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
No. 1.
June 20, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Loffreda, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., for the third reading of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023.
Bills – Reports of Committees
No. 1.
June 20, 2023—Consideration of the fifteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act, with amendments and observations), presented in the Senate on June 20, 2023.
Bills – Second Reading
No. 1.
June 20, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., for the second reading of Bill S-13, An Act to amend the Interpretation Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.
No. 2.
May 31, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Yussuff, seconded by the Honourable Senator Boehm, for the second reading of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).
For Thursday, June 22, 2023
No. 3.
June 20, 2023—Second reading of Bill C-35, An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada.
Reports of Committees – Other
No. 7.
November 22, 2022—Resuming debate on the consideration of the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages (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), tabled in the Senate on November 17, 2022.
No. 9.
December 14, 2022—Consideration of the ninth report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, entitled Supplementary Estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, tabled in the Senate on December 14, 2022.
No. 10.
May 17, 2023—Consideration of the fourth report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs (The subject matter of those elements contained in Division 24 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), tabled in the Senate on May 17, 2023.
No. 11.
May 18, 2023—Consideration of the seventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (The subject matter of those elements contained in Subdivisions A, B and C of Division 21 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), tabled in the Senate on May 18, 2023.
No. 12.
June 1, 2023—Consideration of the fifth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications (The subject matter of those elements contained in Division 2 of Part 3, and Divisions 22 and 23 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), tabled in the Senate on June 1, 2023.
No. 13.
June 1, 2023—Consideration of the seventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy (The subject matter of those elements contained in Clauses 118 to 122 concerning cryptoasset mining in Part 2, and Divisions 1, 2, 6, 7, 26, 33 and 37 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), tabled in the Senate on June 1, 2023.
No. 14.
June 1, 2023—Consideration of the eleventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (The subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 4, 5 10 and 11 of Part 4, and in Subdivision A of Division 3 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), tabled in the Senate on June 1, 2023.
No. 15.
June 6, 2023—Consideration of the fifth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (The subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 20 and 36 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 2, 2023.
No. 16.
June 6, 2023—Consideration of the fourteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (The subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25, 27, 28, 29, 35 and 38 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 2, 2023.
No. 17.
June 6, 2023—Consideration of the fourteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (The subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 30, 31, 34 and 39 of Part 4, and in Subdivision B of Division 3 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023), deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 2, 2023.
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. 114.
By the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
June 20, 2023—That, notwithstanding the order adopted by the Senate on September 21, 2022, the sitting of Wednesday, June 21, 2023, continue beyond 4 p.m., if Government Business is not completed, and adjourn at the earlier of the completion of Government Business or midnight.
No. 115.
By the Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson:
June 20, 2023—That the document entitled Proposals to correct certain anomalies, inconsistencies, out-dated terminology and errors and to deal with other matters of a non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the Statutes and Regulations of Canada and to repeal certain provisions that have expired, lapsed or otherwise ceased to have effect, tabled in the Senate on June 20, 2023, be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
Inquiries
No. 3.
September 22, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Gagné, calling the attention of the Senate to the life of our late Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II.
No. 4.
By the Honourable Senator Gagné:
November 15, 2022—That she will call the attention of the Senate to the Fall Economic Statement 2022, tabled in the House of Commons on November 3, 2022, by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., and in the Senate on November 15, 2022.
No. 5.
By the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C.:
March 29, 2023—That he will call the attention of the Senate to the budget entitled A Made-in-Canada Plan: Strong Middle Class, Affordable Economy, Healthy Future, tabled in the House of Commons on March 28, 2023, by the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., and in the Senate on March 29, 2023.
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
Nil
Commons Public Bills – Third Reading
No. 1.
June 13, 2023—Third reading of Bill C-224, An Act to establish a national framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting.—(Honourable Senator Yussuff)
No. 2. (one)
June 8, 2023—Third reading of Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents).—(Honourable Senator Oh)
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. (eleven)
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 Martin)
No. 2. (three)
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 Clement)
No. 3. (thirteen)
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 Martin)
No. 4. (fourteen)
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 Clement)
No. 5. (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. 6. (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. 7. (eleven)
March 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Patterson (Nunavut), 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 Housakos)
No. 8. (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. 9.
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 Woo)
No. 10. (six)
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 Clement)
No. 11. (twelve)
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 Clement)
No. 12. (thirteen)
April 19, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Martin, for the second reading of Bill S-247, An Act to amend the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law).—(Honourable Senator Housakos)
No. 13.
March 28, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boisvenu, seconded by the Honourable Senator Seidman, for the second reading of Bill S-255, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (murder of an intimate partner, one’s own child or an intimate partner’s child).—(Honourable Senator Clement)
No. 14. (seven)
November 29, 2022—Second reading of Bill S-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief).—(Honourable Senator Ataullahjan)
No. 15. (three)
June 1, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Loffreda, seconded by the Honourable Senator Moncion, for the second reading of Bill S-259, An Act to designate the month of March as Hellenic Heritage Month.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 16.
June 13, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Martin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Housakos, for the second reading of Bill S-260, An Act respecting National Diffuse Midline Glioma Awareness Day.—(Honourable Senator Clement)
No. 17. (seven)
May 9, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-261, An Act respecting non-disclosure agreements.—(Honourable Senator McPhedran)
No. 18. (seven)
May 9, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-262, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (Oath of Citizenship).—(Honourable Senator Omidvar)
No. 19. (seven)
May 9, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-263, An Act respecting the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.—(Honourable Senator Ataullahjan)
No. 20. (two)
June 6, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dalphond, seconded by the Honourable Senator Bernard, for the second reading of Bill S-264, An Act to establish International Tax Justice and Cooperation Day.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 21. (five)
May 17, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-265, An Act to enact the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime Act, to amend the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and to establish a framework for implementing the rights of victims of crime.—(Honourable Senator Boisvenu)
No. 22. (two)
June 6, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-266, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Sex Offender Information Registration Act.—(Honourable Senator Boisvenu)
No. 23.
June 13, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-267, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (aggravating circumstance — evacuation order or emergency).—(Honourable Senator Ataullahjan)
For Thursday, June 22, 2023
No. 24.
June 20, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-268, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Indian Act.—(Honourable Senator Tannas)
No. 25.
June 20, 2023—Second reading of Bill S-269, An Act respecting a national framework on advertising for sports betting.—(Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario))
Commons Public Bills – Second Reading
No. 1. (two)
April 18, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator Boisvenu, for the second reading of Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 2.
March 22, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gold, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Gagné, for the second reading of Bill C-232, An Act respecting Arab Heritage Month.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 3. (two)
June 6, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boehm, seconded by the Honourable Senator Galvez, for the second reading of Bill C-248, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act (Ojibway National Urban Park of Canada).—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 4. (one)
June 8, 2023—Second reading of Bill C-281, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), the Broadcasting Act and the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 5. (ten)
April 26, 2023—Second reading of Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information).—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 6.
June 15, 2023—Second reading of Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability).—(Honourable Senator Martin)
Private Bills – Second Reading
No. 1. (one)
May 3, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Clement, seconded by the Honourable Senator Duncan, for the second reading of Bill S-1001, An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
Reports of Committees – Other
No. 31. (fifteen)
February 14, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Moncion, seconded by the Honourable Senator Yussuff for the adoption of the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, entitled Senate Budget 2023-24, presented in the Senate on February 7, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 33. (twelve)
March 9, 2023—Consideration of the fifth report (interim) of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, entitled Equity between recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups, tabled in the Senate on March 9, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Bellemare)
No. 40. (seven)
May 9, 2023—Consideration of the fourth report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, entitled Hydrogen: A Viable Option for a Net-Zero Canada in 2050?, presented in the Senate on May 9, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Galvez)
No. 48.
June 13, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Omidvar, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean:
That the fifteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, entitled Doing What Works: Rethinking the Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on Thursday, June 8, 2023, be adopted and that, pursuant to rule 12-23(1), the Senate request a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report, in consultation with the Minister of Health.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 49.
June 14, 2023—Consideration of the twelfth report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples, entitled On the Outside Looking In: The Implementation of the Cannabis Act and its effects on Indigenous Peoples, tabled in the Senate on June 14, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Francis)
No. 50.
June 15, 2023—Consideration of the eighth report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy, entitled Needed: An Innovation Strategy for the Data-Driven Economy, tabled in the Senate on June 15, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Wallin)
No. 51.
June 20, 2023—Consideration of the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament, entitled Quorum and Mandate of the Committee, presented in the Senate on June 20, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Ravalia)
Motions
No. 3. (nine)
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 Seidman)
No. 4. (fourteen)
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 Dean)
No. 5. (five)
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. (two)
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 Martin)
No. 7. (eleven)
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 Housakos)
No. 11. (nine)
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 Petitclerc)
No. 12.
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. (eleven)
March 24, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Patterson (Nunavut), 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 Housakos)
No. 30. (eleven)
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 Housakos)
No. 77. (four)
October 26, 2022—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Bellemare, seconded by the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C.:
That a Special Senate Committee on Human Capital and the Labour Market be appointed until the end of the current session, to which may be referred matters relating to human capital, labour markets, and employment generally;
That the committee be composed of nine members, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection, and that four members constitute a quorum; and
That the committee be empowered to inquire into and report on such matters as may be referred to it by the Senate; 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.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 82. (ten)
April 27, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Tannas, seconded by the Honourable Senator Osler:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs be authorized to examine and report on the operation, applicability, and functionality of the Emergencies Act in a modern context, as well as the robustness of parliamentary supervision it provides for and its interaction with the rules and procedures of the Senate; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than September 28, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Tannas)
No. 96. (two)
February 14, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator McCallum, seconded by the Honourable Senator Campbell:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples be authorized to examine and report on the misrepresentation of Indigenous ancestry, inadequate self-identification standards and the profound effects that such identity fraud has on further marginalizing Indigenous people, in particular Indigenous women; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2023.—(Honourable Senator Housakos)
No. 113. (nine)
April 27, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Kutcher, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cormier:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on the negative impact of health disinformation and misinformation on Canadian society and what effective measures can be implemented to counter this impact; and
That the committee submit its final report on this study to the Senate no later than May 31, 2024, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
No. 119. (seven)
May 9, 2023—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Boehm, seconded by the Honourable Senator Mégie:
That the twenty-sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade entitled Cultural Diplomacy at the Front Stage of Canada’s Foreign Policy, tabled in the Senate on June 11, 2019, during the First Session of the Forty-second Parliament, be placed on the Orders of the Day under the rubric Other Business, Reports of Committees – Other, for consideration at the next sitting.—(Honourable Senator Martin)
Inquiries
No. 1. (thirteen)
June 2, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Dasko, calling the attention of the Senate to the role of leaders’ debates in enhancing democracy by engaging and informing voters.—(Honourable Senator Clement)
No. 2. (two)
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 Clement)
No. 3. (seven)
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 Petitclerc)
No. 4. (eleven)
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 Clement)
No. 5. (five)
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. 8. (one)
November 22, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Plett, calling the attention of the Senate to the impact on Canada’s public finances of the NDP-Liberal agreement entitled Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement.—(Honourable Senator Plett)
No. 10. (four)
October 18, 2022—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Boniface, calling the attention of the Senate to intimate partner violence, especially in rural areas across Canada, in response to the coroner’s inquest conducted in Renfrew County, Ontario.—(Honourable Senator Clement)
No. 11.
February 7, 2023—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Woo, calling the attention of the Senate to the one hundredth anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the contributions that Chinese Canadians have made to our country, and the need to combat contemporary forms of exclusion and discrimination faced by Canadians of Asian descent.—(Honourable Senator Clement)
No. 13. (four)
May 2, 2023—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Klyne, calling the attention of the Senate to the ongoing business and economic contributions made by Indigenous businesses to Canada’s economy.—(Honourable Senator Patterson (Nunavut))
No. 15. (six)
May 16, 2023—Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Cordy, calling the attention of the Senate to the career of the Honourable Patricia Bovey.—(Honourable Senator Bernard)
Other
Nil
Notice Paper
Motions
No. 68. (fifteen)
By the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C.:
June 20, 2022—That the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs be authorized to examine and report on the impact of subsection 268(3) of the Criminal Code, enacted in 1997, including but not limited to:
(a)the reasons why there have been no prosecutions under this provision since its enactment 25 years ago; and
(b)the extent to which female genital mutilation is currently occurring in Canada and to Canadian girls taken abroad for such procedures;
That the committee make recommendations, as appropriate, to ensure the Criminal Code provision has its intended impact of ending such crimes being perpetrated against girls in Canada; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2023, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
No. 90.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
November 29, 2022—That the Standing Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to examine and report on foreign influence in the electoral process in Canada; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than June 30, 2023.
No. 107. (eleven)
By the Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia):
March 29, 2023—That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to replace its outdated program delivery and information technology systems by urgently accelerating the implementation of user-friendly, digital solutions that transform the public service delivery experience of Canadians, and ultimately reduces the cost of program delivery.
No. 131.
By the Honourable Senator Moncion:
June 13, 2023—That, in light of the adoption of the Financial Policy for Senate Committees by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration on June 1, 2023, the Senate Administrative Rules be amended in Chapter 3:05
(a)by repealing the heading before section 1, section 1, subsections 10(2) and (3) and section 11; and
(b)by replacing the heading before section 2 and subsections 2(1) and (2) with the following:
“Committee Budgets
2. (1) A committee budget for special expenses must be
(a) adopted by the committee;
(b) submitted by the committee to the Internal Economy Committee for its consideration; and
(c) presented to the Senate by committee report, with the budget and a report of the Internal Economy Committee attached.
(2) A budget prepared for the purposes of subsection (1) must contain a detailed estimate of the committee’s special expenses for the fiscal year.”; and
That the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel be authorized to make any necessary technical, editorial, grammatical, or other required, non-substantive changes to the Senate Administrative Rules as a result of these amendments, including the updating of cross-references and the renumbering of provisions.
No. 134.
By the Honourable Senator Boehm:
June 20, 2023—That the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade be authorized to examine and report on Canada’s interests and engagement in Africa, and other related matters;
That the committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2024;
That the committee have permission, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate; and
That the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
Inquiries
No. 12. (twelve)
By the Honourable Senator Manning:
March 7, 2023—That he will call the attention of the Senate to the life of Gordon Pinsent.
No. 14. (eight)
By the Honourable Senator Duncan:
May 3, 2023—That she will call the attention of the Senate to the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the Yukon Act, an Act of Parliament adopted on June 13, 1898.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 164.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
June 2, 2022—Regarding Hong Kong:
1.What is the Government of Canada’s position regarding the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin’s role as an overseas non-permanent member of the Hong Kong Final Court of Appeal?
2.Does the Government of Canada believe former Chief Justice McLachlin’s continuing membership on this court lends legitimacy to China’s interference in Hong Kong’s legal system?
3.Has any communication taken place between the Government of Canada and the former Chief Justice within the past year regarding her membership on this court?
No. 165.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
June 2, 2022—Regarding the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA):
The CRA website for Income Tax Folio S2-F3-C2, Benefits and Allowances Received from Employment states: “Please note that Folio S2-F3-C2, Benefits and Allowances Received from Employment, is currently under review. Employers should continue to follow current practices consistent with the information available in Guide T4130, Employers’ Guide — Taxable Benefits and Allowances.”
1.In October 2017, a spokesperson for the Minister of National Revenue was quoted in the media as saying the CRA would hold an internal review on the wording change for this tax policy, which would be followed by a consultation on the issue with industry groups. Did this the internal review and consultation occur? If so, when, and what were their findings?
2.Why does this tax policy remain “under review” four and a half years later? Why hasn’t it been completely rescinded?
No. 166.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
June 2, 2022—Regarding Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:
1.When did the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and/or his office become aware of a “friendly” soccer match between Canada and Iran, originally scheduled to take place on June 5, 2022 in Vancouver?
2.Did the Minister and/or his office contact Canada Soccer regarding this match? If so, when did that occur? What message was communicated to Canada Soccer?
3.Did the Minister and/or his office provide direction to his department regarding this match? If so, when did that occur? What message or instructions were communicated to the department?
4.What assistance did the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provide to Canada Soccer regarding this soccer match? On what date did this begin?
5.How many visas or work permits were requested in relation to this soccer match?
6.How many visas or work permits were processed in relation to this soccer match?
7.How many visas or work permits in relation to this soccer match were rejected on the grounds of ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?
No. 174.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding Global Affairs Canada and the resignation of Boris Johnson:
On July 7, 2022, following the resignation of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations and designated Canadian Government Official on Twitter, tweeted the following:
#BoJoMoJoNoMo
1.Is this the official position of the Canadian Government regarding the departure of Boris Johnson?
2.Was this tweet approved by anyone at Global Affairs or in the Minister’s office? If so, please provide the names and positions of the individuals who authorized said tweet.
3.Is any other Canadian ambassador, in their capacity as Canadian Government Official, authorized to tweet similar messages? If so, please provide a copy of the policy regarding tweets by ambassadors and other diplomats?
No. 175.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—With respect to the Department of National Defence:
The mandate letter for the Minister of National Defence instructs the Minister to: “Continue to improve support for the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces and to ensure a workplace characterized by professionalism, inclusion and valuing diversity: Work with senior leaders of the Canadian Armed Forces to establish and maintain a workplace free from harassment and discrimination; Create a new $2,500 tax-free benefit every time a military family relocates, to help with retraining, recertification and other costs of finding new work; and Achieve the goal of 25 per cent of Canadian Armed Forces members being women by 2026”.
1.Can the Minister please outline the status of each of the components of this initiative?
2.What is the current percentage of women in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) at present? What are the targets for each year up to 2026?
3.Within the 25% overall target, have sub-targets been set for the employment of women in the various elements of the CAF, including the combat arms? What are those targets?
4.What measures are being taken to ensure that targets are being met on an annual basis?
5.Have training or operational standards, or practices, in any element of the CAF been adjusted in any way to facilitate meeting the set targets? If so, please explain the specific nature of the adjustments that have been made?
6.Could the Minister please outline each of the recruitment objectives for every designated group? What is the current level of designated group membership in the CAF at the present time? What are the targets for each year up to 2026?
7.How are the various designated group recruitment objectives balanced against urgent operational recruiting needs in the CAF that may arise?
8.When an urgent operational recruiting requirement related to a particular trade arises (for instance with respect to pilots in the RCAF), does such a requirement ever take any form of precedence, even temporarily, over designated group objectives?
9.What are the current manning requirements for each frigate in the RCN, each submarine and each MCDV? To what extent are these requirements being met?
10.How many RCN frigates, submarines and MCDVs are currently manned up to the full requirement?
11.What is the current authorized strength level for each CF-18, Aurora and Cyclone squadron in RCAF in terms of numbers of operational aircraft, pilots and personnel? How many CF-18, Aurora and Cyclone squadrons in the RCAF are currently manned up to their full requirement?
12.What is the current authorized strength level for each Regular Force armoured, infantry and artillery regiment/battalion in the Canadian Army? How many of these units are currently manned up to their full requirement?
No. 177.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding the Liberal government’s 2021 federal election promise to provide $3.2 billion to the provinces and territories for the hiring of 7,500 new family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners, beginning in 2022-23:
1.How many family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners have already been hired from this funding? What is the breakdown of how many have been hired in each of these categories? In which provinces are they located?
2.How many family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners are expected to be hired from this funding in the current fiscal year, 2022-23? How many are expected to be hired in subsequent fiscal years?
3.How was the number of 7,500 family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners set? Is this number sufficient?
4.How many Canadians are currently without a family doctor?
No. 178.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Concerning federal-provincial discussions:
1.Did the federal government hold any discussions with one or more provinces since 2019 on changes to the equalization program? If so, when and with whom? And are any discussions currently planned?
2.Did the federal government hold any discussions with one or more provinces since 2019 on changes to the economic stabilization program? If so, when and with whom? And are any discussions currently planned?
3.Did the federal government hold any discussions with one or more provinces since 2019 on reforms to the Senate of Canada? If so, when and with whom? And are any discussions currently planned?
No. 179.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding the 35% tariff rate on fertilizer originating from Russia or Belarus:
1.What is the total amount collected under this tariff since it was imposed in March 2022?
2.What is the breakdown of the amount collected by province?
3.What has been done with the funds collected through the tariff on fertilizer?
No. 180.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding the Privy Council Office:
1.Since December 3, 2021, how many times has the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Senate) met with the Representative of the Government in the Senate?
2.Since December 3, 2021, how many times has the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Senate) met with Senators?
No. 182.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding the procurement and entry into service of the Kingfisher fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft:
In May 2022, the Government of Canada stated that the CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft will not be available for fixed-wing search-and-rescue (SAR) operations until 2025-2026 after being initially anticipated in 2020.
Please provide the following information related to this delay:
1.When will delivery of the last of 16 Kingfisher aircraft to the RCAF be completed?
2.It has been stated that Airbus has made 30 design changes to the aircraft to meet mandatory and rated Canadian requirements. Please outline each of these changes, as well as any others that were required by DND/the RCAF.
3.Please describe the impact that each individual design change has on the anticipated initial in-service date for the platform.
4.When in the procurement process were each of these 30 design changes requested? And at one point did the RCAF know that the originally anticipated initial in-service date of August 2020 would not be achievable?
5.Will it be necessary to return some aircraft already delivered back to the manufacturer in order to make the design changes that are required?
6.The C-295 aircraft is in service in more than 25 countries. Is the Department aware of any other country that experienced a similar multi-year delay in bringing these aircraft into service?
7.How many fully qualified search and rescue pilots, technicians and support personnel are currently serving in each of the following: C-130H, C-130J, Cormorant and Griffon squadrons in the RCAF?
8.What impact is anticipated on the ability to retain and replace personnel in each of these SAR employment categories as a result of the delay in bringing the Kingfisher aircraft into service? What is the plan within the RCAF to manage any such impacts?
9.Please explain how the impact of the retirement of the Buffalo SAR aircraft and the resulting delays associated with the Kingfisher be mitigated? Will there be any resulting reduction in SAR response times in any region of Canada? If so, please explain.
10.What is the total resulting cost of: a) the design changes made to the Kingfisher aircraft; and, b) any requirement to retain the C-130H in service for a longer period than anticipated/re-rolling the C-130J to a primary SAR role?
No. 183.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding the Rogers cell and internet service outage of July 8, 2022:
1.What federal government services were unavailable to Canadians during the outage?
2.How many passports were unable to be processed during the outage?
3.Have any federal departments or agencies entered into contracts with other suppliers to limit the damage to their operations in the event of another similar outage? If so, which ones, and with which internet service provider?
No. 184.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding the Task Force on Services to Canadians:
1.Since the Task Force on Services to Canadians was announced by the Prime Minister on June 25, 2022, how many times has it met, either virtually or in-person?
2.Did the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, and the Minister of Transport attend each of these meetings?
3.Approximately how much of the Task Force’s time in these meetings was spent on each of the following areas? Were any meetings dedicated solely to one of these areas?
(a)The delivery of passports
(b)Wait times for passengers at Canada’s airports
(c)The processing of immigration applications
4.What has the Task Force accomplished since it was announced, and how has this been measured?
No. 185.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
December 13, 2022—Regarding Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs):
1.For each year since 2016, what was the total amount assessed in penalty taxes for over-contributions to TSFAs?
2.For each year since 2016, what was the total amount collected in penalty taxes for over-contributions to TSFAs?
3.For each year since 2016, how many individuals requested or applied to have their penalty taxes for over-contributions to TSFAs waived by the Canada Revenue Agency?
4.For each year since 2016, how many individuals had their penalty taxes for over-contributions to TSFAs waived by the Canada Revenue Agency?
No. 188.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
January 31, 2023—Regarding the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA):
1.How many disciplinary reports have been filed against CRA employees for each year since 2017?
2.For each year since 2017, what is the breakdown of the types of misconduct?
3.For each year since 2017, what is the breakdown of the disciplinary measures taken to address employee misconduct?
No. 189.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
January 31, 2023—Concerning Global Affairs Canada:
1.In how many Canadian diplomatic missions is only English required for work? Please provide a list.
2.In how many Canadian diplomatic missions is only French required for work? Please provide a list.
3.How many Canadian diplomatic missions have an English-French bilingualism requirement for work? Please provide a list.
No. 192.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
January 31, 2023—Regarding Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:
1.An answer to Senate Order Paper question 122 in the 1st session of the 44th Parliament stated the call centre for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had a 27-minute wait time for callers to reach an agent between April 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. What is the current wait time for callers to reach an agent?
2.For the 2021-2022 fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date:
(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.The answer to Senate Order Paper question 122 stated that the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada was not meeting its service standards for its call centres. What are the current statistics associated with these service standards?
4.The answer to Senate Order Paper question 122 stated: “Recent data for January and February 2022 is not currently available due to a technical issue encountered with IRCC’s Virtual Contact Centre (VCC) database. The issue, identified on February 10,2022 has been escalated to Shared Services Canada and Rogers (vendor) to address in priority. IRCC hopes to have the issue resolved shortly. Until the technical issue is resolved, performance reporting data for January and February 2022 is not available for release due to an increased risk of data integrity issues.” Has the technical issue been fixed, and if so, when?
No. 193.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
January 31, 2023—Regarding federal funding for Canadian media organizations:
1.Since 2020, how many organizations have applied for funding under the Local Journalism Initiative? How many applications were accepted, and how many were rejected? How much money was disbursed? How is this amount broken down by (a) press agencies, (b) private news organizations, or (c) non-profit news organizations?
2.Since 2019, how many organizations have applied for funding under the Canadian journalism labour tax credit? How many applications were accepted, and how many were rejected? How much money was disbursed?
No. 196.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
January 31, 2023—Regarding the processing of disability benefits at Veterans Affairs Canada:
1.What is the current backlog in processing applications for disability benefits from Veterans? How many applications in the backlog are completed applications, and how many are incomplete applications?
2.In a May 2022 report, the Auditor General found that francophone applicants waited longer for decisions than anglophone applicants, RCMP applicants waited longer than Canadian Armed Forces applicants, and women waited longer than men. What are the current wait times for each of these groups?
3.What actions have been taken by Veterans Affairs Canada since the May 2022 Auditor General’s report to cut delays faced by Veterans when applying for federal assistance and benefits?
4.What was the average delay in 2022, and what is the average delay currently?
No. 197.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
January 31, 2023—Regarding Veterans Affairs Canada:
In September 2022, an internal audit indicated Veterans Affairs Canada had lost control of its medical cannabis program for Veterans.
1.What has been done since the audit was conducted to correct the situation?
2.Does Veterans Affairs Canada intend to conduct more research about the medical benefits — and risks — of cannabis for Veterans, especially those struggling with psychological trauma?
3.Has the department put in place oversight over who can get medical marijuana, what conditions it is prescribed for, and how Veterans are getting medical authorization for their cannabis? If so, what does this oversight entail? If not, why not?
No. 198.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank:
1.Since 2016, how much money has the Government of Canada contributed to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank?
2.How many middle-class jobs have been created in Canada as a result of Canada joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank? How is this number calculated?
No. 199.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—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 2021-2022?
2.How much was collected for each type of alcohol?
(a)Wine
(b)Beer
(c)Spirits
No. 200.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Concerning the legalization of cannabis:
1.Does the Government of Canada have any statistics on cannabis use in Canada, comparing pre-legalization use and current use? If possible, please provide figures in terms of number of users and volume of use.
2.Does the Government of Canada have statistics on cannabis use amongst different segments of Canadian society? Can the government comment on whether use has increased or decreased among Aboriginal people since legalization? Can the government comment on whether use has increased or decreased among minors since legalization?
3.Does the Government of Canada have statistics on cannabis use by province and territory, comparing pre-legalization use and current use?
4.Does the government have any statistics on the black-market share of cannabis sales?
5.How much has the Government of Canada received from cannabis taxes since legalization?
No. 202.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding the Global Skills Strategy (GSS):
In 2017, the Government launched a fast-track work permit and visa program for highly skilled workers.
1.Broken down by year, how many applications have been received under the GSS?
2.Broken down by year, how many applications were granted, and how many were rejected?
3.As of January 31, 2023, the Government of Canada’s GSS website states: “Processing times for GSS applications continue to be affected by the number of the applications we’ve received while COVID-19 health and travel restrictions were in place, and an increase in applications as health and travel restrictions in Canada and around the world were removed. It will probably take more than 2 weeks to process your GSS application. We’re continuing to recover so we can return to our regular processing times.”
(a)Broken down by year, what has been the average processing time for GSS applications?
(b)What is the current average delay in processing GSS applications?
(c)When does the government anticipate returning to the 2-week processing time?
No. 203.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding immigration consultants:
In May 2019, the government revealed details of its plan to crack down on unethical immigration consultants.
1.Canada Border Services Agency received $10 million to increase its resources for the criminal investigation of complex cases, including those involving unauthorized representatives, misrepresentation and organized fraud.
(a)Since May 2019, how many such criminal investigations have taken place?
(b)How many immigration consultants were arrested?
(c)How many were charged?
(d)How many were convicted?
2.Since May 2019, what is the total amount imposed in monetary penalties against unethical immigration consultants? How much of this money has been collected?
No. 204.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:
On December 14, 2020, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada implemented a special measure to provide a pathway to permanent residence for asylum claimants across the country working in the healthcare sector.
1.How many applications were submitted?
2.How many people does this represent, including dependents?
3.How many applications were accepted?
4.Are there any pending files?
No. 206.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding Library and Archives Canada:
In August 2022, the Evaluation Report on the Digital Preservation Component of the Preservation Program (2015–2020) concluded:
(a)Digital material is acquired at a rate that outpaces the ability of acquiring areas to process it, which has a direct impact on digital preservation.
(b)Ability to preserve is not taken into account in acquisition decisions, which affects the efficiency of digital preservation operations and LAC’s ability to provide access.
(c)The digital preservation infrastructure is not optimal and requires further investment.
(d)There is no overarching governance mechanism to ensure proper planning and coordination among the various stakeholders.
(e)Accountabilities are fragmented and disproportionate.
(f)There is an important policy gap, which contributes to the confusion over roles and responsibilities and the lack of understating of what digital preservation entails.
1.What steps have been taken since the report was released to correct each of the issues outlined?
2.When does Library and Archives Canada estimate that the situation will be corrected?
No. 207.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding the Newfoundland-Labrador fixed transportation link:
On December 1, 2022, the Minister of Rural Economic Development stated in the Senate that, with respect to the financing of the Newfoundland-Labrador fixed transportation link:
“On your question about the costs of this, as Newfoundland and Labrador MPs, we’ve had reach-out from people in the business sector, asking, “Would the Canada Infrastructure Bank please do a request for interest, because we are interested in doing this?”
I think that that is the best way to do it. It will not be money from the provincial government. It will be a loan, as you know, from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. But there is interest from the private sector to get this done”
1.How many organizations from the private sector have approached the government expressing interest in building and utilizing the link?
2.Who is leading the negotiations, if any, on behalf of the government?
3.Has the Canada Infrastructure Bank been approached by organizations from the private sector regarding the link?
4.Is the Canada Infrastructure Bank actively studying a financing of the link?
No. 208.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:
1.How many people with refugee status have no fixed address?
2.How many people with refugee status are in housing provided by a government or other public organization?
3.On average, how long do people with refugee status occupy housing provided by a government or other public organization?
No. 209.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding Roxham Road:
1.How many people crossed the US-Canada border at Roxham Road, Québec for each year since 2016?
2.What are the detailed costs, per year, for the Government of Canada with respect to people who crossed the border at Roxham Road?
3.What are the detailed amounts, per year, paid to the Government of Québec with respect to people who crossed the border at Roxham Road?
4.For each year since 2016, how much has been paid by the Government of Canada to residents who live in close proximity to Roxham Road? How many households per year received this compensation?
No. 210.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 2, 2023—Regarding appointments to the Senate of Canada in 2022:
1.Could the government confirm that each appointment in 2022 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. 211.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 16, 2023—Regarding the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP):
1.For each RCMP division, how many RCMP officers received training to be drug recognition experts in 2022?
2.Does the RCMP have an estimate or a target for the number of drug recognition experts that will receive training in 2023?
3.Are there still capacity limits placed on DRE certification events due to the COVID-19 pandemic? If not, when were the capacity limits lifted?
No. 212.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
February 16, 2023—Regarding the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN):
1.What was the total number of RCN members on Medical Employment Limitations (MEL) at any point during 2022?
2.How many personnel on MEL were assessed as incapable of serving at sea during 2022?
No. 213.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 8, 2023—Regarding Veterans Affairs Canada:
1.How many candidates were registered with Agilec for Career Transition Services for the fiscal years 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and to date in 2022-2023?
(a)For each fiscal year, how is this number broken down by new candidate referrals and re-referrals?
(b)For each fiscal year, how is this number broken down by Veterans, Spouses/Common-law partners and Survivors?
2.How many of these individuals did Agilec actively help find jobs in the fiscal years 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and to date in 2022-2023?
3.For the files of candidates closed due to a positive outcome of “meaningful work” or “participating in other meaningful activity”, how is this defined?
4.What is the current length and value of the contract(s) with Agilec?
No. 214.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 8, 2023—Regarding the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF):
1.During 2022, how many new recruits were enrolled in the regular CAF?
(a)How many of these recruits were women?
(b)How many were visible minorities?
(c)How many were Indigenous?
(d)How many were not from these categories of individuals or were otherwise not identified?
2.During 2022, how many individuals applied to join the regular CAF?
(a)How many of these applicants were women?
(b)How many were visible minorities?
(c)How many were Indigenous?
(d)How many were not from these categories of individuals or were otherwise not identified?
3.During 2022, how many applications from individuals who had applied to join the CAF in previous years were still being processed or otherwise remained to be considered?
(a)How many of these applicants were women?
(b)How many were visible minorities?
(c)How many were Indigenous?
(d)How many were not from these categories of individuals or were otherwise not identified?
4.During 2022, how many members of the CAF left or retired from the regular force?
(a)How many of these members were women?
(b)How many were visible minorities?
(c)How many were Indigenous?
(d)How many were not from these categories of individuals or were not otherwise identified?
No. 215.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 8, 2023—Regarding foreign interference or influence (FI):
1.How many Canadians contacted the RCMP’s National Security Information Network in 2022 and to date in 2023 regarding foreign interference by state and non-state actors?
2.An answer provided to question #119 on the Senate’s Order Paper in the 1st session of the 44th Parliament stated: “The RCMP’s records management systems does not allow the organization to systematically identify occurrences related to FI. The RCMP is currently establishing a methodology to better capture this type of information. However, our records management systems allowed us to identify a total of 309 occurrences FI-related occurrences from January 1, 2016 to February 1, 2022.” Has this work been completed? If so, has it resulted in any change to the number of FI-related occurrences provided in the answer to question #119?
3.How many foreign interference investigations have been conducted by the RCMP’s Federal Policing National Security program since February 2, 2022 to date?
No. 217.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 8, 2023—Regarding the Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund:
1.Since the Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund launched on July 31, 2019, how many new units have been completed?
(a)How does this break down by fiscal year?
(b)How does this break down by program stream (Preconstruction Loans — Stream 1 and Shared Equity Mortgages — Stream 2)?
2.Since the Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund launched on July 31, 2019, how many homebuyers were helped to buy their first home?
(a)How does this break down by fiscal year?
(b)How does this break down by program stream (Preconstruction Loans — Stream 1 and Shared Equity Mortgages — Stream 2)?
3.How much of the funds allocated to the Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund have been expended since its launch?
(a)How does this break down by fiscal year?
(b)How does this break down by program stream (Preconstruction Loans — Stream 1 and Shared Equity Mortgages — Stream 2)?
4.What has been the cost to date to administer the Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund?
No. 218.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 22, 2023—Regarding the 2018 report “Driving Change: Technology and the Future of the Automated Vehicle” from the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications:
1.How has the Government of Canada worked to address each of the report’s recommendations?
2.The report noted that a committee witness told them Infrastructure Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge is a good way to encourage the early adoption or early pilot test of automated vehicles or connected vehicles. How much of the funds disbursed through the Smart Cities Challenge winners in 2019 went towards this work? What were the outcomes related to this funding?
3.What is the current status of the vehicle of the future advisory group, which was created in November 2018?
No. 219.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 22, 2023—Regarding the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF):
1.What is the current number of CAF personnel deployed at National Defence Headquarters and in other Headquarters’ positions in the CAF?
2.What is the current number of personnel currently employed in regular infantry, armour and artillery positions in the Army? What is the breakdown of personnel numbers in each branch?
No. 220.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 22, 2023—Regarding foreign interference:
On March 11, 2023, Mr. Cheuk Kwan of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China said in an interview with CBC journalist Natasha Fatah: “We have collected the evidence in testimonies of harassment and intimidation. Our group, together with Amnesty International and other groups, have compiled this report since 2017. We submitted it to RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) but we have not heard anything from them. What we have been saying now is being corroborated by the CSIS leaks.”
1.Why didn’t the RCMP or PMO acknowledge receipt of this report at any point since it was submitted in 2017?
2.Did the PMO provide this report to any other departments or agencies of the Government of Canada? If not, why not? If so, which departments or agencies were provided the report? What actions were taken by these departments or agencies in response to the evidence provided in this report?
3.What action was taken by the RCMP on the information provided in this report? Did the RCMP investigate any of the report’s examples of harassment and intimidation of Chinese Canadians by the Beijing government?
No. 221.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 22, 2023—Regarding Taiwan:
Following the Canada-Taiwan Friendship Group’s announcement of a Fall 2022 visit to Taiwan, the Chinese embassy in Canada released a statement saying in part: “China will take resolute and forceful measures against any country that attempts to interfere with or infringe upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
1.What, if any, diplomatic response did the Government of Canada have to this statement from the Chinese embassy? Was the Ambassador or any other Chinese diplomats summoned to Global Affairs Canada regarding this specific statement?
2.On August 19, 2022, in response to a reporter’s question about this trip, the Prime Minister stated: “We will ensure that the parliamentarians making the decision to travel or not will be done with all the reflections of the consequences and the impacts of it.”
(a)What advice did the Prime Minister’s Office give members of the Canada-Taiwan Friendship Group in making this decision?
(b)What advice did Global Affairs Canada give members of the Canada-Taiwan Friendship Group in making this decision?
No. 222.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 22, 2023—Regarding the Trans Mountain Corporation (TMC):
1.Since 2018, how much has the Trans Mountain Corporation paid out in each category?
(a)Termination benefits;
(b)Short-term incentive or performance benefits;
(c)Long-term incentive or performance benefits; and
(d)Any other discretionary bonuses.
2.What is the total amount TMC has paid out in all forms of compensation since 2018?
No. 223.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 30, 2023—Regarding the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF):
The Government of Canada has selected the F-35 as Canada’s next fighter aircraft. The government expects the first four aircraft to be delivered in 2026, and another 12 by 2028.
1.When is it anticipated that the first frontline squadron will enter full operational service?
2.When is it anticipated that all 88 aircraft will be delivered?
3.How many frontline squadrons will be deployed by the RCAF in total?
4.What is the anticipated schedule for standing up these squadrons?
5.The CF-18s are to be flown until 2032. What is the anticipated total cost of operating the CF-18s from 2022 to 2032?
6.What is the total number of pilots currently qualified to fly the CF-18 fighter in the RCAF? How many of these pilots are women? How many are visible minorities? How many are Indigenous?
7.How many CF-18 pilots left the RCAF between the start of 2020 and the end of 2022?
8.How many new individuals were trained to fly the CF-18 in the RCAF between the start of 2020 and the end of 2022?
9.Are changes anticipated in pilot requirements, and in particular the weight requirement, in order to safely wear the helmet that will be required to fly the F-35?
10.What is the average amount of time required to fully train a pilot to qualify for the CF-18? Please provide a breakdown of individual training courses from the start of primary, or initial, flight training to the end of conversion to the CF-18.
11.After selection and preliminary qualification, what is the current average wait time for pilot trainees for each of the required flight training courses required before a pilot is qualified on the CF-18?
No. 224.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 30, 2023—Regarding the proposed Canada Financial Crimes Agency:
1.When is the Canada Financial Crimes Agency expected to be operational?
2.Where will the Canada Financial Crimes Agency be located, and how many full-time equivalents will it employ?
3.The Liberal Party’s 2021 federal election platform promise to create a Canada Financial Crimes Agency stated: “Coupled with an investment of $200 million over the next four years, and new federal powers, this agency will bring together, under one roof, existing law enforcement resources of the RCMP, the intelligence capabilities of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC), and expertise of the Canada Revenue Agency.”
(a)Will the agency play a coordinating role for the work of the three existing entities, or will their powers merge into a new law enforcement entity?
(b)How much of the promised $200 million has been expended to date?
4.Budget 2022 proposed to provide $2 million to Public Safety Canada in 2022-23 to undertake initial work to develop and design the new agency, and promised further details would be announced in the 2022 fall economic and fiscal update.
(a)How did Public Safety Canada spend this $2 million?
(b)Why was there no mention of the Canada Financial Crimes Agency in the 2022 fall economic and fiscal update?
No. 227.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
March 30, 2023—Regarding human rights:
On November 13, 2022, when the Prime Minister was asked by a reporter why his government has not called the Chinese Communist regime’s treatment of the Uyghurs a genocide, he stated: “The word genocide, acts of genocide are things to be taken incredibly seriously as a world. We have objective, historical, expert processes to put in place those words or those designations… Designations of genocide need to be made by proper international authorities.”
1.Which “proper international authorities” does the Government of Canada believe should make the designation of a genocide?
2.In March 2021, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and the Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy released a joint report titled “The Uyghur Genocide: An Examination of China’s Breaches of the 1948 Genocide Convention”.
(a)Does the Government of Canada consider this to be a report from a proper international authority?
(b)Does the Government of Canada dispute the findings of this report?
3.In March 2021, Antony J. Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, released the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which states: “In China, government authorities committed genocide against Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and crimes against humanity including imprisonment, torture, enforced sterilization, and persecution against Uyghurs and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups.”
(a)Does the Government of Canada consider this to be a report from a proper international authority?
(b)Does the Government of Canada dispute the findings of this report?
No. 229.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 30, 2023—Regarding the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program:
1.For all Government of Canada contracts with Accenture Inc. regarding the CEBA program, could the government provide the following?
(a)The amount of the contract
(b)The date the contract began and ended,
(c)Who approved the contract, and
(d)A summary of the work provided under the contract.
2.With respect to the decision not to proactively reveal that the CEBA program was outsourced to Accenture:
(a)Who made this decision?
(b)When was this decision made?
(c)What was the basis for making this decision?
No. 230.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 30, 2023—Regarding comments made by the Prime Minister:
In January 2017, in a town hall meeting, the Prime Minister answered a question about the issue of tolls on the Confederation Bridge. He said: “I will make sure I pass along your concerns to our Island MPs, and we will look at what can be done to make sure people are able to travel freely, travel efficiently and openly across the country at modest costs.”
1.Did the Prime Minister pass along those concerns to the Liberal Members of Parliament representing Prince Edward Island? If so, how and when?
2.Did the PEI Liberal MPs actually do anything about this issue?
3. Did the Prime Minister pass along those concerns about the cost of the toll on Confederation Bridge to one or more Ministers, who can actually act on this issue? If so, who are the Ministers, and when were they briefed?
4.What are the government’s plans to make sure Islanders “are able to travel freely, travel efficiently and openly across the country at modest costs”?
No. 231.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 30, 2023—With respect to the former CEO of Invest in Canada, Mr. Ian McKay:
1.What was the screening and disclosure process which took place prior to Mr. Ian McKay’s appointment in early 2018?
2.When did the Minister of International Trade become aware that Mr. McKay was also serving as a director of Nesta Holdings Co. Ltd, a private equity firm investing within the marijuana industry?
3.Did the Minister seek an explanation from Mr. McKay as to why he resigned from the board of Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. in July 2018, but not from Nesta Holdings Co. Ltd? If so, what explanation was provided?
4.What actions were taken by the Minister with respect to the compliance order issued against Mr. McKay by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on January 15, 2019?
No. 232.
By the Honourable Senator Plett:
May 30, 2023—Regarding Invest in Canada:
1.For each year since it was created, what has been the expenses of Invest in Canada? How are these expenses broken down? In particular, how much has been paid to consultants?
2.For each year since it was created, how many people have been employed at Invest in Canada?
3.For each year since it was created, what has been the level of direct investment in Canada due to Invest in Canada work? For each year, what was the comparable level of investment outflow?
4.For each year between 2013 and 2017, what was the total level of annual direct foreign investment in Canada, and the corresponding annual investment outflow?
5.For each year since it was created, how many jobs have been created in Canada due to Invest in Canada? How is this number calculated?
No. 233.
By the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C.:
June 6, 2023—Concerning the occupancy rate of federal buildings:
1.Can the Department of Public Works and Government Services provide data as of April 1, 2023, and on the date of the answer to this question on the occupancy rate of offices by federal departments, as well as the square footage occupied by those offices and the number of public servants occupying them?
2.Can the Department of Public Works and Government Services provide this data by department, by province and by municipality, and indicate whether these offices are occupied by the federal government as landlord or tenant?
No. 234.
By the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C.:
June 6, 2023—Concerning the proportion of federal employees teleworking:
Can the Department of Public Works and Government Services provide data as of April 1, 2023, and on the date of the answer to this question on the proportion and number of federal public servants teleworking, by department, by province and by municipality?
No. 235.
By the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C.:
June 8, 2023—Concerning the illegal transportation of waste overseas:
With regard to Environment and Climate Change Canada providing fines to companies that illegally shipped or transported waste overseas, since January 1, 2022, and broken down by year: (a) how many fines or other financial penalties were issued; and (b) what are the details of each fine or financial penalty, including for each the (i) date of the incident, (ii) date of the fine, (iii) amount of the fine, (iv) name of the company, (v) summary of the infraction, (vi) description of the illegally shipped waste, including volume?