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Debates of the Senate (Hansard)

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1st Session, 45th Parliament
Volume 154, Issue 71

Tuesday, May 5, 2026
The Honourable Raymonde Gagné, Speaker


THE SENATE

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair.

Prayers.

SENATORS’ STATEMENTS

National Vision Health Month

Hon. Leo Housakos (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I am privileged to rise today to recognize that May is national Vision Health Month.

More than a decade ago, former senator Asha Seth led the important work to have May formally recognized as Vision Health Month in Canada. Her leadership helped elevate eye health as a national priority, and that work continues to resonate today.

Honourable colleagues, blindness and sight loss can impact anyone and at any time. Today, more than 2.2 million Canadians have a sight-related disability, including blindness and vision loss. These numbers are expected to grow as our population ages, underscoring the importance of early detection and prevention.

National Vision Health Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of eye health and the simple but critical steps we can take to protect our vision.

Regular, comprehensive eye exams are one of the most effective tools we have. Early detection through routine eye exams can make the difference between preserving vision and permanent sight loss.

This is especially important for children. Undiagnosed vision issues can affect early development, learning and long-term outcomes. Ensuring that children receive eye exams before starting school and regularly thereafter is a simple step that can have lifelong benefits.

This month is also about recognizing the vital work of organizations that support Canadians after vision loss, providing rehabilitation, community and pathways to independence. These organizations remind us that sight loss does not define a person’s potential.

Making eye health, vision care and rehabilitation services a true population health priority will require sustained leadership and meaningful federal support.

As we mark another year of Vision Health Month, I look forward to the continued progress we can achieve together in advancing eye health in Canada.

Senators, I invite you to join me in recognizing national Vision Health Month and in taking a moment this month to highlight the importance of eye health in your work and in our communities.

Thank you, colleagues.

[Translation]

Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels

Hon. Rosa Galvez: Honourable senators, I rise today following the first international Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, which was held in Santa Marta, Colombia. It was a gathering of parliamentarians, ministers, Indigenous leaders, scientists, economists, trade unions and youth from around the world.

[English]

This was not just another climate conference focused on emissions targets. It addressed a question the world has avoided for too long: How do we organize and manage a just and permanent transition away from fossil fuel dependence?

The 57 countries that participated represent more than half of global GDP, 30% of the world’s population and 20% of global fossil fuel production. These nations sent a powerful signal to markets, industries and investors: The future belongs to clean energy, resilient economies and fossil-free development.

What struck me most was that urgency is no longer driven by climate science and environmental advocates but by economics, geopolitics, safety and security.

Instability caused by recent conflicts has once again exposed the fragility of fossil fuel dependence. Countries that have invested in renewables are proving to be far more resilient. With China leading the transition, solar energy is developing rapidly in Pakistan, India and Indonesia, and enormous new investments in renewables are being made in Latin America, Europe and elsewhere. Energy security increasingly means renewable energy sovereignty.

Three key pillars were addressed: reducing economic dependence on fossil fuels; transforming energy systems through electrification and renewables; and creating stronger international cooperation and governance frameworks.

The transition is about an orderly transformation that protects workers, communities and economies while avoiding stranded assets and future instability.

A stark warning is coming from central banks, insurers, economists and financial regulators, who increasingly view dependence on fossil fuels as a major destabilizing risk. Colleagues, these agencies and institutions are not activists; they do not have ecological goals. They are not lobbyists either; their business and expertise lie in assessing and managing financial risk. The transition is accelerating.

[Translation]

The question is no longer whether the world will move away from fossil fuels; it is whether Canada will follow suit or pay dearly for lagging behind.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

[English]

Visitors in the Gallery

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Major-General Jeffrey Smyth, Chief of Air and Space Force Development, who is accompanied by other members and veterans of the Royal Canadian Air Force. They are the guests of the Honourable Senators Patterson and Wallin.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Air Force Day on the Hill

Hon. Rebecca Patterson: Honourable senators, I rise today to mark Air Force Day on Parliament Hill on behalf of Senator Wallin and myself.

[Translation]

Today is an opportunity for parliamentarians to meet, listen to and learn directly from Canadian aircrew, some of whom are here in the gallery.

[English]

The Royal Canadian Air Force, or RCAF, plays a valuable and important role in Canada’s security and defence and in upholding the international rules-based order. It has a critical role in bilateral and multilateral military partnerships and alliances.

[Translation]

Honourable senators, the air force is Canada’s and North America’s first line of defence.

[English]

As part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, the RCAF detects, deters and responds to foreign military air incursions into Canada. The RCAF also provides transport and logistics across Canada and around the world. Last month, the RCAF undertook Operation BOXTOP: the resupply of Canadian Forces Station Alert, the world’s northernmost military outpost. For the first time ever, the RCAF was joined by the U.K.’s Royal Air Force.

RCAF personnel are also stationed around the world, including with NATO forces in Europe. When called upon, the RCAF has been there for our friends and allies, whatever the mission, including going to the moon.

Like many Canadians, I watched in awe as humans returned to the moon for the first time in over 50 years. Aboard the Artemis II capsule was Canadian astronaut and RCAF Colonel Jeremy Hansen.

[Translation]

Colonel Hansen is one of thousands of Canadians who serve or have served in the air force.

(1410)

[English]

The RCAF is also responsible for looking to the stars through space command, and we have a couple of members with us today. These are things I could never have imagined when I served.

Colleagues, the air force is undertaking its largest modernization in a generation to ensure that Canada remains secure and that the RCAF, with the right capabilities, remains credible and relevant in a dangerous world.

This modernization is about more than just a few new airframes. It is about building an air force for Canada that can operate in a modern pan-domain threat environment now and into the future, an air force that ensures Canada remains a dependable and influential NORAD and NATO ally, and one that can operate seamlessly with our closest allies to deter and, if necessary, defeat technologically advanced adversaries.

This means that the government and parliamentarians need to think not just about one piece of the puzzle — i.e., one type of fighter aircraft — but rather, we need to look at the bigger picture and think about how all this fits together. All of this new equipment will exist and operate within the entire ecosystem that is the air force.

Airframes are not just platforms. It’s the people who make the RCAF work.

That is why I am pleased to rise today, as I often have, to recognize, celebrate and thank the people who serve in the Royal Canadian Air Force and across the Canadian Armed Forces.

Thank you.

Visitors in the Gallery

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of a delegation from the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in Kyiv, Ukraine, as well as Roman Waschuk, former ambassador of Canada to Ukraine, and Valeriy Kostyuk, representing the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Kutcher.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, it is my privilege to welcome a delegation from the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in Kyiv. They are here to participate in the Holodomor Legacy Initiative symposium at the Canadian Museum of History.

This museum is central to Ukraine’s effort to preserve the truth of the 1932–34 famine genocide. It contains the memory of the 4 million victims of this Soviet-induced famine. Yes, colleagues, 4 million innocent people starved to death.

It is the only famine known in history that was deliberately used as a state-on-state weapon of genocide. It was used by Russia to wipe out the Ukrainian opposition to Stalin’s policies and to destroy the Ukrainian national identity.

I know this only too well from my own family history. Russia has always tried to deny the truth about Holodomor. It did so during the famine and continues to do so today.

Sadly, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine did not end with the Holodomor. They continue today. It is estimated that there have been almost 60,000 civilian casualties of Russian missile attacks since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

Russia’s war against Ukraine is not just an expression of Vladimir Putin’s territorial ambition; it is state-sponsored genocide. Russian forces deliberately target civilian infrastructure — hospitals, schools, the energy grid and homes.

Atrocities in Bucha, which I visited, Izyum, Kherson and beyond, show the systematic brutality of this war. Cultural institutions — churches, museums and libraries — have been looted and destroyed as part of an ongoing campaign to erase the Ukrainian identity.

One part of this campaign is the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. Tens of thousands have been taken to Russia or occupied territories, placed with Russian families and stripped of their language and national identity. This is Russian state policy — an attempt to destroy the future of Ukraine by a forced Russification of its children.

I would like to acknowledge Canada’s leadership in trying to return these stolen children home. While in Ukraine a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the NGO Save Ukraine, a leader in this valiant work.

Canada has long stood on the right side of history. On May 13, 2008, Canada became the first Western country to recognize the Holodomor as a genocide, and it has supported the Ukrainian people since then.

Ukrainian people are fighting for their sovereignty, their identity and their soil, and we also understand that they are fighting for us.

Thank you, d’akuju.

Visitors in the Gallery

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Sophie Yan, Vice Chair; Chunmao Lu, Honorary Chair; and Baijuan Huang, Executive Member of the Canadian Alliance of Chinese Associations. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Woo.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Breakthrough T1D Canada

Hon. Karen Sorensen: Honourable senators, incredible strides have been made in the quest to cure Type 1 diabetes.

You heard me correctly. I am not merely talking about management or prevention, but a potential cure that is within reach. As co-chair of the All-party Diabetes Caucus, I frequently meet with representatives of Breakthrough T1D to get updated on the progress being made on this file. It is very heartening.

That’s why I am pleased to speak today about the importance of continued federal support for this work.

Canada has long been responsible for cutting-edge research on Type 1 diabetes. However, we struggle when it comes to getting these discoveries to trial, as well as in manufacturing, regulating and delivering these life-changing therapies — all processes that are essential if we want to commercialize discoveries and avoid losing our best researchers. To capitalize on Canada’s progress, it is crucial that we build capacity in these areas.

That’s where Breakthrough T1D comes in. A public-private partnership, Breakthrough T1D facilitates coordinated trials, which not only enable faster progress and a higher likelihood of success but ensure Canada can reap the economic benefits of this research.

Breakthrough T1D has over 50 years of experience in this field, and with federal support, we have jointly supported more than 20 Canadian trials since 2009.

Continued investment in their work is essential, and I believe it will pay dividends — both economically for Canada and for the quality of life of the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who live with Type 1 diabetes.

It is my hope, and indeed my belief, that the T1D youth who have joined us today in the Senate will be cured in the not-too-distant future and that they and those who love them will live lives without constant glucose monitoring and insulin management.

Visitors in the Gallery

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Rockwell Dundas, Chief Executive Officer of Scott Mission, as well as other senior officials from the organization. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Robinson.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month

Hon. Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia: Honourable senators, I rise today to recognize Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month and to pay tribute to the thousands of Canadians living with multiple sclerosis, or MS.

MS is a chronic neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, and for many people, it changes the course of their lives at a time when they are building careers, families and futures. Its effects are often invisible, but they are deeply felt in homes, workplaces and communities from coast to coast to coast.

May is an important time to raise awareness, but for people living with MS, awareness must lead to understanding, support and action every day. Canada continues to face one of the highest rates of MS in the world, which makes this issue especially important for us.

Behind every diagnosis is a person adapting to uncertainty, fatigue, mobility challenges, pain and the emotional burdens that can accompany a disease that is often unpredictable. Behind every person is a family, a circle of friends and a network of caregivers who are also affected.

(1420)

I want to acknowledge the dedication of MS Canada, researchers, clinicians, volunteers and advocates — including our own Senator Mary Coyle — who work tirelessly to improve outcomes for those living with the disease. Their efforts have helped to advance research, strengthen support services and give a voice to Canadians who, too often, must navigate their illness quietly and with great resilience.

I also want to recognize the courage of people living with multiple sclerosis, or MS, who continue to work, parent, study, serve and contribute in so many ways while managing a serious health condition.

As legislators, we have a responsibility to support better access to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and community-based care. We must also continue to invest in research because scientific progress offers hope not only for better treatment but for a future with fewer limits and greater possibilities. Awareness is important, but it is not enough on its own. It must lead us to practical measures that improve quality of life and reduce barriers for those affected.

Colleagues, in closing, I want to thank all those who wear the red carnation in solidarity with the MS community. Let us stand with Canadians living with MS, not only in recognition of their challenges but in support of their strength, dignity and hope.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

[Translation]

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Auditor General

Additional 2026 Reports Tabled

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, additional 2026 reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Senate, pursuant to the Auditor General Act, R.S., 1985, c. A-17, sbs. 7(5).

[English]

National Framework on Food Allergy Bill

First Reading

Hon. Andrew Cardozo introduced Bill S-247, An Act to establish a national framework on food allergy.

(Bill read first time.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Cardozo, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly

Autumn Meeting, November 18-20, 2023—Report Tabled

Hon. Peter M. Boehm: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly concerning the Twenty-first Autumn Meeting, held in Yerevan, Armenia, from November 18 to 20, 2023.

Autumn Meeting, November 17-19, 2025—Report Tabled

Hon. Peter M. Boehm: Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly concerning the Twenty-third Autumn Meeting, held in Istanbul, Türkiye, from November 17 to 19, 2025.

Fisheries and Oceans

Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Hold In Camera Meetings for its Study on the Commercial Fisheries Licensing Regime on the Pacific Coast

Hon. Fabian Manning: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, notwithstanding rule 12-15(2), the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans be empowered to hold in camera meetings for the purpose of hearing witnesses and gathering specialized or sensitive information in relation to its study on the commercial fisheries licensing regime on Canada’s Pacific Coast.

Contributions of Muslim Canadians

Notice of Inquiry

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Honourable senators, I give notice that, two days hence:

I will call the attention of the Senate to the contributions of Muslim Canadians to Canada.

QUESTION PERIOD

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Visitor Visas

Hon. Leo Housakos (Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, for many years, experts in the official opposition in Parliament have been warning the government that hundreds of thousands of temporary resident visas have expired. The government has acknowledged and admitted that hundreds of thousands of these temporary resident visas have expired, and very few, if any, of these temporary residents in this country have been investigated or shown the door.

Government leader, how in the world is it possible that local libraries in this country do a better job of tracking their books than your government does in terms of border security in this country? What are you going to do to clean up this collapsed mess of an immigration system your government has created?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): I’m not sure that the libraries are all acting as you described in your question.

However, as of February 5, 2026, the Canada Border Services Agency has reviewed 17,800 applications for potential inadmissibility, opened over 170 investigations and cancelled over 235 visas related, notably, to the Iranian regime.

The government has been consistent. Security at the border is very important to the government and for Canadian security, and we are acting accordingly.

Senator Housakos: Let me understand correctly. Your own government has acknowledged hundreds of thousands of temporary resident visas have expired and that these people are living illegally in Canada. Then you rise in the Senate of Canada and tell me that 17,000 have been investigated and 235 have been deported — and that’s a success story? That underlines the problem that we face in terms of border security.

Can you be more committal and clear about what the government intends to do with these hundreds of thousands of illegal visas in this country?

Senator Moreau: I’m not talking about a success story; I’m talking about an ongoing story. That is why we have the Canada Border Services Agency.

We are monitoring what is happening in Canada. Whenever an illegal incident occurs, we bring forward an investigation, and, at the end of the story, if needed, we remove the people involved from Canada.

Finance

Cost of Living

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Government leader, the latest Statistics Canada poverty report shows that roughly 1 in 10 Canadians lives in poverty. At about 11%, the poverty rate remains well above 2020 levels. At a time when the costs of food, housing and basic necessities continue to rise, too many families are being left behind.

Senator, these are not abstract figures; they represent millions of Canadians struggling to get by. Why do your government’s policies continue to fail to lift these Canadians above the poverty line, despite years of spending and repeated promises?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): I do not agree with the premise of your question, Senator Ataullahjan. The government has been acting consistently since Budget 2025 on unprecedented affordability measures.

For instance, we are lowering taxes for 22 million Canadians, cutting the consumer carbon tax, protecting pharmacare and dental care, lowering the requirement to access the disability tax credit, providing immediate relief on groceries with Bill C-4, investing in housing, cutting the GST for first-time homebuyers and making the National School Food Program permanent for 400,000 children. So don’t say that we are not acting on those important issues.

(1430)

We know that other things have to be done. The government is committed to providing Canadians with appropriate support for their financial situations.

Senator Ataullahjan: Government leader, South Asian, Black and Indigenous Canadians continue to experience disproportionately higher poverty rates. What is your government doing to ensure its policies are actually targeting those who are the most in need rather than broad-based measures, like the fuel tax relief, that disproportionately benefit higher-income households?

Senator Moreau: Not only in the economic update but in Budget 2025, we had measures targeted toward Indigenous communities to make sure they are treated appropriately. The government does not make a difference between Canadians — a Canadian is a Canadian. Everybody is entitled to help from the government.

Royal Canadian Mint

Hon. Rosa Galvez: Senator Moreau, according to The New York Times, the Royal Canadian Mint relied on the due diligence of a Texas supplier to verify that the gold supplied by the company was not linked to “. . . illegitimate nonstate armed groups.” However, this so-called North American-sourced traceable gold was a swirl of gold from multiple sources, including Colombian mines controlled by the Clan del Golfo drug cartel.

Why didn’t the Royal Canadian Mint ask for more detailed information when the audit of the Texas supplier identified Colombia?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, Senator Galvez.

The government is aware of the journalistic investigation of the procurement process of the Royal Canadian Mint. The Royal Canadian Mint is a Crown corporation — you’re well aware of that — that operates at arm’s length from the government to ensure independence and impartiality from political involvement. The Royal Canadian Mint is actually conducting an investigation, and the government will support it in any way necessary to maintain its standard of responsible metal procurement.

[Translation]

Senator Galvez: Thank you for that answer.

[English]

Sourcing legally and ethically mined gold is vital to uphold human rights and dignity and to protect nature. When it is more profitable to illegally deforest an ecosystem, pollute rivers and seize territories by force to exploit them, there is an increased risk of illegitimate armed groups controlling critical mineral supplies.

How will the government ensure that the critical minerals coming to Canada are mined ethically and legally?

Senator Moreau: As I mentioned previously, the government is committed to ensuring we have metal procurement that is responsible. It is a good opportunity to know that there have been recent discoveries of important new gold deposits in Yukon and Newfoundland and Labrador, which could represent interesting revenue for the Royal Canadian Mint to ensure it procures ethically sourced Canadian gold.

Global Affairs

Canada-Israel Relations

Hon. Yuen Pau Woo: Senator Moreau, a year ago, Prime Minister Carney, together with Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron, issued an ultimatum to Israel, threatening to impose more sanctions if Israel did not improve the humanitarian situation. At the time, the three leaders called the situation intolerable. Today, six months after a so-called ceasefire, the situation is still intolerable, with nearly 700 Palestinians killed, 200 of which are children, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which, by the way, was headed by our incoming Governor General, the Honourable Louise Arbour.

What has the government done to follow up on that ultimatum from one year ago?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): I have no specific information on what the government has done to follow up on that issue. However, I will raise the question with the minister, and I will get back to you with an answer.

Senator Woo: I would appreciate that because it is transparently clear that the ultimatum — the threat — has been made and Israel has not provided any improvement. If I may make a suggestion, an action the government can take — and I would seek your consultation with the government on this idea — is to review the free-trade agreement we have with Israel in the same way that the EU is currently reviewing its agreement.

Senator Moreau: I’m not sure that your suggestion will be followed, but I will raise the question with the minister. I will provide you with an answer.

Health

Mental Health

Hon. Tony Ince: Senator Moreau, on April 24, the Minister of Health announced $8.6 million over two years to support 24 projects aimed at addressing anti-Black racism within the justice system. At the same time, we know that individuals living with mental illness remain overrepresented in that system.

Of this funding, how many of these projects specifically include mental health supports, particularly for young Black men?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, Senator Ince.

The funding you are referring to was not directly intended for mental health support. I do not have time to list all the programs the funding did include, but I can give you some of them: the YMCA of Northern Alberta’s YMCA YOU-Turn: Youth Reintegration Pathways program; the BIPOC Youth Crime Prevention Project with the Calgary John Howard Society; the For Youth Initiative’s R.I.S.E: Re-Integrating the Socially Excluded 2.0 project; the Circle of Change Restorative Justice program under Friends in Toronto Community Services; the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education; the Association of Black Social Workers’ Project VOICE (Victim Outreach, Intervention, Counselling, and Education); and the Black Creek Community Health Centre.

Senator Ince: Thank you for that, senator.

There appears to be a significant concentration of these projects in Ontario. How is the government ensuring that Black communities outside of Ontario, especially in rural, remote and northern regions, are adequately supported, given the distinct challenges and the discrimination faced in areas with lower racial diversity?

Senator Moreau: That’s a highly justified question.

While nearly half of the total Black population in Canada lives in Ontario and 97.8% of the total Black population in Canada live in urban areas, as you raised, senator, it is important to ensure all Black communities receive the support they need. That is why the government is funding programs across the country, including in Western Canada, Central Canada and Atlantic Canada, as I mentioned.

[Translation]

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: Senator Moreau, criticism from stakeholders has been mounting ever since the government decided to require a co-payment from asylum seekers as of May 1. They must now pay $4 for each prescription every time they renew, as well as 30% of the cost of emergency dental care and mental health services.

I met with Quebec pediatrician Tinh-Nhan Luong, who agrees with the Canadian Paediatric Society that these cuts will have a major impact on groups of people who are already in a very precarious financial position. These cuts will affect people grappling with a range of traumas and illnesses, such as sickle cell disease and diabetes, as well as pregnant women who may have to interrupt their treatment because they lack funds.

Choosing to let fewer asylum seekers in is one thing, but is this how we should treat them when they get here, often in a very bad state?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator Miville-Dechêne, Canada remains a very welcoming country for refugees. As I’m sure you know, the cost of health care is directly related to the volume of claims and claimants. The government’s goal is therefore to ensure the sustainability of programs, while treating all taxpayers fairly. Essential care continues to be fully covered with no co-payment, which protects the health of Canadians and asylum seekers.

As you mentioned, when making changes to coverage for supplemental health products and services, the government deliberately kept costs low at $4 for a prescription and 30% of the cost for other services. All other fees are covered. This program will make it possible to bring public health coverage in line with benefits for social assistance recipients, who are Canadian residents.

Senator Miville-Dechêne: We could spend a long time debating whether mental health care is essential, but aren’t these co-payments just a short-sighted move on the part of the government? Asylum seekers, who have little or no financial means, are likely to become even sicker and end up in the emergency room. That will cost more in medical care, and the provinces will have to foot the bill. What are your thoughts on that?

(1440)

Senator Moreau: What I think is not important. What matters is what the government thinks. I will pass the government’s message on to you. Obviously, we could debate what constitutes essential health care. However, essential care continues to be fully covered. Doctors’ appointments and hospital stays are also fully covered.

I want to note in passing what the Prime Minister said. He said that what sets Canada apart from the United States is that, here, people have the right to receive proper health care.

[English]

National Defence

Military Spending

Hon. David M. Wells (Acting Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, one of the reports of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, or PBO, on the spring fiscal update is warning that your government’s fiscal projections don’t include all of the announced spending related to defence. The PBO estimates that meeting the 5% NATO commitment will require core defence spending to reach $159 billion by 2035-36. We all recognize the importance of funding our military.

Senator Moreau, why is the government making promises that will clearly not respect their fiscal anchor?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): With all due respect to the question, the Prime Minister has announced that Canada and NATO allies have agreed to a new defence investment pledge of 5% of the annual GDP by 2035 to ensure our collective security. This commitment remains strong.

We actually have already attained the 2% defence spending target this year, which was a projection for a few years to come, so the government is strongly committed to attaining 5% by 2035.

Senator Wells: The question was about the fiscal anchor and respecting the expenditure, but I’ll move on.

You’ll recall that last year the Prime Minister shifted the Canadian Coast Guard from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans over to the Department of National Defence, so that is not new spending; that’s shifting old spending. Are you aware of any other expenditures related to defence that are being shifted rather than creating new spending?

Senator Moreau: Well, the investment that the government has made in defence is unprecedented. There is no one government, Conservative or even Liberal, that has spent more on defence and our military. Personally, I’m quite proud of it, being from a military family, and I think Canadians agree with that and are quite supportive of the government’s investment in Canadian security.

Finance

Fiscal Anchors

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: Announcements aren’t expenditures.

Senator Moreau, one of the reports released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer this week underscores that fiscal sustainability is grounded in our debt-to-GDP ratio, not our deficit-to-GDP ratio. This matters because the deficit-to-GDP ratio can decline even while our debt-to-GDP ratio rises if interest rates rise or GDP growth weakens. Why has the government chosen to use the deficit-to-GDP ratio as a fiscal anchor when it does not accurately indicate whether our finances are actually sustainable?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): The government was already acting from a strong fiscal position. Canada has the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. Canada has the second-lowest deficit-to-GDP ratio in the G7 and the strongest credit rating, AAA, from Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. I think only Germany has a similar score. The government has clear fiscal anchors, a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio and a commitment to balancing the operating budget by the fiscal year 2028-29, which will be achieved by driving investment into Canada and finding long-term savings, modernizing and improving efficiency.

Senator MacDonald: I’m sure Canadians are comforted by that. Senator Moreau, would you not agree that using the deficit‑to-GDP ratio as a fiscal anchor is misleading to Canadians, since it can improve even while our debt-to-GDP ratio worsens?

Senator Moreau: I do not agree.

Employment and Social Development

Access to Benefits

Hon. Kim Pate: Senator Moreau, this month marks the fiftieth anniversary of Canada signing on to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Article 11 recognizes the right “. . . to an adequate standard of living . . . including adequate food, clothing and housing . . .,” with Canada assuming a corresponding obligation to “ . . . take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right . . . .”

This week, as we have already heard, Statistics Canada revealed that more than 1 in 10 Canadians — at least 4.5 million people — lack an adequate standard of living. That’s an increase of 60% just since 2020 and a glaring gap in a country that prides itself on its human rights record internationally.

What concrete steps will Canada take to ensure human rights protections, to eliminate poverty and homelessness and meet international obligations so that this fiftieth anniversary can actually warrant celebration?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): I will follow up on my answer to Senator Ataullahjan’s question. While there is still more to do, and the government has been working to alleviate poverty for more and more Canadians, the government is taking a number of actions — you were asking about concrete action.

First, the government is launching the automatic federal benefits for the 2026 tax year. It will reach up to 5.5 million low‑income Canadians to ensure they receive the government benefits they qualify for, such as the GST/HST credit, the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit and more. Second, the government has dedicated $1 billion, specifically for transitional and supportive housing, to give people who face homelessness both the homes and the support they need. The Reaching Home program is central to that effort. It will support local organizations and has already helped nearly 112,000 Canadians find stable housing —

The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, Senator Moreau.

Senator Pate: Thank you for that information, and we look forward to more.

Statistics Canada confirms that Indigenous Peoples, in particular, are almost twice as likely as non-Indigenous Canadians to experience poverty. What specific actions is the government undertaking to meet Canada’s seven-year-old commitment to the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls to, at the very least, implement the call for a national guaranteed livable income?

Senator Moreau: This morning, the Prime Minister announced that the National Family and Survivors Circle will be allocated an additional $2.6 million in funding over three years to ensure the organization has a tool to build a safer and more equitable society. In the Spring Economic Update, we already announced $2.8 billion over five years to strengthen Indigenous housing support.

Public Safety

Cybersecurity

Hon. Tony Loffreda: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Moreau, fraud losses in Canada exceeded hundreds of millions of dollars last year, increasingly driven by artificial intelligence and sophisticated cyber-schemes. What additional consumer protection measures are being developed to better safeguard Canadians?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): Yes, thank you for the question. The use of “deepfakes” for the purpose of fraud is already an offence under the Competition Act. It is illegal to use deceptive marketing to sell a product, whether or not AI is used.

In the Spring Economic Update 2026, the government increased the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre’s ability to detect, deter and disrupt illicit financing of extortion and fentanyl trafficking with $17.9 million in additional funding. In the update, the government is providing the proposed financial crimes agency with the resources needed to successfully deliver on its mandate — almost $500 million over the next five years — to fund the agency and to increase funding for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

Senator Loffreda: Thank you for that answer.

Given the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and digital fraud techniques, does the government believe that Canada’s current legislative and regulatory framework is adequately equipped to respond to these emerging threats? If not, what timeline exists for modernization efforts and what you mentioned in the first part of your answer?

Senator Moreau: Starting this year, the national cybercrime and fraud reporting system, or NCFRS, will simplify how Canadians report fraud and cybercrimes, making the RCMP better equipped to combat these threats.

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In addition, in creating the new financial crimes agency, tabled under Bill C-29, we will have this agency to lead the fight against sophisticated financial crimes, as well as unit experts on investigations, and to ensure penalties are sufficient.

National Defence

Military Procurement

Hon. Colin Deacon: Senator Moreau, Canada is deepening defence industrial cooperation with European allies, including through NATO frameworks and joint procurement.

When the Canadian government becomes the first customer, it enables Canadian firms to validate and improve dual-use technologies and, ultimately, export internationally.

Put simply, when Canada buys first, the ability of Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, to compete is accelerated.

Yet innovative SMEs still struggle to get those all-important first contracts with the Canadian Armed Forces, or CAF.

What specific steps is this government taking to ensure that Canadian SMEs can access procurement opportunities under $5 million in support of CAF personnel? And how will the government measure whether those firms are successfully transitioning into export-ready defence suppliers?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): For the first part of your question, the government knows that Canadian SMEs are the backbone of our economy. What I can tell you is that the government is in the process of revamping its defence procurement. That is why the government has created the Defence Investment Agency, which will now consolidate procurement processes, and it notably has a mandate to anchor procurement more strategically to domestic industrial benefits. The agency actually received establishment funding last Tuesday in the Spring Economic Update, which still needs legislative approval.

When its procurement strategy is outlined, I will ensure to send you the details on the opportunities under $5 million for SMEs because that is the mandate that the agency has received.

Senator C. Deacon: That is good news. There’s been activity on this in the past. The Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security program is there to provide early-stage support, but in the past, it has not guaranteed a path to procurement. And we have seen that through the Pathway to Commercialization program and other programs. In fact, it just goes back to the same old procurement process. I’m hoping we will see something quite different. Thank you.

Senator Moreau: As I mentioned, the government is well aware of the importance of SMEs in our economy, and the agency is now consulting and preparing for the way it will operate. I will bring your question to the attention of the minister and, through the minister, to the agency. I’m sure that it’s part of their mandate.

[Translation]

Mental Health

Hon. Danièle Henkel: Senator Moreau, this week is Mental Health Week. According to a recent report from the other place, every nine days in Canada, a veteran takes his or her life, with suicide rates up to 157% higher than those of certain cohorts in the general population.

One parliamentary committee opposes the current strategy, described as a mere “checklist” that lacks measurable objectives or strict monitoring of results.

In light of the concerns voiced by experts, how would the government assess the effectiveness of the current approach? Does it intend move toward a strategy supported by clear, public and measurable indicators?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question, Senator Henkel.

The government has launched a national conversation on the mental health of men and boys in general, not on military personnel or military service members specifically. It runs until June 1 and its goal is to establish a national strategy on the matter.

I’d like to take the opportunity provided by your question to ensure that the specific circumstances of current or past members of the Armed Forces are accounted for in this national strategy.

Senator Henkel: This is important because we are talking about a veteran dying every nine days.

As Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Régiment de Maisonneuve, I would point out that the data do not include suicides among reservists, who are nevertheless essential to the Canadian Armed Forces.

Does the government plan to fix this problem in order to get an accurate picture of the situation and adapt its prevention and support policies to all of our service members?

Thank you.

Senator Moreau: The national conversation I referred to earlier was launched in response to studies published since 2012 showing a high prevalence of mental health issues among men and boys. Currently, the government and the Minister of Health are engaged in discussions and are gathering reliable data to launch a national strategy that would address these issues.

As I mentioned earlier, I will emphasize the importance of including the military in the strategy.

[English]

ORDERS OF THE DAY

Business of the Senate

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, pursuant to the order adopted June 4, 2025, I would like to inform the Senate that Question Period with the Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty, P.C., M.P., Minister of Indigenous Services, will take place on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 3:55 p.m.

[Translation]

Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation Bill

Third Reading

Hon. Clément Gignac moved third reading of Bill C-18, An Act to implement the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Canada and Indonesia.

He said: Honourable senators, I rise today as the Senate sponsor of Bill C-18, An Act to implement the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Canada and Indonesia.

This comprehensive economic partnership agreement aims to broaden Canada’s economic horizons and establish a lasting partnership with the world’s third-largest democracy and one of the most dynamic regions in Asia.

Before I continue, I would like to acknowledge the work of our colleagues on the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, chaired by Senator Boehm, who examined the bill.

During their study, in which I participated, the committee heard from witnesses representing the business community, trade unions and the agricultural sector. We also heard the Minister of International Trade’s perspective.

Honourable senators, trade has always been a cornerstone of Canada’s prosperity because it support millions of jobs and enables Canadian businesses large and small to grow and, above all, create wealth in this country.

The Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will contribute to achieving these objectives in a concrete and forward-looking manner.

For the sake of efficiency, I won’t revisit all the points I discussed with you during my second-reading speech, so I’ll be brief. This won’t take 45 minutes.

However, let me remind you that Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia and that it has a large middle class with a strong potential for long-term growth.

As I mentioned in my speech at second reading, Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, has become the most populated city in the world with over 42 million inhabitants, the equivalent of Canada’s population.

This agreement gives Canadian exporters, service providers and investors better and more predictable access to the Indonesian market, which has over 280 million consumers.

By reducing tariffs, removing non-tariff barriers and improving regulatory transparency and cooperation, the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement helps Canadian businesses compete with their rivals on a level playing field and positions them to succeed in a market that will grow even bigger in the decades to come.

[English]

This agreement also matters because of what it represents for Indonesia. This is the most ambitious trade agreement that Indonesia has ever signed and its first comprehensive trade agreement with a North American partner.

That fact alone is significant. It speaks to Indonesia’s confidence in Canada as a trusted, reliable and long-term partner. It also reflects Indonesia’s broader economic evolution and its desire to integrate more deeply into the global, rules-based trading system.

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One of the clearest examples of this increased ambition can be found in the area of labour. For the first time in its trade policy history, Indonesia has made enforceable labour commitments in a trade agreement.

In the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, both countries commit to upholding and effectively enforcing internationally recognized labour rights in their domestic laws. The agreement prohibits lowering labour standards to attract trade or investment and includes mechanisms to address issues such as forced labour and violence against workers.

These commitments are binding and enforceable, backed by dispute settlement. For Canada, this is important. It helps ensure fair competition, supports decent work and reinforces the principle that trade should raise standards, not undermine them.

The Canada-Indonesia CEPA also reflects modern expectations around sustainability, inclusive growth and responsible business conduct.

[Translation]

This agreement could not have come at a more opportune time, as the uncertainty weighing on global trade continues to redefine long-standing alliances and give rise to new partnerships.

Colleagues, as Senator Housakos pointed out in his speech at second reading, the United States will always remain an important trading partner for Canada. In the current context, however, we know more than ever that Canada needs to rethink its place in the global economy.

With a view to reducing this dependence on our partner south of the border, I would like to reiterate that this government is committed to doubling Canadian exports to markets outside the United States over the next decade. This ambitious vision is aimed specifically at strengthening Canada’s long-term economic resilience.

Time will tell whether the government will be able to achieve this goal, but Statistics Canada released figures on international trade this morning. After rising 10% in February, exports to countries other than the United States increased by 9% in March. The United States’ share of international trade currently stands at a historic 66%, which is unprecedented. It appears that the government is on track to meet its goal.

The Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is a clear and essential step toward meeting this objective. It strengthens Canada’s presence in the Indo-Pacific region and diversifies the markets on which our prosperity depends.

I would also like to echo the comments made by Senator Woo at second reading. He very rightly pointed out that this agreement between Canada and Indonesia is not just about tariff reductions. It seeks to build trust between our two countries and lay the foundation for strengthening bilateral relations in a wide range of areas.

Of course, trade agreements only deliver results if businesses are able to make use of them.

The implementation of the Canada-Indonesia partnership agreement will be supported by a whole-of-government approach that combines trade promotion, on-the-ground support and close cooperation with Canadian businesses.

We have seen encouraging signs that the government is taking the implementation of the agreement seriously. In fact, the Canadian embassy in Indonesia has already set up a working group on the agreement that brings together chambers of commerce and leading trade organizations to coordinate promotional activities.

Once in force, the agreement will be integrated into Canada’s existing trade promotion ecosystem, which includes the Trade Commissioner Service, regional offices across Canada, trade missions at home and abroad and Canada’s broader engagement in Southeast Asia.

Canadian exporters and investors will be able to leverage the vast network of the Trade Commissioner Service in Indonesia and in the region to receive practical advice on market penetration, regulatory requirements and partnership opportunities.

Officials will receive targeted training and orientation sessions to ensure that they are equipped to effectively advise Canadian clients, resolve market access issues and promote the use of the agreement.

In addition, Canada will support practical implementation of the agreement through an economic and technical cooperation program, which will help build the institutional and technical capacity needed to meet commitments and ensure smooth market access for Canadians.

Ongoing collaboration through the agreement’s institutional committees will allow both parties to monitor its implementation, address challenges as they arise and ensure that the agreement delivers tangible benefits.

Promotional efforts will be equally proactive. A schedule of trade events, workshops and information sessions on the agreement at major trade fairs will raise awareness of the agreement among Indonesian and Canadian businesses.

All of these efforts about to be undertaken by the government send a clear message: This agreement is designed to be used by Canadian businesses for the benefit of Canadians, not to gather dust on a shelf.

That said, allow me to commend a comment made by Senator Harder and included in the report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, which urges the government to ensure that the foreign service has all the necessary resources to take full advantage of this agreement.

I know that my colleagues on the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and I, as the new co‑chair of the Canada-Indonesia Interparliamentary Friendship Group, will be following the implementation of this agreement with great interest.

In closing, it is important to remember that this Canada-Indonesia CEPA is an agreement for today and for the future.

It guarantees Canadian businesses access to a market of more than 280 million consumers and strengthens our collaboration with a key player within ASEAN, which, most importantly, is the world’s third-largest democracy.

For all the reasons put forward by my colleagues, I urge you to support the passage of Bill C-18.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

[English]

Hon. Leo Housakos (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise to speak to Bill C-18 on third reading, and I will be brief. Many of you already know my strongly held view that there has been a tradition in this place of giving extensive speeches, either at second or third reading, not at both. Therefore, I will keep to the point.

Conservatives support free trade. It doesn’t matter where or with whom. We have always believed that trade agreements are for the benefit of this country. I highlight that we prefer to make trade agreements with countries with which we have aligned values and principles that allow us, of course, to perform effectively. You cannot have effective free trade unless the two markets in question respect environmental guidelines, labour guidelines, human rights, financial standards, legal systems and the international rule of law. Usually that is a starting point.

For reasons related to political and economic expediency, we sometimes sign agreements with nefarious governments and countries around the world. That is not the case here. There is a lot of potential here for growth. Of course, the Asia-Pacific is a market in which we need to continue to expand our presence.

Of course, ratifications are a formality, both for parliaments and governments, in reality. All the heavy-duty nuts and bolts are negotiated by Global Affairs Canada, but implementation is where it either fails or succeeds. When we sign trade agreements with countries that are very different from our largest trading partner to the South, we must always be cognizant that inherent challenges fall into place.

It’s always easy for multinational Canadian corporations to make deals, expand marketplaces and try to benefit from these trade agreements anywhere in the world. It is a lot more complicated for small- and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, to do business in a place like Indonesia. When you open up market capacity in Ohio or Wisconsin, it doesn’t matter if you are small, medium or large; you have the capacity to benefit from it. When you are opening up markets like Indonesia, it is a whole different ball of wax. Obviously, it is a nice opportunity for the Bombardiers and SNCs of the world, as well as our large agricultural conglomerates, which are able to take advantage of some of these benefits. It is a lot more complicated if you are a mom-and-pop shop.

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It is striking that the government committed a $25-million fund over five years to help Indonesian firms build capacity. On the other side of the equation, there was nothing available for SMEs on the Canadian side, which, going forward, is something that could be rectified. I encourage the government to do so.

Before I conclude, I also want to highlight that, even though we are completely in favour of diversification of trade — as I said in my second reading speech — we cannot underscore enough the importance of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA. It is 75%, if not more, or our trade arrangement from an economic point of view. As much as the government likes politically expedient speeches like the one Prime Minister Carney gave in Yerevan a couple of days ago, our most important trading partner, political partner and security partner is still the United States of America. Despite our current short-term differences, we need to refocus and get that back on track as we continue to diversify in markets and sectors around the world.

On that point, I want to say that the opposition supports Bill C-18, and I call the question.

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker: Are senators ready for the question?

Hon. Senators: Question.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to and bill read third time and passed.)

[English]

Connected Care for Canadians Bill

Seventh Report of Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee Adopted

The Senate proceeded to consideration of the seventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (Bill S-5, An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and to prohibit data blocking by health information technology vendors, with an amendment and observations), presented in the Senate on April 30, 2026.

Hon. Rosemary Moodie moved the adoption of the report.

She said: Honourable senators, I rise today in my capacity as Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology to move the adoption of the seventh report on Bill S-5, An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and to prohibit data blocking by health information technology vendors, as amended by the committee.

This bill comes before us at an important time. Canadians expect that their health care system will work smoothly and will support them when they need it most. A key part of that expectation is that health information can be shared safely and efficiently between those who provide care across the country.

The central purpose of Bill S-5 is to ensure health information technology that is licensed, sold or supplied by vendors is interoperable and prohibits data blocking by the vendor to promote a connected, secure and person-centred health system.

On April 15, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology began its study on Bill S-5. The committee held six meetings, heard from 32 witnesses and received 40 written briefs. These witnesses include, among others, the Minister of Health, officials from federal departments and agencies, professional organizations, health advocacy groups, physicians and IT vendors.

I want to take this opportunity to again thank all those who appeared before us or submitted briefs. Their testimony and expertise meaningfully informed our work.

On April 26, the committee had two meetings for Bill S-5’s clause-by-clause consideration. During that process, one amendment was adopted. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of the amendment were applied to pages 1 and 2 of the preamble. On page 1, paragraph (a) of the amendment replaces line 29 with “Whereas Parliament wishes to promote coopera-” and line 31 with “territorial governments, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples and key.”

In the original version of the bill, the preamble did not include specific language emphasizing cooperation with Indigenous Peoples. This amendment was proposed based on recommendations from witnesses who called on the committee to recognize the distinctions-based nature of data collection and amended the term “Indigenous Peoples” in the preamble to “First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.”

On page 2, paragraph (b) of the amendment adds the following before line 1:

And whereas Parliament affirms that the enabling of easy, complete and secure access to and use and exchange of electronic health information and the governance of data under this Act as that data relates to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples must occur in a manner that respects Indigenous data sovereignty;

Paragraph (b) of the amendment was informed by multiple witnesses who told the committee that increasing data sharing without explicit protections risks eroding Indigenous governance over health information and reiterated the need to reinforce the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty in the bill.

At this time, there is no legislative framework on Indigenous data sovereignty, and co-developed stand-alone legislation may be required at a later time. The committee notes that this is the first occasion that the term “Indigenous data sovereignty” has been included in proposed federal legislation, and we hope action spurs further advancement and recognition of data sovereignty.

In addition, the committee also adopted one observation:

The committee observes that health information technology vendors constitute only one element of a broader health data ecosystem. Focusing solely on vendors is insufficient to achieve comprehensive interoperability and meaningful access to personal health information for Canadians. To fully realize the benefits of interoperable health data, the government should consider extending responsibility for the access to and exchange of electronic health information to all individual or institutional providers of health care.

This observation was adopted because the committee heard consistent testimony from both officials and witnesses that Bill S-5 serves as foundational, enabling legislation for improving the future of health care data here in Canada. Evidence presented highlighted that the current lack of interoperability contributes to widespread harm to Canadians’ health and well-being, increased burnout among health care workers, negative impacts on research and innovation and significant system inefficiencies costing nearly $10 billion annually.

However, focusing legislative efforts solely on health information technology vendors addresses only one part of a much broader and evolving ecosystem. Recognizing the complexity and changing nature of the health system, the committee underscored the importance of maintaining a high‑level, flexible legislative approach that does not prescribe specific mechanisms for data sharing but instead allows for a range of solutions to emerge over time and ensures the framework remains relevant in the years ahead.

A bill that only affects one part of the system is not enough to guarantee adequate access to health data for all. As such, it is important to keep the bill high-level and to support its applicability in the future, such as in 20 years’ time. There will be many solutions to this complex problem, and this observation leaves room to figure out the best strategies even into the future.

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Before I conclude, I would like to take a moment to recognize the committee staff and members. I would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the committee staff: our clerk, Ferda Simpson; our analysts, Mayra Perez-Leclerc, Laura Blackmore and Diana Ambrozas; our law clerk, David Groves; and our administrative assistant, Osvaldo Lopes Da Silva.

Honourable senators, Bill S-5 marks a meaningful step toward a more connected, efficient and patient-centred health care system here in Canada. While it does not resolve every challenge within the broader health data ecosystem, it establishes a strong and necessary foundation for continued progress.

The committee’s amendment strengthens the bill by recognizing the importance of distinctions-based approaches and affirming Indigenous data sovereignty, and the committee’s observation highlights a need for broader system-wide engagement beyond technology vendors alone. By maintaining a high-level and flexible framework, this legislation allows for innovation and adaptation as our health system evolves over time.

Colleagues, in summary, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology recommends that the Senate pass Bill S-5, with our amendment and observation, which strengthen important aspects of the bill.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

The Hon. the Speaker: Are honourable senators ready for the question?

Hon. Senators: Question.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to and report adopted.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill, as amended, be read the third time?

(On motion of Senator Kingston, bill, as amended, placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting of the Senate.)

[Translation]

Canada Elections Act

Bill to Amend—Second Reading—Debate Continued

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Dasko, seconded by the Honourable Senator Forest, for the second reading of Bill S-213, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (demographic information).

Hon. Dawn Arnold: Honourable senators, this item stands adjourned in the name of the Honourable Senator Martin and, after my intervention today, I ask for leave that it remain adjourned in her name.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

[English]

Senator Arnold: Honourable senators, I rise today to express my strong support for the initiative advanced by my colleague Senator Donna Dasko through Bill S-213, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (demographic information).

This legislation is, at its core, about something both simple and profoundly important: understanding who is at the table and who is not. By requiring the collection of voluntary demographic data and asking political parties to be transparent about how they select candidates, this bill gives us the tools to see clearly where progress is being made and where it is not.

As we last heard about this bill in October, let me take a moment to refresh our memories on the provisions. The summary at the beginning of the bill clearly lays out its intent:

This enactment amends the Canada Elections Act to require certain registered parties to make diversity-related information available to the public. It further amends the Act to require the Chief Electoral Officer to collect and report on demographic information related to candidates, nomination contestants and leadership contestants.

The bill asks for greater transparency in sharing data with Canadians on the way candidates are selected and who is stepping forward to stand for office. These are measures the Chief Electoral Officer has flagged himself. It does not make demands to parties on what to do. It does not impose quotas. It simply asks for information to be shared with Canadians on what they are currently doing. It also does not make changes to the structure of the electoral system.

As someone who had the privilege of serving as the first female mayor of Moncton, along with three women councillors — the largest number of women in the City of Moncton’s council history to date — I have witnessed first-hand the exponential benefits that come when more women are part of the decision-making process. The character of debate improves. The range of perspectives broadens. The outcomes better reflect the communities we serve. But I have also seen how fragile that progress can be.

In my own experience, the challenge is not ever convincing women to care about their communities. It is ensuring they are recruited, encouraged and positioned to succeed within existing political structures and then supported once they are elected.

That is why I have been actively involved in encouraging female and diverse candidates at all levels of government and why I am a member of Women for 50% — Femmes pour 50% — a New Brunswick non-partisan movement with the aim of electing 50% women to the provincial legislature in the 2028 election.

Currently, women hold less than 30% of the seats in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly. With accessible data and stated strategies, we can work toward elected officials being more demographically reflective of the Canadian population. We can elect more women and individuals from historically under-represented groups at all levels of office.

Following the recent federal by-elections, we saw three impressive women being sent to join us here in Ottawa by their constituents. In my opinion, this was an exciting gain for gender and minority representation. And they were running alongside other women. Not including independent candidates, in Scarborough Southwest, five out of the eight confirmed candidates, or 62.5%, were women; in University—Rosedale, two out of seven, or 29%; and in Terrebonne, four of the seven, or 57%.

These stats feel like they are supporting what we hope is a trending norm. Unfortunately, the data tells a different story.

The most recent federal election results should give us pause. As Senator Dasko pointed out in her speech, after years of gradual advancement, we are now seeing a troubling decline in the number of women nominated as candidates and a plateau in those ultimately elected. This is not just disappointing; it is a warning sign.

Honourable colleagues, this bill did not emerge overnight. It builds on years of study and reflection. Recommendations from the Chief Electoral Officer as well as the work of the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women have consistently pointed to the same gap: We lack comprehensive, standardized data on who seeks to participate in our democratic process and how candidates are selected.

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Earlier iterations of this proposal were introduced in previous parliamentary sessions, but like many private members’ initiatives, they did not complete the legislative cycle before Parliament was dissolved. Its reintroduction reflects both its importance and the persistence required to move forward with meaningful reform. For that, I congratulate Senator Dasko for her unrelenting perseverance.

We often say that what gets measured gets managed. The inverse is equally true: What is not measured does not improve. Without reliable, consistent data, we are left to rely on assumptions rather than evidence and aspirations rather than accountability.

Bill S-213 does not impose quotas or dictate outcomes. It does something more foundational: It shines a light. It strengthens transparency. It invites reflection and, importantly, it creates the conditions for meaningful, sustained progress. At a time when public trust in institutions depends on their ability to reflect the diversity of the people they serve, this legislation is both timely and necessary. I encourage all honourable senators to support this thoughtful and pragmatic step toward a more inclusive and representative democracy. Thank you.

(Debate adjourned.)

[Translation]

Judicial Independence Day Bill

Second Reading

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Moreau, P.C., seconded by the Honourable Senator Dalphond, for the second reading of Bill S-219, An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable Senators, I rise today to speak to Bill S-219, An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day. Before addressing the substance of the bill, I would first like to congratulate Senator Moreau for introducing it. His commitment to the fundamental principles of our legal system is admirable.

[English]

Honourable senators, I also thank and congratulate Senator White for taking on the sponsorship of this bill, which marks her very first in this chamber. I am looking forward to working with her on this project.

Colleagues, as parliamentarians, we are called upon to defend the invisible pillars of our democracy. This bill, while modest in its legislative footprint, addresses one of the most critical of those pillars: the absolute necessity of a judiciary that stands apart from the executive and legislative branches.

I, therefore, speak today as a friendly critic. Bill S-219 designates January 11 as a day to reflect on the health and integrity of judicial independence in Canada. However, beyond the symbolism of setting this date on the calendar, I believe this legislation gives us the opportunity to ensure that our assessment of judicial independence does more than simply celebrate its existence. It must also encourage us to rigorously defend its practice.

Colleagues, the preamble of this bill reminds us that the rule of law is the bedrock of our society. Just last year, the Supreme Court of Canada marked its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary — it’s quite a milestone that, in my view, reinforces the shared conviction that judicial independence is, in practice, a reliable safeguard against the concentration of power. However, that is not a destination we reach and then forget. It is a discipline.

At the core of this bill is the recognition of January 11. This date marks the anniversary of the “1,000 Robes March” in Warsaw, Poland. It evokes a powerful image: thousands of jurists, draped in the robes of their offices, marching in defence of judicial independence against legislative overreach.

By enshrining this day in Canadian law, we are not merely commemorating an event of significance or, as Senator Moreau said in his speech, engaging in an act of remembrance or solidarity. I’d like to think we’re also adopting its example as a cautionary tale and as a call to duty to remain alert to how easily the independence of a judiciary can be eroded when it becomes entangled in the political or social pressures of the day.

We must be honest about the global landscape. We are living in an era of creeping authoritarianism. If one wants to see the endgame of political interference in the courts, one need only look at the autocracies around the world that have systematically hollowed out the rule of law.

In Beijing, the judiciary is not an independent branch of government; it’s an arm of the Chinese Communist Party, which defines “justice” by party loyalty and which silences dissent with the gavel. In Moscow, we see the courts being used as a weapon for the removal of political opposition. In Havana, the judiciary serves as the iron fist of a decades-old regime that squashes any challenge to the status quo. And I won’t even get into the judicial system that exists in a place like Iran.

These examples serve as a plain-spoken reminder that the principles that define our way of life are delicate, and they require our constant vigilance. In Canada, we are privileged to be shielded from such overt brutality, but we should never assume that our institutions are exempt from their own set of modern pressures.

In recent years, we have seen a shift in how public institutions, including our courts, engage with the world. In the Westminster tradition, judicial independence is often described as a “trinity” of protections: security of tenure, financial security and administrative independence. But beneath these technicalities lies a deeper, more fundamental principle: the right of every Canadian to have their rights adjudicated by someone who does not owe their position or their livelihood to the whims of the government of the day.

In this regard, judicial independence is key to maintaining public confidence in our institutions, and that confidence is a fragile thing. It is sustained when the judiciary is seen to be standing resolutely apart from the political fray.

[Translation]

Not only must our courts be impartial, they must be unequivocally perceived as such. Striking this balance has always been a delicate task, but today it’s important to clearly identify what is at stake.

As Senator White said in her speech, this bill comes at a time of “polycrisis,” characterized by pronounced social polarization and rapid reactions in the digital space.

Honourable colleagues, in Canada as elsewhere, any perception that the courts are being influenced by outside ideologies, or that they place greater importance on their public image than their traditional role as neutral, discreet arbiters, must be given our full attention.

[English]

In short, colleagues, I offer my support for Bill S-219 because democracy is an active process. It requires us to frequently recommit to our values and to reflect on the health and strength of our institutions. January 11 would be an added opportunity for us to do just that. Thank you.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Are honourable senators ready for the question?

Hon. Senators: Question.

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to and bill read second time.)

Referred to Committee

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the third time?

(On motion of Senator White, bill referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights.)

Competition Act

Bill to Amend—Second Reading—Debate Continued

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Klyne, seconded by the Honourable Senator Audette, for the second reading of Bill S-239, An Act to amend the Competition Act.

Hon. Peter Harder: Honourable senators, I rise to support Bill S-239, the Canadian prosperity act. This is Senator Klyne’s Senate public bill proposing to promote internal trade and more competitive regulations in Canada through modest changes to the Competition Act. The bill aims to complement the first ministers’ joint statement on internal trade to, in their words, “. . . build a more resilient and streamlined Canadian economy and to unlock Canada’s full economic potential.” Indeed, our first ministers are making great progress on internal trade, as I’ll outline.

This bill would complement those efforts. Bill S-239 would enhance the mandate of the Competition Bureau to make recommendations to reduce internal trade barriers, including unnecessarily anti-competitive regulations.

Answering the Competition Bureau’s 2023 request, the bill would also require federal regulators to respond to their recommendations within four months. The bill would encourage provincial, territorial and municipal regulators to do so as well by inviting a response and publishing the results. Other than federal regulators, the purpose of inviting rather than requiring a response is to respect cooperative federalism.

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Overall, the bill aims to help achieve lower prices, better products, more choices, more jobs and business opportunities and greater productivity and prosperity for Canadians — all this by using existing resources at no additional taxpayer cost. Amid an affordability crisis, what are we waiting for in respect of changing our legislation to enhance competitiveness?

As Senator Klyne told us, this is pro-consumer, pro-business legislation. It can foster improvements across a range of sectors, including professional services, alcohol sales, telecommunications, aviation and more. Canadian wallets stand to benefit.

To be clear, the bill doesn’t challenge the public goals of regulations. It aims to regulate better, with more internal trade and competition and in a manner consistent with underlying goals, such as national security. Through this bill, the Competition Bureau, an independent and expert agency, can help develop a road map towards achieving the first ministers’ shared vision of a more unified and prosperous Canadian marketplace. In effect, this bill marshals the Competition Bureau’s deep expertise in creating open and competitive markets and directs it towards the challenges facing internal trade.

Of importance, Bill S-239 would not force any changes on any jurisdiction respecting cooperative federalism. Indeed, the Competition Bureau already makes recommendations to federal, provincial and territorial regulators to reduce barriers to competition, with over 90 such submissions since 2015. This bill would enhance that work, raising the profile of recommendations with accountability to the public from regulators. At the end of the day, policy decisions would still rest with elected officials, as is appropriate.

Colleagues, the best argument for this bill bears repeating: It is about lower prices, lower prices, lower prices. A tip of the hat to our colleague Marty Klyne on this initiative. This bill is innovative and an example of the Senate’s think-tank function.

Most importantly, Bill S-239 furthers a pressing goal for our moment: building one independent and thriving Canadian economy. As Senator Klyne said, experts in competition and internal trade — including two former Commissioners of Competition — have told us this bill will help in a significant way. Accordingly, this bill is an opportunity for the Senate to contribute to Canada’s economic mission, so let’s do our part.

There’s a lot at stake. In January, a report by the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, concluded that knocking down internal trade barriers can boost Canada’s real GDP by nearly 7% over the long run, which is roughly $210 billion. Our first ministers noted this finding in a joint statement on January 19, 2026. The IMF report found that Canada’s internal trade barriers are equivalent to a 9% tariff nationally. In that report — with contributions from the University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe — the authors Federico Díez and Yuanchen Yang concluded:

The opportunity is now. The prize is large. Turning thirteen economies into one is no longer just an aspiration—it is an economic imperative.

Senators, to put things in perspective, according to the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, $210 billion is over three times the federal deficit of the recently concluded fiscal year. Imagine what this infusion of wealth could do for Canadians in terms of pay, investments, public services, tax cuts and spending power.

With this in mind, let me speak to three more subjects: first, recent developments through the first ministers’ joint leadership on this subject; second, the importance of formalizing an internal trade advisory function to regulators so that this work has a life independent of specific political actors or circumstances; and, third, this bill’s inspiration in the work of the Senate Prosperity Action Group.

First, on the leadership of our first ministers, Senator Klyne noted the historic joint statement by Prime Minister Carney and all premiers in March of last year towards removing barriers to internal trade “. . . so that goods, services, and workers can move freely.”

Over the past year, across the federation, we’ve seen a host of legislation, agreements and announcements aimed at dropping many internal trade barriers and fostering competition. Last June, Parliament passed the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act through Bill C-5. In November, all provinces, territories and the federal government signed an agreement to drop interprovincial trade barriers on many goods, except food and alcohol. Led by Nova Scotia, most provinces have now announced legislation aimed at mutual recognition of goods, including food, services and investments with other jurisdictions that pass similar laws.

In addition, the federal government has taken action to promote competition in the banking and telecom sectors. Manitoba has passed legislation aimed at boosting competition in the grocery sector. Our first ministers met again this January and reaffirmed their commitment to a unified “Team Canada” approach, including on internal trade. They also recognized that these actions could significantly add dollars to the Canadian economy over time, as I referenced earlier.

According to their joint statement, the first ministers discussed recent accomplishments to strengthen internal trade, such as the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement on the Sale of Goods and a Memorandum of Understanding on Interprovincial Trucking to get Canadian goods moving across the country.

The first ministers also highlighted facilitating interprovincial movement in the housing and construction sectors as well as efforts to further reduce barriers in the food, agriculture and alcohol sectors, all aimed at lowering costs for Canadians.

In March, the federal, provincial and territorial governments’ internal trade ministers met to build on this momentum. There are a few highlights of the meeting that I would like to reference:

The ministers committed to expanding the Mutual Recognition Agreement to services by the end of 2026, in line with the first ministers’ direction. The ministers noted continued progress on implementation of the Mutual Recognition Agreement on the Sale of Goods, with a new user guideline now available. The ministers welcomed the entry into force of the new financial services chapter of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, a significant milestone for the financial services sector. The ministers heard from the co-chairs of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum on Housing in regard to alignment practices and approvals around new building materials and prefabricated housing. The ministers committed to completing negotiations to strengthen labour and mobility provisions. They heard about progress on implementing credential recognition for tradespeople through the use of digital verification by the spring of 2027. They noted work being done by agriculture ministers to reduce trade barriers in food and agriculture within Canada, and they reaffirmed their commitment to implementing direct-to-consumer sales of alcoholic beverages across the country.

Of note, this was also the first Committee on Internal Trade session chaired by Nunavut.

Senators, this is all fantastic news. To this point, Corinne Pohlmann of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business recently told the Standing Committee on International Trade in the other place that Canada made more progress in 2025 on internal trade than in the eight years following the signing of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement in 2017. She said:

Governments deserve recognition for that momentum.

Our message to you today is straightforward: Small businesses still do not experience Canada as one open domestic market. Much of the recent progress remains uneven, incomplete and fragile. . . .

With Bill S-239, we can envisage how the independent and expert recommendations of the Competition Bureau can support our federation’s efforts on an ongoing and long-term basis.

This brings me to my second point: the importance of formalizing an internal trade advisory function to regulators in statute so that this work has a life independent of specific political actors or circumstances of one moment.

Inspiration sometimes comes from uninspiring sources. In facing current challenges, our first ministers have answered the call of the hour brilliantly. Together, they have achieved a breakthrough on internal trade, a long-sought-after Holy Grail of the policy wonk community.

Complementing this leadership, this bill is an opportunity to make the promotion of internal trade a core government function tied to competition policy. As Ryan Manucha of the C.D. Howe Institute has commented, Bill S-239 would align Canada with international best practices, as seen in Australia and the European Union. In the Canadian context, the bill would take the route of formalizing an internal trade advisory function to regulations.

In short, this bill can give our first ministers’ remarkable achievements over the past 16 months greater permanence, resilience and effect through the superb work and proven reputation of the Competition Bureau, while respecting the structure of our unique federation.

Senators, I want to close by thanking Senator Klyne for drawing the connection between this bill and the Senate Prosperity Action Group, an initiative close to my heart. This was a working group of 12 senators from all groups active in the Senate during the pandemic, culminating in our 2021 report and an event in this chamber, hosting the Right Honourable Joe Clark and other distinguished voices. Two of the action group’s key recommendations were regulatory reform and implementation of interprovincial free trade.

In my view, the necessity of those goals became clearer during one crisis. Now, the opportunity to achieve them has arisen during another.

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Our First Ministers have led the way. This practical bill can help us build the road to a more independent and prosperous Canada together, piece by piece, step by step. Therefore, let’s get Bill S-239 to committee. Hopefully, this can be done so this work can advance at the pace that Canada needs.

(On motion of Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador), debate adjourned.)

Wartime Service Recognition Bill

Second Reading

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Yussuff, seconded by the Honourable Senator Loffreda, for the second reading of Bill S-246, An Act respecting the recognition of wartime service.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise to speak to Bill S-246, An Act respecting the recognition of wartime service.

I would like to begin by acknowledging the initiative of the sponsor of this bill, Senator Yussuff. He invites us to reflect upon a fundamental question: How does our country recognize those who have agreed to serve it, sometimes at the cost of their own lives?

At the heart of this debate, honourable colleagues, are our soldiers and veterans, the women and men who wore Canada’s uniform in circumstances most of us will never fully understand. They left their families, and they wore Canada’s uniform abroad. They served in the Gulf, in the Balkans, in Afghanistan and in other missions where service meant moving forward despite the threat and the constant weight of possible sacrifice.

Some came home marked on their bodies. Others came home with wounds we cannot see but that remain with them to this day. For some, coming home was simply not possible. To them, to their families and to all those who served, we say simply: We do not forget you.

[Translation]

Honourable senators, we owe them far more than ceremonies. We owe them more than just words spoken once a year. We owe them our eternal gratitude. For Conservatives, this responsibility is fundamental. We will always stand alongside those who have served Canada, those who have worn its uniform, those who have agreed to defend our interests, our allies and our values in our history’s most difficult moments. This bill therefore compels us to ask a very simple question: When Canadians have served in wartime conditions, is their country prepared to acknowledge this reality with the right words?

[English]

That question is all the more important because war itself has changed. The conflicts in which our military members are called to serve no longer always match the traditional images we associate with war. Contemporary military operations do not always take the form of wars declared in the classic sense. They are often multinational, limited in time or scope and governed by specific mandates.

That does not, in any way, diminish their intensity or the risks to which our military members are exposed. On battlefields in places such as the Gulf or Afghanistan, Canadian military personnel were deployed in environments marked by intense combat, loss of life and lasting consequences. As a matter of fact, these conditions correspond to what we generally associate with a situation of war.

The difficulty arises when we compare that reality with Canada’s legislative framework.

Historically, statutes such as the War Measures Act allowed the government to proclaim a state of war without precisely defining its contours. Since its replacement by the Emergencies Act, the legal notion of “war” has been framed in a much more restrictive way. Under that regime, an armed conflict can be considered a “war” in law only if it reaches the threshold of a national emergency; that is, if it seriously endangers the security, sovereignty or territorial integrity of Canada.

That creates a significant gap. A conflict may have all the characteristics of a war for the military personnel taking part in it, because of its intensity and the risks involved, without meeting the legal criteria that would allow Canada to officially recognize it as such.

The example of the Gulf War illustrates this situation well. For the State of Kuwait, it was clearly a war. For the military personnel deployed there, the experience was a wartime reality. However, under Canada’s legal framework, that conflict did not meet the criteria for being characterized as such, since it did not directly threaten Canada’s territory or security.

The result is a dissociation between two realities: the reality lived on the ground and the reality recognized in law. It is precisely this tension that explains, in part, the recognition issues that Bill S-246 seeks to address.

This tension was raised directly by veterans and documented in recent work by the House of Commons. A report entitled The Persian Gulf War Was a War, published in December 2024 by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, dealt specifically with the demands of Gulf War veterans, who were seeking greater recognition of their service, both in terms of commemoration and benefits. It helps explain the confusion that has developed over the years between the notions of “special duty service” and “wartime service.”

To understand this confusion, we must recall the origin and function of the special duty service regime.

After the Korean War, Canada had to adapt its system to new forms of military operations, including international and peacekeeping missions, that could involve significant risks without being declared wars under Canada’s legal framework. It was in that context that the designation of “special duty service” was adopted in 1964, with retroactive effect for operations carried out since 1949. Its purpose was concrete: to allow military members deployed in high-risk operations to be covered for injuries arising from that service under a logic comparable to that applicable to wartime service. When an injury occurs during a special duty operation, the link to service is presumed, which spares the veteran from having to prove that link in detail.

That is why the government maintains that veterans of the Gulf, the Balkans or Afghanistan are not excluded from the benefits regime. Their service is taken into account for injuries sustained in the context of a special duty operation. However, this is precisely where the unease arises. For many veterans, that designation does not fully reflect the reality of operations on the ground that involve wartime conditions.

In other words, the debate goes beyond the question of access to benefits. For many veterans, the designation used by the government carries moral and symbolic weight. Being classified as having been in a “special duty area” does not mean the same thing, in their eyes, as being recognized as having served in wartime.

A petition presented in the House of Commons in 2023 by my colleague Member of Parliament John Brassard called for the Persian Gulf War and the liberation of Kuwait to be reclassified from being a “special duty area” to “wartime service.” The petitioners argued that Canadian military personnel were exposed to ballistic missiles, chemical warfare, combat-related duties, being made prisoners of war, combat air patrols and numerous naval interventions.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, nevertheless, identified an important difficulty: In Veterans Affairs Canada documents, the expressions “wartime service veterans” and “modern-day veterans” are mainly used to classify different cohorts of veterans. These categories do not, in themselves, have a legislative basis and do not determine eligibility for programs and services.

That is what has created persistent confusion. On one side, veterans see in the expression “wartime service” a more accurate recognition of what they lived through. On the other side, the government responds that the designation of “special duty service” already gives them access to the applicable benefits for injuries sustained in that context, and that changing the category to “wartime service” would not necessarily change financial benefits.

The precedent of the Korean War makes this question even more delicate. Canada did not officially declare war during the Korean War, yet Korean War veterans were included in the category of “wartime service” veterans. Gulf War veterans, therefore, argue there is an inconsistency: If Korea could be recognized as “wartime service” despite the absence of an official declaration of war, why couldn’t the same reasoning apply to the Gulf, the Balkans or Afghanistan?

It is this inconsistency that fuels the sense of injustice.

[Translation]

During the 2025 election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney proposed to expand service recognition by reviewing the designation of certain military missions. However, to date, no concrete measures have been implemented to act on this commitment.

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More worrisome still is the fact that the Liberal government’s responses skirt the central issue, merely reiterating that veterans already have access to special duty service benefits. That is not the question they are asking, however. Veterans are not asking if their injuries are covered. They’re asking if their country is prepared to clearly and unequivocally recognize the nature of their service.

The Liberal government’s administrative response to what is primarily a moral question is insensitive and technocratic. It amplifies the sense of injustice expressed by those who have served. This is not just about modern veterans having access to programs. It’s about whether official policy properly acknowledges the reality of their service to the country.

To those who have served in a theatre, who have been exposed to real threats and who have borne the consequences of their service for years, the words their country uses matter. That is the issue Bill S-246 seeks to address.

[English]

Honourable colleagues, concretely, Bill S-246 proposes to create a national framework to officially recognize certain military service as wartime service. It establishes objective criteria, including the level of risk, the nature of the operations and the conditions in which military members were deployed, and provides for a review of Canadian operations since the end of the Korean War.

On that basis, the government could formally designate certain military service as wartime service by order. It is also important to emphasize that this recognition would be symbolic and commemorative in nature and would not create new financial benefits.

That said, Bill S-246 is not the only way to address this question. The report of the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs proposed a slightly different approach to recognizing modern military operations. The committee proposed an approach aimed at clarifying the categories rather than simply relying on those that already exist.

Its reasoning is as follows: Since the category of “wartime service” does not have a clear legislative basis and has contributed to some confusion around the benefits and recognition, it would be preferable to create new, more precise designations.

The committee notably recommended two new categories: “war emergency operation” for situations where Canada would officially declare a war emergency and “war zone operation” for operations carried out in defence of another state where the situation would likely have justified the proclamation of a war emergency by that state.

That approach has its own logic. It seeks to recognize modern realities without confusing the experience of military personnel with Canada’s legal definition of a war emergency. It would therefore allow us to say: Canada may not have been legally at war, but our military personnel served in a war zone.

Bill S-246 chooses a different path. Rather than creating a new category, such as “war zone operation,” it gives a legislative framework for the notion of wartime service. The difference is subtle but important.

The committee wanted to avoid relying on an administrative category that had already created confusion. Bill S-246 instead chooses to take that category and attempt to correct its ambiguities by giving it a legislative basis, objective criteria and a public process.

These are therefore not two contradictory approaches in their objectives. Both seek to recognize modern military service more fairly, but they do not start from the same institutional diagnosis.

[Translation]

This difference in no way diminishes the importance of the bill; rather, it shows that the bill’s scope will need to be carefully examined.

As a result, the committee that will be examining Bill S-246 will have an important role to play. It will have to consider whether the term “wartime service” is the best means of achieving the objective or whether the term needs to be more carefully defined in order to avoid further ambiguities.

We must also ensure that veterans clearly understand what this recognition means and what it does not mean.

Bill S-246 does not address all of the issues before us today, but it does address one major shortcoming and that is the lack of a clear mechanism to officially recognize Canadian military personnel who served in wartime conditions, even when Canada did not officially declare war. That is why this bill should be supported and carefully examined.

[English]

Honourable senators, at its core, this debate is about how a country recognizes those who accepted to serve it in its most demanding moments. The men and women we are speaking about today did not choose the words that would be used to describe their service. They did not debate legislative frameworks or designations. They accepted to be deployed, to serve and to face realities that very few Canadians will ever know.

They did their part. It is now up to us to do ours.

Recognizing their service fairly, not only in fact but also in the language we use, is not a mere symbolic gesture; it’s a matter of respect.

For the Conservatives, that position is clear. We will continue to stand with those who served their country. We will continue to defend recognition that truly reflects the nature of their commitment and service.

And when a country asks its soldiers to wear its uniform in conditions of war, it then has a moral duty to name their service truthfully. For these reasons, this bill deserves our support, colleagues. Again, I want to thank Senator Yussuff for doing the right thing and bringing this forward.

To all those who have worn Canada’s uniform — yesterday and today — we owe you our respect, our debt of gratitude and our recognition. I think the Senate owes at least to look at this bill concretely.

Thank you, colleagues.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to and bill read second time.)

Referred to Committee

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the third time?

(On motion of Senator Yussuff, bill referred to the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs.)

Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

Study on Emerging Issues Related to its Mandate—Fourth Report of Committee Presented During First Session of Forty-fourth Parliament Adopted

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Kingston, seconded by the Honourable Senator Pate for the adoption 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, during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament, and placed on the Orders of the Day in the current session pursuant to the order of October 8, 2025, which contains, pursuant to rule 12-23(1)(a), a request for a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report, in consultation with the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Minister of Indigenous Services and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to and report adopted.)

Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament

Third Report of Committee—Debate Adjourned

The Senate proceeded to consideration of the third report (interim) of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, entitled Membership of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, presented in the Senate on April 28, 2026.

Hon. Peter Harder moved the adoption of the report.

He said: Honourable senators, I briefly want to speak to this report to bring it to your attention in the hope it can be adopted quickly.

The report deals with the membership on the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, but it is a report of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament. We received in this chamber the report from the Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators Committee some time ago and then referred that report to the Rules Committee for its consideration.

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The history of this issue goes back five years, when former Senator Seidman and Senator Tannas took this up to ensure that representation on the Ethics Committee reflected the changes in the Senate with respect to groups and caucuses.

The committee made a number of recommendations, first to the Senate and then to the Rules Committee, which subsequent committees reiterated to this chamber as recently as last year, and the Ethics Committee took up their report.

Today, we formally table the report recommending changes to the governance of the Ethics Committee, which will provide that each group and caucus in the Senate is able to elect a member for the Ethics Committee and that the membership, therefore, would be flexible. It provides a formula for filling a vacancy and a change of affiliation. However, a novel idea is to have one senator elected at large to this committee to ensure that all senators, whether attached to a group or not, are able to at least express a view with respect to representation, if you could put it that way, on the Ethics Committee.

I recommend to you the adoption of this report. I do believe that it will ensure the modernization of the Ethics Committee and lead to assuring all senators that this important committee will reflect the interests of everybody in this chamber and that we can bring a conclusion to an issue that began five years ago. Again, I salute former Senator Seidman for her perseverance.

Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

(On motion of Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador), debate adjourned.)

The Senate

Motion Pertaining to the Situation in Gaza—Debate Continued

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Woo, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dean:

That, in light of findings and orders from the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court on the situation in Gaza, the Senate call on the Government to examine the risk to Canada and Canadians of complicity in violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and to report on its findings within three months of the adoption of this motion.

(On motion of Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador), debate adjourned.)

Nation-Building Value of Tourism

Inquiry—Debate Continued

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Sorensen, calling the attention of the Senate to the nation-building value of tourism in Canada.

Hon. Iris G. Petten: Honourable senators:

It’s spring on the island

The ice is in the bay

And the weather’s getting warmer now

Soon be drifting away . . . .

I begin my speech on the inquiry into the nation-building value of tourism in Canada with lyrics from the song “Spring on the Island” by Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers, which is quite apt given that the tulip festival begins in Ottawa this weekend.

At first glance, tourism may appear to be an economic driver, an industry measured in visitor numbers, hotel stays and seasonal employment. It is certainly that. In Newfoundland and Labrador, there are 2,300 businesses involved in tourism, arts and culture, which employ over 23,000 people. But to stop at its economic value is to miss the deeper cultural impact of tourism. Tourism in Canada is not merely transactional. It is transformational. It builds bridges between regions, preserves culture and strengthens our shared national identity.

Nowhere is this more evident than at the eastern edge of our country.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, we are known for our warm and welcoming nature, for being quick with a story — as we know from Senator Manning’s statements in this very chamber — and ready with a laugh.

That reputation is not accidental. It is rooted in generations of resilience and creativity, shaped by our history on the edge of North America. From English, Irish, French and Indigenous traditions, we have built a culture that is truly one of a kind.

When visitors come to our province, they are not just sightseeing. They are stepping into a living culture. They hear it in our dialects, see it in our colourful architecture and feel it in the rhythms of our communities.

Then there is the land itself.

Our province is home to breathtaking natural beauty: dramatic coastlines, ancient rock formations, sweeping barrens and dense boreal forests. It is a place where icebergs drift by in the spring, where whales breach offshore and where caribou roam vast, untamed landscapes.

Icebergs play a huge role in shaping the identity of Newfoundland and Labrador. Every spring, they drift down from glaciers in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, passing along the province’s coast in a route often called Iceberg Alley. Twillingate, Senator Ravalia’s hometown, is widely known as the “Iceberg Capital of the World.” These towering formations draw visitors who come to witness what some describe as “cathedrals of ice.”

Their importance goes beyond beauty. Icebergs support local tourism, inspire tools like Iceberg Finder to track their movement and connect deeply to history, especially through exhibits in St. John’s that tell the story of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

They have even been celebrated nationally, appearing on a Canada Post stamp featuring the coastline near Ferryland. Altogether, icebergs are not just a natural wonder in this province. They are a powerful symbol of its culture, history and connection to the sea.

Protected areas, such as Gros Morne National Park, which, as we know, was on the cover of the 2025 Speech from the Throne, Terra Nova National Park and Torngat Mountains National Park, are not only destinations. They are expressions of our commitment to stewardship. They remind us that nation building is not only about people but also about the land we share and must protect.

Tourism plays a vital role in sustaining rural and remote communities across Newfoundland and Labrador. It creates opportunities where few alternatives exist. It supports small businesses, artisans, guides and storytellers. It allows young people to see a future in their home communities rather than feeling they must leave to find opportunities elsewhere.

However, perhaps most importantly, tourism connects Canadians to one another.

In my hometown of Port de Grave, which is a small rural fishing community, tourism is a vital economic and cultural driver. Since December 1999, a committed team of locals has organized Christmas in the Harbour, featuring the lighting of 50 to 70 fishing boats from mid-December to early January. What began as a community event has become a beacon of light to thousands of tourists who visit this awesome spectacle.

The Port de Grave Peninsula website outlines how far-reaching this event is, hosted by a community of fewer than 1,000 people:

. . . It has been showcased on CBC, CBC National with Peter Mansbridge, & Global National. In 2014 Land and Sea did the show “A Gift of Light,” [which] has been aired almost every year since. The Navigator, the Downhome Magazine, in-flight magazine on the American Airlines United Airlines, the Times in England, plus numerous other news papers and websites. Photos have been taken by professionals [and] amateurs [alike] . . . .

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The Boat Lighting in Port de Grave reflects how tourism is fuelled by people who love the places they are from and want to share their love for their homes and cultures with others.

Organizations like Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, or Hospitality NL, continue to play an important role in supporting the people and businesses at the heart of our tourism industry. Through its advocacy, training and industry leadership, Hospitality NL plays a vital role in strengthening local communities and ensuring visitors experience the warmth, authenticity and world-class hospitality the province is known for. Initiatives like the shed party reflect that spirit, bringing people together to celebrate music, food and tradition while also showcasing how collaboration within the tourism sector can create memorable, economy-driving experiences. Hospitality NL will be playing a vital role in the shed party that will take place — mark your calendars — on October 28.

I hope to hear from all colleagues on this inquiry, but especially from members of the newly established All-Atlantic Senators’ Group. For colleagues’ awareness, we will be announcing our executive committee tomorrow, and it will include senators from all the Atlantic provinces and all recognized groups in the Senate. I hope we can use opportunities like this inquiry to bring attention to our unique and beautiful Atlantic regions.

Honourable colleagues, in a country as vast and diverse as Canada, bringing people together is an ongoing project. It requires connection, understanding and shared experiences. Tourism provides all three.

As we consider the value of this sector, let us recognize it not only as an economic engine but also as a cultural bridge and a unifying force. Let us continue to invest in it, support it and celebrate it, not just for the visitors it brings but also for the country it helps to build.

Thank you.

(On motion of Senator White, debate adjourned.)

Vital Role of Physical Activity and Sport

Inquiry—Debate Concluded

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario), calling the attention of the Senate to the vital role that physical activity and sport play in enhancing our well-being, strengthening our communities and shaping the fabric of the Canadian experience.

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Honourable senators, I rise today on behalf of our colleague the Honourable Yonah Martin, who asked me to deliver her speech for this inquiry.

These are her words:

Honourable senators, I am honoured to contribute to this important inquiry on the role of physical activity and sport in enhancing our well-being, strengthening our communities and shaping the Canadian experience.

I wish to thank Senators M. Deacon, McBean and Petitclerc for their stewardship of this discussion. Their leadership serves as a poignant reminder that sport is far more than recreation; it is a powerful thread woven into the fabric of our national identity.

Sport reflects who we are as Canadians: resilient, hopeful and united. It bridges the vast distances of our geography and the diverse backgrounds of our people, creating moments of shared pride that resonate long after the stadium lights have dimmed.

In February 2026, we witnessed this spirit ignite on the world stage. At the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, Team Canada demonstrated an astonishing consistency, securing 21 medals — 5 gold, 7 silver and 9 bronze. This marks the sixth consecutive Winter Games where our nation has reached the 20-medal threshold — a testament to a sustained culture of excellence.

Our Paralympians furthered this legacy, bringing home 15 medals — 3 gold, 4 silver and 8 bronze. Their performances were not merely displays of athletic prowess but masterclasses in perseverance and the triumph of the human spirit.

From the frozen speed skating ovals to the steep Alpine slopes, these athletes did more than compete; they beckoned us together. Families gathered in living rooms, classrooms erupted in cheers and communities rallied behind a shared sense of Canadian pride. We celebrated not only those who reached the podium but every athlete who wore the Maple Leaf with honour and pride.

Honourable senators, these achievements do not happen in isolation. Behind every athlete stands a network of support — coaches, parents and communities — whose contributions are too often unseen, but essential.

Coaches are the architects of character, moulding not just the athlete but the citizen.

Parents are the silent engines of the sports system, defined by the “predawn ritual” — the early mornings, the long drives through snowstorms and the quiet financial and emotional sacrifices that form the bedrock of a child’s dream.

We saw the power of this collective effort during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. Those 17 days in my beautiful home province of British Columbia remain etched in our collective memory. From the first medals by Jennifer Heil and Alexandre Bilodeau in freestyle moguls to Sidney Crosby’s golden goal and the dominance of our women’s hockey team — those unforgettable moments at the Vancouver Olympic Games created national moments of pride, joy and belonging.

That legacy endures because it speaks to something deeper: sport’s ability to unite us, to lift us and to remind us of who we are.

Sport has deeply informed my own journey. As a former athlete — and I emphasize “former” with a touch of nostalgia — my youth was measured out in seasons. From January to December, I lived on courts, fields and tracks.

My parents, like many Korean immigrants, placed a paramount value on education. Participation in sports was a privilege I had to earn by maintaining rigorous grades. This taught me a fundamental lesson early on: Discipline is not compartmentalized. The focus required to excel in the classroom was the same focus required to train in the rain when no one was watching. Perseverance is forged in those unseen moments, long before the first whistle blows.

I see this same resilience in my own office. My parliamentary affairs advisor, Mikhail Choi, joined my team in 2025, but his journey began on the ice. In 2010, Mikhail became the junior world short track champion in the 500 metres — the first Canadian male to hold that title in over a decade.

But the true measure of Mikhail’s story is not found in his gold medal. It is found in Courmayeur, Italy, in 2011, where a devastating ankle injury threatened to end his career. But instead of walking away, he chose to adapt. With determination and courage, he transitioned to long track speed skating, relearning his craft and earning a place on the Canadian long track speed skating national team as he continued to chase his Olympic dream.

Though he narrowly missed Olympic qualification, the discipline he honed on the ice transitioned seamlessly into his service on Parliament Hill.

His story reminds us that the true impact of sport is not measured in medals but in the character it builds long after competition ends.

Unlike athletes in professional sports, amateur athletes like Mikhail represent the heart of Canadian sport and amateur sport more broadly. They train without recognition, compete without certainty and sacrifice without guarantee of reward. Their motivation is not fame or financial gain but a deep love of sport and a commitment to excellence.

In many ways, they embody the values we seek to uphold as a country: resilience, humility and perseverance.

Honourable senators, we must recognize that sport is a vital component of public policy. It intersects with health, education, and social Arctic and northern development.

Yet we must be candid: Participation is not yet a universal right. Barriers of cost, geography and representation still persist. The preliminary findings of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission are clear: We must move toward a system where athlete well-being is fundamental and where community sport is recognized as the essential foundation of high performance.

Our responsibility in this chamber is to champion policies that bridge these gaps. We must ensure that a child in a rural community or a newcomer in an urban centre has the same access to the transformative power of play as those in our most affluent postal codes.

To the athletes of 2026: You are the authors of our national narrative. Whether you returned with a medal or the quiet satisfaction of a personal best, you have strengthened the fabric of Canada. To the coaches, families and volunteers: You are the heartbeat of this movement. As this speech finds its way into the archives of our history and the hands of our athletes, let it serve as a promise. It is a promise that this Senate — and this nation — will continue to support you, not just during the Olympic cycle but also in every “unseen moment” that leads to the starting line. Go Team Canada! Thank you.

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Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: Honourable senators, before Senator Deacon speaks, I want to say a few words to this bill, which I fully support. I was going to speak on this months ago but I didn’t, so I want to say a few words.

Gambling has changed so much in this country. I’m not a big fan of gambling, and when I was a young boy in the 1960s, I remember my father coming home with a lottery sweepstakes ticket in his pocket. You would have thought it was a bag of heroin that he was walking around with. Gambling was really looked down upon for good reason. It is terribly addictive. I have noticed in the last few years that gambling has taken over hockey broadcasts in this country. I hear from my own sons about how they find it intrusive and offensive, and it is.

It’s terribly addictive, and a lot of young people are caught up in this. Young boys, in particular, watch a lot of hockey games.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator McBean, are you rising on a point of order?

Hon. Marnie McBean: I don’t know exactly how to do this point of order. Your Honour, is it appropriate to indicate that this isn’t a bill but rather an inquiry into the value of sport and what it gives to Canadians? It’s not an inquiry into gambling. Is that appropriate to say?

The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, Senator McBean. It is an inquiry. I believe that the senator misspoke. Maybe he wanted to mention that it was an inquiry? And if that is the case, I think he can continue his speech.

Senator MacDonald: I realize it is not about gambling, but I wanted to put this on the record because it has been discussed here. I wanted to put something on the record on this, so I have done so. When it comes to gambling in this country and the promotion of gambling, I encourage that when this does come to a final conclusion sometime, we must keep in mind how much this affects sport and the people who watch sport.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I want to inform the Senate that if the Honourable Senator M. Deacon speaks now, her speech will have the effect of closing the debate on this inquiry, pursuant to rule 6-12.

Hon. Marty Deacon: Honourable senators, since we opened up this inquiry on December 4, it has been wonderful to listen to each of you share and offer insights into your past and present as it relates to community, family, sport, health and your own personal pursuits.

Thank you for being vulnerable and open. I think senators will agree with me that we now know a little bit more about each other.

We are thrilled about the 18 senators who chose to speak about the value of sport while we enjoyed the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Arctic Winter Games. On behalf of Senator McBean, Senator Petitclerc and me, thank you. We watched and cheered for Canadian athletes and coaches as the Olympics and Paralympics in Milano Cortina stole our hearts and had us watching at crazy hours while glued to the edge of our seats. Our athletes made us proud and made us cheer loud. For me, it was particularly special to cheer on Team Canada in a packed gymnasium in Yellowknife and then to support our Paralympians with hundreds in Whitehorse when the Yukon hosted the Arctic Winter Games in March — they were incredible games that celebrated sport, tradition, culture and history in a way I have never seen. From the Arctic Winter Games, today I proudly wear this pin with the number 91. This number refers to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action No. 91, which is that when we plan games and have sporting events, we must make sure that Indigenous territorial protocols are respected and Indigenous communities are involved in all aspects of planning and participation.

I’m very proud of that work being done.

The intention behind this inquiry was to create space for colleagues to share their experiences in sport and physical activity and its impact and role in building communities and this nation. We shared what sport meant in our lives as well as with our families and in our communities. I would like to take a few minutes to look back on what we learned from you. We heard time and time again that sport is more than competition. It brings Canadians together across languages, religions, cultures and beliefs.

We heard how sport builds community and acts as social infrastructure, particularly in communities that are rural, northern or remote.

We heard, for instance, about how sport is the foundation of social life in Senator Aucoin’s community of Cape Breton, but the impact of sport is starkly evident not only on the playing field but also in our living rooms and crowded city streets, cheering on Canadian athletes as they compete on the world stage. The Olympics and Paralympics brought us together around our shared identity as Canadians and around our pride for those who wear the maple leaf and represent us so well. This is the power of international sporting events.

We heard all about it in Senator Al Zaibak’s speech as he and his family — as newcomers to Canada — celebrated the Olympic victory of the Canadian women’s hockey team in 2002.

They felt a part of the collective of Canadians cheering and celebrating on the streets. I would like to remind this chamber of his words because they were so powerful. He told us:

. . . sport gave our family a team to cheer for before we fully knew the language. It gave us somewhere to belong before we had the words to say so.

Colleagues, we also heard about the pride athletes feel at the fact that they give Canadians something to cheer about.

I’m thinking of Senator McBean’s gratitude toward the couple who had just become Canadian citizens, and following the Barcelona Olympics, they thanked her for giving them something to cheer for in their new home. I’m also looking back to Senator Petten’s speech when she told us about Liam Hickey, a Paralympic ice hockey player from her province, who is proud to wear the Newfoundland and Labrador coat of arms on his sleeve.

We also heard that sport has profoundly shaped many of the people sitting in this very chamber. The recently retired Senator Smith recounted a heartbreaking Grey Cup loss to the Edmonton Eskimos during his time as a CFL player for the Montreal Alouettes — an experience that taught him to accept failure and, perhaps even more importantly, the importance of learning from it. For Senator David Wells, high-altitude mountaineering taught him the importance of preparedness, resilience and humility.

Senator Moncion talked to us about her active lifestyle, which includes skating, running, swimming and cycling, and how it has taught her to value hard work and perseverance. Colleagues, no matter what sport it is or what level it is practised at, we have heard on so many occasions throughout this inquiry that sport builds lifelong skills: discipline, resilience, teamwork, leadership and courage despite fear and uncertainty. In many ways, it has shaped the determined, capable and effective people who sit in this chamber today.

And since the hats we wear in this chamber are those of legislators, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that we heard — overwhelmingly — that sport and physical activity are not simply recreation. They are policy. We heard from Senator Kutcher that physical activity is health policy.

Being active is linked to improved mental health, increased social connection and reduced stress. In short, from Senator Kutcher we heard, “. . . what is good for the bicep is good for the brain.” And if I may, Senator Kutcher, we thank you. I miss you already and wish you the very best. Senator McBean told us that sport is social policy: It builds confident, resilient leaders and strengthens communities. And in my own speech, we heard that sport and physical activity are economic policy. Colleagues, sport is a massive economic driver. The upcoming FIFA World Cup, for instance, is projected to give Canada’s economy a $2‑billion boost.

What was also loud and clear throughout the speeches is that we cannot harness the benefits of sport and physical activity alone. Rather, athletes are the products of the people and the communities around them. As a former educator, Senator Petitclerc’s story about the impact that a former gym teacher had on her life resonated deeply. Refusing to give up on her after her accident, he introduced her to swimming — a sport that changed her life. She has never slowed down.

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It reminds me of the kindness shown to me by my coach when he did not charge me fees he knew I could not pay. Beyond the coaches, we heard so much about parents and volunteers, who make it all possible by coordinating logistics, driving athletes to early-morning practices and staffing big events such as the Canada Games.

Let us not forget that, among the many hats that Senator Loffreda has worn, one is that of a soccer dad, having served as the president of the Montreal-Concordia Elite Soccer Club.

At the same time, we heard about the ways that sport gives back to our communities. Major sporting events build facilities that leave enduring legacies in our host communities. Senator Duncan told us, for instance, about the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse, which now welcomes over 3,000 people from the community each day.

Last week, I neglected to list Senator Duncan as a Canada Games medallist. The sport was curling, and the year was 1979.

We heard that sport and physical activity are invaluable. However, as we heard throughout the inquiry, there are also challenges. Our colleagues highlighted that participation is uneven or even declining in several groups: girls, people with disabilities, lower-income families and rural or remote communities. What is most important to highlight is that this lack of participation is not driven by a lack of interest. Rather, it is the product of systemic inequalities in sports infrastructure: a lack of accessible facilities, gender bias and program design that may not be inclusive. At the same time, senators highlighted the importance of inclusive sports in making Canadians feel as if they belong.

Senator Petitclerc spoke to us about Milan, her cousin’s son, and how his involvement in sport has made him feel he belongs — because it allows him to define himself not by his cerebral palsy but rather as an athlete.

Senator Pupatello spoke about the benefits of sport in building self-esteem, self-confidence and positive body image in women. This, colleagues, is the power of sport. But to fully unlock it, we need to make sure that sport and physical activity are accessible to everyone. Reassuringly, progress is under way to make sport more inclusive.

Senator Kristopher Wells pointed to an example when he talked about Pride Tape — a roll of rainbow hockey tape that players could use to indicate that 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes are welcome in sport.

Last week, we heard incredible speeches from Senators Hay, Pate and Cormier. From Senator Hay, we heard a powerful and vulnerable story about how the sports community gathered around her brother when he passed, as well as of the life-saving role running has played in her own life. From Senator Pate, we learned about the role that sports can play in prisons’ rehabilitation and community integration processes. And from Senator Cormier, we heard about the importance of participation above accomplishment: because — and here I quote — “. . . being able to move our bodies in the company of others is the best trophy of all.” Senator Cormier, you have given us a full, on‑ice visual that we will never ever forget.

Just now, we heard Senator Martin’s remarks, delivered with thanks from Senator Ataullahjan, which reminded us of the pride of the Maple Leaf, the magic of hosting the Olympic Games in your own country and the importance of sport in your life.

Thank you, colleagues, for sharing your stories with us. They are important and echo what we have heard about the power and value of sport in all corners of this country.

About halfway through this inquiry, Senators McBean and Petitclerc and our staff sat down with the four-member team of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission. It produced a fulsome report that intends to respond to some of the issues that emerged in this inquiry, exploring ways to build a strong sports system, ensure safe and inclusive support, encourage all Canadians to be active and find ways to make it affordable for all.

On this last point, we were thrilled to hear the recent news in the Spring Economic Update that $755 million will be earmarked for sport. There is a long road ahead of us, but we are so grateful for this generational contribution. The work continues to ensure we support our youth from playground to podium and back.

Allow me to come back to the senators sitting in this chamber. I invite you in advance to think about National Health and Fitness Day on the Hill coming up this June. This is a legacy of the Vancouver Olympics and a bill supported by us in the Senate 10 years ago. National Health and Fitness Day invites all Canadian communities to open their doors to sport and physical activity free of cost. We continue to aspire to be the fittest, most active nation in the world, and we need your support to make it happen. I encourage you, of course, to be active and to bring the same lens you have brought to this inquiry into your communities to ensure they have what they need to live active, healthy lives. I ask you to continue sharing photos with your networks from National Health and Fitness Day.

Over the years, we have enjoyed seeing them. A few highlights: Senator LaBoucane-Benson chopping and hauling wood; Senator Black planting trees; Senator Smith and those intense early-morning workouts at the Château Laurier; Senator Francis’s commitment to physical activity; Senator Pate cross‑country skiing; Senator Greenwood on her long, meditative hikes; Senators Woo and Dean on their long runs; Senator Cormier, my partner on the annual Canada Army Run each September; Senator Boehm, so dedicated to his time in the gym; Senators McBean and Robinson, committed to their weekly workouts; Senators C. Deacon, Coyle and Duncan on those long, speedy walks back to their condos, especially in the middle of wintertime; Senator David Wells with his weekly parliamentary hockey group; Senator Clement with her CIBC Run for the Cure dedication; and Senator Olsen, yes, on the badminton courts.

I am sure there are many more of you who have stories of physical activity to share. Way back in the day, sport was big on Parliament Hill. Imagine the front field and the fields at Rideau Hall, where annual soccer games were held with MPs taking on the House pages. Today, these soccer games happen on Centre Block’s front lawn.

In 1938, the Speaker hosted softball matches on the grounds of Rideau Hall, and games were also played against security and members of the press gallery. In 1948, there was even a House of Commons bowling league.

When I started nine years ago, Yoga on the Hill was great to attend. There were rugby matches in 2012. In 2017, many of you might remember that a huge ice rink was erected on the front hill as part of Canada’s one hundred and fiftieth anniversary celebrations.

Colleagues, Parliament Hill has been more than just a political arena: It has been a playing field for camaraderie, community and cause. Please, let’s make sure generations of parliamentarians continue to find time to play, walk and talk together on the Hill.

As I close, I invite you to move your attention to the Commonwealth Games being held this summer in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. Chef de Mission Erica Wiebe — an Olympic gold medallist in freestyle wrestling and two-time Commonwealth Games champ — will lead Team Canada into the stadium. A 10-sport program, including 6 fully integrated para sports, will make up these games. That is what is so special about the Commonwealth Games: the combination of able-bodied and para athletes who perform wonderfully together. They will demonstrate unity, diversity and sustainability at the highest of levels.

The King’s Baton Relay for those games comes through Canada this week, stopping in Vancouver, Toronto and Burlington, and a beautiful Indigenous-crafted baton with the King’s Message will make its way to Glasgow.

Next week, the inaugural OneAbility Games open in Richmond, B.C., where 900 young people with disabilities will compete at the Richmond Oval, a legacy facility; and in the PLAY Stream, 300 competitive athletes will be shooting for gold in the national championships for goalball, wheelchair basketball and blind hockey.

As we close this inquiry, there is much to celebrate and think about. On behalf of Senator McBean, Senator Petitclerc and myself, I extend a heartfelt thank you to all who contributed to this inquiry. Sport, activity, competition — whatever you call it — improves lives; it’s as simple as that. Everyone should have equitable access to the field of play. Let’s work to make this possible for all Canadians because, long after the score is forgotten, the person you become is what truly stays.

Thank you, meegwetch.

(Debate concluded.)

[Translation]

Role of Canadian Rangers in Northern Canada

Inquiry—Debate Adjourned

Hon. Pat Duncan rose pursuant to notice of April 15, 2026:

That she will call the attention of the Senate to the Canadian Rangers and their role in Northern Canada, asserting Canada’s sovereignty, providing for our national security, and strengthening community resilience as they are representative of the peoples of the North and their knowledge of the land.

Honourable senators, as we gain an increasing awareness of Northern Canada, it has become all the more important that we understand how our country asserts its sovereignty and maintains our security over this vast expanse of our nation’s territory.

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[English]

Dear colleagues, as we become increasingly aware of Canada’s North, it has become so important to comprehend how Canada asserts our national security and sovereignty in 40% of our land mass.

Canada’s defence presence in the North includes the rangers. When rangers are mentioned to Canadians, images of prime ministers with groups of folks in their distinctive red hoodies, surrounded by a vast landscape, possibly come to mind. My remarks today as I open this inquiry will seek to share the stories of the rangers, answering the question of who they are and how they established our Canadian sovereignty, especially as a defence presence in the Yukon.

In order to establish a “federal presence” in the Yukon, the North-West Mounted Police were posted on the Chilkoot Pass on the B.C.-Yukon border during the Gold Rush of 1898. The father of our late senator Ione Christensen was the RCMP officer in Fort Selkirk at the confluence of the Yukon and Pelly Rivers starting in 1935.

Yukoners’ attention to military efforts and national security have a place in Canadian history with Joe Boyle, an incredibly wealthy miner. In 1905, Joe sponsored a hockey team, the Dawson City Nuggets, who travelled from the Yukon to challenge the Ottawa Silver Seven for the Stanley Cup.

When war broke out in 1914, the “King of the Klondike” was too old to enlist. Instead, he established and financed 50 recruits to form the Yukon Motor Machine Gun Battery. The unit saw varied action throughout the war, including fighting at Vimy Ridge. In 1916, Boyle was appointed an honorary lieutenant general in the Canadian Militia, entitling him to wear a military uniform, which he decorated with maple-leaf-shaped buttons made of gold from the Klondike.

Beyond the colourful story of “Klondike Joe Boyle,” a lasting military legacy presence in the Yukon was established by the arrival of the U.S. Army when they built the Alaska Highway. From Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction in Alaska, it was entirely constructed by the U.S. Army. The 1,400‑mile road was completed in eight months in 1942. Roughly 40% of that highway— 550 miles — is in the Yukon.

When Canada took over the highway, the area that housed Canadian officials was called Camp Takhini, now a subdivision in Whitehorse. All the streets are named after battles in World War II. I grew up in that neighbourhood, on Seine Square, which is attached to Normandy Road.

The American military, as part of the war effort, also built the Canol Road to construct a pipeline from Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, southwest to Whitehorse, Yukon, during World War II.

Canada’s defence presence became more pronounced in the North with the establishment of the DEW Line, the Distant Early Warning system. These were radar stations in the northern Arctic to detect potential incoming bombers from the Soviet Union and to provide early warning of any sea or land invasions. There were nearly 60 sites from Alaska to Baffin Island, most of which were in the Northwest Territories and what is now Nunavut.

One of the sites in the Yukon was at Shingle Point on the coast, which is part of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. This part of the coast is also the offshore boundary that remains under negotiation between Canada and the U.S.

Today, the presence of the Canadian Armed Forces, or CAF, in the Yukon is limited. The CAF personnel — the people — assigned to this triangle-shaped corner of Canada known as the Yukon Territory total three, sometimes four, people. These Canadian Armed Forces staff are located at Boyle’s Barracks, which is an army cadet camp located off the Alaska Highway in a country residential area just within the outer limits of Whitehorse.

The larger CAF presence, the Joint Task Force North, is located in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.

Yukoners living in Whitehorse often see, and especially hear, U.S. aircraft landing at the airport that is located in the centre of Whitehorse. Three weeks ago, those U.S. aircraft included four very loud F-35Bs refuelling and, on Saturday last week, over a half a dozen other U.S. military aircraft were well seen and documented by Yukoners at the Whitehorse Airport.

A former air cadet recently posted the following on Facebook:

Such stopovers were a common occurrence in the ’60s and ’70s with the U.S. Air Force using Whitehorse as a refuelling stop to and from Alaska. Canada is part of NORAD so it would not be uncommon to see both Canadian and U.S. Air Force aircraft using Whitehorse as a fuel stop.

Sadly, people living in Whitehorse today rarely see Canadian CF-18s except on ceremonial occasions. The few locally posted members of the Canadian Armed Forces are less visible to Yukoners simply because of their location at the barracks out of town. This is not a criticism of the CAF nor of the dedicated people who serve it. It is a statement of fact.

There have been recent efforts to establish a naval reserve division in Whitehorse, which is currently undergoing a multi‑phase feasibility study led by the Naval Reserve Western Region. Yukoners are interested in learning more about the recently announced Northern Operational Support Hub, or NOSH, planned for Whitehorse.

Some national public discussions about establishing a greater military presence in the North have focused on a picture of Iqaluit in the east to Inuvik in the N.W.T. in the west. It is a clear expanse of the Arctic, but it’s prompting Yukoners to share a clearer picture of the Yukon’s place in the North, which is not just the Arctic.

The Yukon’s population does not fit with the traditional viewpoint or perspective of the North. For the first time in some time, with a 27% increase in population over the last 10 years, the Yukon’s population has now exceeded that of the Northwest Territories. Twenty-two per cent of our population of 48,000 people is First Nations. Of those, 11 of the 14 First Nations governments have self-government agreements. Over 4% of our population is Filipino, with the Yukon having the third-highest population by proportion in Canada.

Whether it be First Nations who have resided throughout the North for millennia, those who have chosen the North or those who have transferred by reason of their employment, it is certain that the eyes, ears and knowledge of functioning in the North are the people.

Colleagues, most Canadians have close proximity to the Canadian Armed Forces in some way. In New Brunswick, we have C.F.B. Gagetown. Here in the chamber, we’re not far from Petawawa. Edmontonians know of Cold Lake. Esquimalt and Comox are well known to those in B.C.

Canadians are well served by these people in these national defence installations, especially when they live close by. In the Yukon, the people who are present in every single community and who represent the Canadian military, our national defence and security are the Canadian Rangers.

More than simply stating that they are the eyes and the ears with the knowledge of the land in the Yukon, combined with the RCMP, these citizens are all we have, attesting to our strength and sovereignty. In the Yukon, the Rangers — our military presence — are the people.

Every community in Canada and everyone in this chamber can recall someone in their workplace, no matter the occupation, in their circle of friends or in their community who is that “go-to person.” In the resilient thread of the community, there is always that individual who is there when needed, who knows everyone and knows how to get things done. That person knows where fuel for off-road vehicles might be accessed, what the best cold‑weather gear is and how to cope with frostbite. Those people, in every community in the Yukon, are the Canadian Rangers.

For a moment, please allow me to focus on just one Yukon Ranger: the late John Mitchell.

“Mitch,” as he was known, was born in Arnprior, Ontario, and attended the University of New Brunswick, or UNB, where he was one of UNB’s top scorers for the varsity football team. In 1976, he moved to Dawson City, where he ran sled dogs on a trapline. In 1984, he helped break the trail for the running of the inaugural Yukon Quest Dog Sled Race, a 1,000-mile international dog sled race from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Whitehorse in the Yukon. He and his dog team also subsequently ran the race.

With the expansion of the Canadian Rangers to Dawson City in 1991, Mitch was elected as the commanding sergeant. He was a key person in developing the Junior Canadian Rangers throughout the North. The highest decorated Canadian Ranger across Canada, Mitch received the Canadian Forces Northern Area Command Commendation in recognition of outstanding service in 1995 and was the only non-regular forces person to ever receive the Order of Military Merit in 1997.

The list of awards given to Mitch is long: medals and awards in recognition of bravery from the Royal Canadian Humane Association, the Commissioner of Yukon and the Governor General. Additionally, and most notably, the keys to Dawson City from the mayor and council, and the Gunhawk from the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in community, whose traditional territory includes Dawson City.

Colleagues, you might recognize Mitch, as he was also persuaded to model for the Canada Goose Inc. to highlight one of their parkas.

My personal favourite story of Mitch was my last encounter with him, when he showed me a photograph of a winter patrol of junior rangers snowmobiling on the Yukon-Alaska boundary in the wilderness north of Dawson City.

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This is some of Canada’s northernmost international border with the United States. The Junior Rangers were asserting our northern sovereignty and ensuring the knowledge of the land is passed from generation to generation.

There are rangers in every community, more than 50 in Whitehorse, and there is a wait list to join.

Richard Newell of the Carcross, Yukon, Canadian Ranger Patrol Group in 2025 had over 20 documented ranger exercises. He was awarded the Special Service Medal given to CAF members for “. . . taking part in activities and operations under exceptional circumstances.”

In June 2025, Lieutenant-Colonel Travis Hanes, Commander of the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, travelled from Joint Task Force North in Yellowknife to Whitehorse to award Ranger Newell the fifth clasp of his Canadian Forces’ Decoration. CAF members can receive the first award after 12 years of service, with a new clasp for every additional decade. The clasp for Ranger Newell represented 62 years of service.

Until this ceremony, only four individuals had received that many clasps, denoting so many decades of service. The others were Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother; His Late Royal Highness Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh; Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra; and the late Air Commodore Leonard Joseph Birchall. Ranger Newell was the fifth honoured, second still living and the only recipient continuing to serve.

Other rangers of note continuing in public service in the Yukon include the Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly for Kluane, now territorial Minister of Environment, and Canadian Ranger Sergeant in Haines Junction, the Honourable Wade Istchenko. I would note that Minister Istchenko, the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and, most especially, the Haines Junction rangers were a highlight of the recent visit to the Yukon by the Nordic ambassadors while they were in the territory for the Arctic Winter Games.

I also would note that the Junior Canadian Rangers in Haines Junction have a significant number of First Nations women, and they have won the national shooting competition among the Canadian Rangers for five years running.

The involvement of First Nations women in the rangers is of particular note. Debra-Leigh Reti, a Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation citizen, serves as the leader of the third party in the Yukon Legislative Assembly and is the MLA for the most northerly and only fly-in community in the Yukon, Old Crow.

These incredible individual rangers are but a very small sample of the hundreds of rangers in the Yukon. Beyond being key members of the community with a profound respect for and knowledge of the land — being that go-to person in every Yukon community — let me share with you the most recent example of rangers asserting our sovereignty.

Colleagues, you will have read and will continue to learn of the recent Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT 2026, made by CAF personnel, including Canadian Rangers. This operation included logistic movements, equipment trials in austere conditions and a long-range patrol of more than 5,000 kilometres from the Yukon-Alaska border to Churchill, Manitoba, made by the Canadian Rangers.

The importance of this journey to the coast cannot be overstated. For the Junior Rangers in Old Crow, this was a reconnection with the land and the trail their forebears used for generations.

Again, this defence and assertion of sovereignty story is about the people. Yukon rangers have previously made summer trips to the tip of Ellesmere Island, which helped build skills and experience used in the recent operation.

This trip with Operation NANOOK-NUNALIVUT, intended to retrace Franklin’s route, was four years in the planning. Most ably led by Lieutenant-Colonel Travis Hanes, a core group of rangers from communities from east to west in the North travelled as a component of this operation for 52 days when the days of –40°C felt like a heat wave.

The journey connected people and communities throughout Canada’s North. As they approached each community, the patrol was met by the Canadian Rangers and Junior Rangers accompanying them on their snow machines into town. The community celebrated their arrival with traditional food and dances.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Duncan, your time has expired. Would you like to ask for more time?

Senator Duncan: Colleagues, may I have another two minutes?

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, is leave granted?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Senator Duncan: The incredible journey from the Yukon-Alaska border to Churchill has been described to me by one of those instrumental in its execution, Sergeant of the Whitehorse Canadian Ranger Patrol, Jim Welsh, as life-changing. Perhaps the most important was the connection between the people of the North.

Colleagues, you may wonder why the rangers wear their distinctive red hoodies as their uniform. That distinctive red can be found exactly when it’s needed, whether you know you need to find them or not — just like the rangers — in every community in the Yukon.

There are so many stories to tell of individual rangers, of the conditions they endured on their recent trek to Churchill and their plans for future assertions of our sovereignty, all of which demonstrates their understanding of the North, their own history and the importance of and support for Canada’s military.

Colleagues, I am looking forward to hearing from you as you share stories of the Canadian Rangers in your area.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

(On motion of Senator White, debate adjourned.)

(At 5:06 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)

Appendix—Senators List