal year:
(a)How many calls were made to the department’s call centre during which the caller asked to speak with an agent?
(b)How many calls were prevented from reaching an agent?
(c)How many calls took place during which the caller gave up waiting to speak to an agent and hung up?
(d)How many calls were answered by an agent?
3.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada introduced service standards for its call centres in December 2019: 50% of calls requesting an agent reach the wait queue, and for clients to wait 30 minutes or less once in the queue. The target is to meet this standard 80% of the time. Is the department currently meeting these service standards? If not, what are the current statistics associated with these service standards?
No. 124.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding the transportation of oil:
1.What is the volume of oil transported by train in Canada for each of the last 10 years?
2.What is the volume of oil transported by pipeline in Canada for each of the last 10 years?
3.What is the volume of oil transported by ship to Canada for each of the last 10 years?
4.What is the volume of oil transported by truck in Canada for each of the last 10 years?
No. 125.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding the Privy Council Office:
The Supplementary Estimates (A) 2020-21 contained $7,699,338 in voted funding “to support regional presence, stabilize and enhance PCO capacity and the transfer of exempt staff in Ministers’ Regional Offices.”
1.Was this entire amount expended? If not, how much was expended?
2.What is the detailed breakdown of how this funding was expended?
No. 126.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding the privacy rights of Canadians:
1.Were any cabinet ministers and/or their offices aware of the collection and use of the mobility data of 33 million Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) prior to its disclosure in the media? If so, which ministers and/or their offices were aware, and when did they learn of this?
2.Why did PHAC not ask for advice or guidance from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada about this collection of mobility data prior to its start?
3.Since the collection of this data was reported in the media, has PHAC sought advice or guidance from the Privacy Commissioner of Canada? If so, what advice was received and how has it been implemented? If not, why not?
4.Was Telus the only supplier to provide PHAC with this mobility data? If not, what other suppliers were involved?
5.Where is the mobility data collected for PHAC currently held?
6.Is the Government of Canada aware of any other mass collection of the mobility data of Canadians by a federal department or agency since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, which department or agency was involved, what data was collected, how much was collected, when did it begin, and where is the data currently held?
No. 128.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF):
1.With respect to the procurement of one Aeromedical Bio-containment Evacuation System (ABES) in 2020, where is the ABES located and how many times has it been deployed since it became operational?
2.With respect to the procurement of Aeromedical Single Isolation Bio-containment Units in 2020, how many have been received, where are they located, and how many times have they been deployed?
3.With respect to the procurement of Disposable Isolation Single Bio-containment Units in 2020, how many have been received, where are they located, and how many times have they been deployed?
4.With respect to the procurement of Griffon Helicopter COVID Barriers in 2020, how many have been received and where are they located? Is each CH-146 Griffon helicopter in the RCAF’s fleet equipped with one of these barriers?
No. 131.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding appointments to the Senate of Canada in 2021:
1.Could the government confirm that each appointment was made from a list of recommended candidates provided to the Prime Minister by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments? If not, which appointments were not made from a list of candidates recommended by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments?
2.For each appointment, could the government provide the names of the individual members of each Advisory Board for Senate Appointments which recommended the candidates to the Prime Minister?
No. 133.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 8, 2022—Regarding the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS):
1.How many foreign state-owned enterprises received support through the CEWS? What is the breakdown of this number by industry?
2.What is the total amount foreign state-owned enterprises received through the CEWS?
3.Penalties for non-compliance with CEWS program parameters can include repayment of the wage subsidy, an additional 25% penalty, and potentially imprisonment in cases of fraud. Were any foreign state-owned enterprises subject to any of these penalties? If so, which penalties were applied? Was any money recouped? If so, how much?
No. 134.
By the Honourable Senator Pate:
February 23, 2022—What is the timeline for implementing the commitment included in the mandate letter of the Minister of Justice to table legislation to re-enact former s. 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act?
No. 135.
By the Honourable Senator Pate:
February 23, 2022—What steps will the government be taking to examine and remedy the inadequacies and inequities in economic, social and health systems that gave rise to the feelings of disaffection and disenfranchisement that affected peoples’ decisions to take part in the blockade of Parliament Hill that began on January 28?
No. 140.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:
What is the status of the government’s 2019 promise to expand and enhance Farm Credit Canada, by combining existing financial and advisory services across several agencies into a new entity called Farm and Food Development Canada? Has this promise been abandoned? If so, why and when was this decision taken? If not, when is it expected to be operational?
No. 141.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding interprovincial trucking:
1.Upon what data or research did the Government of Canada base its decision announced on December 7, 2021 to impose a vaccine mandate upon interprovincial trucking?
2.At the time this mandate was announced in December 2021, which department, agency or other entity of the Government of Canada recommended this mandate to the federal cabinet?
3.At the time this mandate was announced in December 2021, had the Government of Canada conducted research into the impact this mandate would have on supply chains across the country? If so, what did this research show? If not, why not?
4.At the time this mandate was announced in December 2021, what did the Government of Canada believe was the vaccination rate within the livestock trucking industry?
5.At the time this mandate was announced in December 2021, how did the Government of Canada expect it would be enforced across provincial borders? What was the expectation of the involvement of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in enforcing this mandate?
No. 142.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding Military Family Appreciation Day:
1.Since its creation in 2019 through a unanimous consent motion in the House of Commons, what has the Government of Canada done to promote and celebrate Military Family Appreciation Day?
2.To date, how much has the Government of Canada spent in promoting and celebrating Military Family Appreciation Day?
No. 143.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding Canadian offices and embassies abroad:
1.Has the Government of Canada followed through on a 2019 promise for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to hire and train 100 additional officers for Canadian offices and embassies abroad? If not, how many additional RCMP officers have been hired for offices and embassies abroad to date?
2.Where are these positions located?
3.The federal government stated these additional RCMP officers would help Canada’s ability to combat terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling, money laundering, and other forms of organized crime. How many of the additional 100 officers have been hired in each of these categories?
4.The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated the annual cost for these 100 RCMP officers to be between $33 million and $38 million. Is this accurate? What has been the cost to date?
No. 144.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding the Office of the Governor General of Canada:
To date, how much taxpayer’s money has been spent on legal fees in relation to allegations of a toxic workplace and harassment during the tenure of former Governor General Julie Payette? What are these costs broken down by individual contract and services rendered?
No. 145.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding Canada’s Tobacco Strategy:
1.The Government of Canada claims this strategy is designed to help achieve the target of less than 5% tobacco use by 2035. Is the strategy on track to meet this target?
2.The Government of Canada allocated $330 million over five years, starting in 2018, to this strategy. How much of this funding has been allocated to date? What is the breakdown of this spending? How much remains unspent?
3.How much of the $330 million has been allocated towards anti-tobacco advertising? How much has been spent so far? What is the breakdown of this spending?
4.How is the Government of Canada measuring the effectiveness of this strategy?
No. 146.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding Veterans Affairs Canada:
Budget 2018 committed $24.4 million over five years for repairs to Veteran gravesites and grave markers.
1.Veterans Affairs Canada estimated the total number of repairs that will be completed between 2018 and 2023 is 57,179. Is this estimate still accurate? If not, how many repairs does the department believe will be completed by 2023?
2.Is there enough funding to complete the remaining repairs?
3.According to Veterans Affairs Canada data as of early March 2022, some provinces (Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, for example) have about 70% or more repairs completed, while other provinces (Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, for example) have about 40% or less repairs completed. What accounts for this discrepancy?
No. 147.
By the Honourable Senator Housakos:
March 30, 2022—Regarding government contracts:
Since March 2020, have any departments or agencies of the Government of Canada hired speakers, instructors, performers, or entertainment for virtual staff meetings? For related contracts in each department or agency, please provide:
(a)The name of the recipient firm or individual of a related contract;
(b)The amount of the contract(s);
(c)The date the contract began and ended; and
(d)A summary of the work or services provided under the contract.
No. 148.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Concerning the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank:
1.Did the Government of Canada make a payment of US$39.8 million to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in March 2022? If so, on what date was this payment made?
2.Was this the final payment made to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank by the Government of Canada? If not, what other payments are scheduled to take place, and when?
No. 149.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding counterfeit products:
For each calendar year beginning with 2016:
1.How many shipments of suspected counterfeit goods were seized by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)?
2.How many of these shipments were subsequently released, and for what reasons?
3.How many these shipments were subsequently destroyed?
4.How many of these shipments were released in error?
No. 150.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding the proposed Canada Disability Benefit:
1.The Government of Canada’s response to petition e-3656 tabled in the House of Commons on March 28, 2022 stated: “…provincial and territorial governments are critical partners in developing the proposed Canada Disability Benefit. An initial meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services took place in July 2021 where Ministers committed to work together to improve outcomes for persons with disabilities.” How many F/P/T meetings have taken place since July 2021 to date regarding the proposed Canada Disability Benefit? How many are scheduled to take place in 2022?
2.The Government of Canada says it consulted about 8,600 Canadians on the Disability Inclusion Action Plan and the proposed Canada Disability Benefit through a consultation process which ran from June 4, 2021, to September 30, 2021. Has a “What we learned” report been provided to the relevant Minister(s)? If not, when will it be provided? Will it be made publicly available?
3.Which groups or individuals has the Government of Canada met with in roundtables on the design and delivery of the proposed Canada Disability Benefit, and when did these roundtables take place? Has this process concluded? If not, when it expected to end?
No. 151.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding Employment Insurance (EI):
1.What is the current status of the EI reform consultations?
2.In a February 2022 statement, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion indicated the second phase of EI consultations would take place later this year. Is the government’s intention to finish consultations in 2023?
3.Does the government intend to bring forward its proposed reforms to EI in 2023?
4.What is the current status of the work to upgrade Service Canada’s information technology systems to modernize EI delivery? How much of the $648 million over seven years allocated in Budget 2021 for Benefit Delivery Modernization have been expended to date? When is this work scheduled to be completed?
No. 152.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:
In 2019, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced $6.3 million for the Government of Canada to cut its own food waste in federal facilities.
1.How has this funding been spent?
2.Has this funding been fully expended? If not, how much remains unallocated?
3.How much food waste in federal facilities has been cut through this funding? How was this measured?
No. 153.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding the Emergency Economic Measures Order invoked in February 2022:
Are any bank accounts or other financial products still frozen?
1.If not, on what date was the last account unfrozen?
2.If so:
(i)How many bank accounts or other financial products remain frozen?
(ii)How many bank customers in total still have frozen accounts?
(iii)Which types of bank accounts or other financial products remain frozen?
(iv)What is the total amount still frozen?
(v)Under what legal authority are these bank accounts or other financial products still frozen?
No. 154.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding the Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN):
1.How many analysts are currently assigned to the GPHIN?
2.What is its current annual budget?
3.How has the GPHIN allocated $830,000 it received in the Fall 2020 Economic Statement? Has all funding been expended?
4.How many subscribers does the GPHIN database currently have?
5.Has the position of a dedicated GPHIN technical advisor been restored, as was recommended in the Independent Review Panel’s final report?
6.Aside from the standard operating procedure put in place in Fall 2020 regarding the issuance of GPHIN alerts, what other improvements were made to the alert process following the Auditor General’s 2021 report and the recommendations contained in the Independent Review Panel’s final report?
No. 155.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding the 2016 promise for the Government of Canada to run all government operations on renewable energy by 2025:
1.What percentage of the Government of Canada’s operations currently run on renewable energy?
2.What percentage of the Government of Canada’s buildings currently run on renewable energy?
3.What percentage of military bases in Canada currently run on renewable energy?
4.What percentage of the Government of Canada’s fleet of vehicles currently run on renewable energy?
No. 156.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding the Government of Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan:
The 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan states: “Canada’s average temperatures are rising at twice the global average, and three times in the North.”
If the government meets the targets it set in the Emission Reduction Plan, by how much will the average rise in temperatures in Canada be cut?
No. 157.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
April 26, 2022—Regarding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 72 to 76:
Budget 2019 contained $33.8 million over three years beginning in 2019-20 in support of Calls to Action 72 to 76 concerning honouring missing residential school children.
1.How much of this funding has been allocated to date, and what is the breakdown by recipient?
2.How much of this funding has been allocated to support the National Student Memorial Register at the University on Manitoba’s National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation?
3.Does any of the allotment of $33.8 million over three years remain unspent? If so, how much, why was it not dispersed, and what happens to the unspent funding?
No. 158.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 5, 2022—Regarding the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan:
In 2015, when the current government took office, it said it would honour the previous Conservative government’s plan to build a memorial to recognize Canadians who served in Afghanistan and those who died there. As of May 2022, the memorial has still not started construction. The latest draft of the Government of Canada’s official plan is to complete the design in the current year and to have the memorial dedicated in Ottawa in 2024.
1.Does it remain the objective of the Government to have the memorial dedicated in 2024? Will that objective be met? If not, what is the updated timeline to dedicate the memorial?
2.What is the total funding spent on this project since 2015? What is the total envisaged cost of this project when completed?
3.Will this memorial explicitly include and recognize the 24 Canadians who died on 9/11? As this attack led to Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan, how does the Government of Canada plan to integrate the suffering of those Canadians who died or were injured on 9/11 into the memorial?
No. 159.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 5, 2022—In relation to the answers provided by the Department of National Defence to Order Paper question No. 15 in the 44th Parliament, 1st session:
1.Part Two of answer to question S-15 states: “The Canadian Armed Forces does not actively recruit foreign nationals. The Canadian Armed Forces, however, has a program through which foreign nationals can request to join the Canadian Armed Forces. Through the Skilled Military Foreign Applicants Program, foreign applicants with experience in another military are assessed based on skill level, and may be eligible to join the Canadian Armed Forces.”
(a)How many foreign applicants have joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) through this program since its inception?
(b)To which trades have these individuals been assigned? How many been assigned to each trade? How many pilots have been accepted to the Royal Canadian Air Force under this program?
(c)Which trades in the CAF are currently experiencing the greatest shortages in personnel numbers? What are the current personnel shortages in each of those trades?
2.The answer also states: “This program enables the Canadian Armed Forces to bring in experienced individuals who can contribute to missions. While this process is typically targeted to specific needs, such as for experienced fighter pilots, it does not impact broader recruitment efforts or prioritization.”
(a)How many of the individuals who have joined the CAF under the “Skilled Military Foreign Applicants Program” are women?
(b)How many of the individuals who have joined the CAF under the “Skilled Military Foreign Applicants Program” are from visible minorities?
No. 160.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 5, 2022—Regarding dividends paid to the Government of Canada:
On March 24, 2022, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) announced a dividend of $995 million to its shareholder (the Government of Canada) to be paid no later than April 30, 2022. CMHC stated: “By returning some excess capital to our shareholder, we enable the Government of Canada to use the funds to support Canadians where it is needed most.”
1.What happened to this dividend? Was it deposited into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Government of Canada?
2.Since CMHC began making dividend payments to its shareholder in 2017, how much has it provided in total to the Government of Canada? What has the government done with this money?
No. 161.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 5, 2022—In relation to the answers provided by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to Order Paper question No. 53 in the 44th Parliament, 1st session:
1.For the second time, the first question was not answered. Therefore, the question is repeated: “The Government has asked for an RFI from Canadian shipyards on their ability to build the Diefenbaker icebreaker as a replacement for the Louis S. St-Laurent. For what reason did the government remove the Diefenbaker from the Seaspan yard in June 2019 only to issue an RFI, including Seaspan, eight months later? Why did it take the government eight months to issue this RFI, after removing the Diefenbaker icebreaker from the Seaspan yard, when the project is clearly extremely urgent? What explains the fact that it has taken the government over six years, since taking office in November 2015, to issue this RFI related to the replacement of the Louis S. St-Laurent?”
2. With respect to Answer 2 and the milestones document:
(a)When was this specific milestone chart drafted? Was it drafted in response to this order paper question? If not, when was this chart initially drafted? Please describe the discussions that took place — both with the shipyards and within government — which have informed the specific date selection that has occurred in relation to the milestones contained in the chart.
(b)What accounts for the failure of the government to sign an umbrella agreement with the third shipyard in 2020, and another failure in 2021? Why is the Government of Canada confident that an umbrella agreement will be signed in 2022? What has changed from the previous two years when the objective of concluding an umbrella agreement was not met?
(c)Is it the intent of the government to construct two vessels of the same class of ship at two separate yards? If so, please explain how the Vancouver shipyard will work with the third shipyard to limit duplication of effort and minimize costs associated with constructing two ships of the same class, but at different yards.
(d)Does it remain the intent of the government to construct two vessels with the full capability of a “Polar-2” class ship?
3.With respect to Answer 3, does the government accept the recent estimate of the Parliamentary Budget Officer of the cost of constructing two polar icebreakers as a reasonable estimate (i.e., $7+ billion)? Why is it possible for the Parliamentary Budget Officer to provide an estimate, while the government is incapable of doing so?
4.With respect to Answer 6:
(a)If the Minister’s office is incapable of providing any insight into how many times the Minister responsible for the Coast Guard and the Minister of Public Services met to discuss a $7 billion polar icebreaker project, can any detail be provided on the process of the “regular meetings” that the department says have occurred in relation to this file? Specifically, is this a formal oversight process which has been created to govern the polar icebreaker project or is it largely ad hoc?
(b)How are the Ministers ensuring that the failure to meet milestones that were previously set — notably, the failure to conclude an umbrella agreement in 2020 and a corresponding failure on the same file in 2021; the failure to proceed on the polar icebreaker project as originally projected — are not repeated? What process has the government created, with active ministerial involvement, to address those past failures and to ensure that they are not repeated?
No. 162.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 5, 2022—Regarding tax evasion and tax avoidance:
Budget 2017 stated it would “… invest an additional $523.9 million over five years to prevent tax evasion and improve tax compliance. The investment will be used to fund new initiatives and extend existing programs that ensure our tax system is fair and equitable for all Canadians.”
1.Has all this funding been completely expended? If not, how much remains unspent?
2.How was this funding allocated?
3.How many additional auditors were hired at the Canada Revenue Agency through this funding? Of these auditors, how many were temporary hires and how many of these positions remain in place today?