Debates of June 6th, 2008

Judy Sgro York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, the investigation into the NAFTA-gate affair clearly was a whitewash. Key individuals who had access to the diplomatic memo were not interviewed or even contacted.

The Republican farm team over there, the Canadian Conservatives, were obviously trying to help their bush league friends. Why was Frank Sensenbrenner, the Republican operative that the government embedded in the Canadian embassy, not even questioned as part of this so-called investigation?

Peter Van Loan Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, there was a thorough inquiry into this and involved an outside firm and it was actually criticized by the opposition. Members of the opposition criticized that it was taking too long. Now that it is out, I am hearing them say that time should have been spent interviewing another 200-plus people who had been recipients of the email, although it was assessed where it had been redistributed, where possible, by those individuals.

The bottom line findings of the inquiry were twofold. First, there was no leak of classified information by the Prime Minister's chief of staff. Second, there was an error in how the document was classified and to whom it was distributed.

Judy Sgro York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is just another phony investigation by the government.

It is no surprise that the government conveniently finds itself innocent when it investigates itself. What a joke. Canadians are not going to believe that.

Not only is the report a charade, but parliamentary committees are now being stonewalled from looking further into the issue. What is the government trying to hide? It only asks more questions.

How can Canadians trust the government and accept the findings of its report when it is clouded in secrecy and so obviously flawed?

Peter Van Loan Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, the problem here was that the document was inappropriately classified. It was not clouded in secrecy, it was public when it should have been a little more confidential.

What we do know from the findings of the inquiry into the matter, and the Liberals keep ignoring this, is that there is no evidence that Mr. Brodie disclosed any classified information.

The Liberals kept getting up in the House time and again saying that Mr. Brodie was the cause of it. Once the inquiry demonstrated that it was not, did they once acknowledge it, let alone apologize? Not once.

That is what is causing a decline in our Parliament, a decline in our confidence in the system, and then they go on to blame it on senior civil servants. It is a terrible--

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. member for Drummond.

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that the hon. member mentioned Quebec's economy. She probably missed it, but, this morning, statistics show that in the month of May, the Canadian economy created 18,000 new jobs in Quebec. It is odd that the Bloc Québécois has not said a word about that.

And, do they know where those 18,000 jobs were created? In the manufacturing industry. That means that my colleague, the hon. Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, is doing a good job.

Pauline Picard Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, he failed to mention that 19,000 jobs were lost.

The minister has no respect for the organizations that have built modern day Quebec. Even his counterpart in Quebec City, who described him as an ideologue and Machiavellian, accused him of attacking the very structure of economic development in Quebec. The minister has absolutely no respect for the Quebec model.

Will he transfer money to Quebec, where competent people will know very well how to manage it without resorting to favouritism?

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately I have to cite the document. In the section entitled, “Employment gains in Quebec” it says: “In Quebec, ... employment rose by 18,000 in May. With an increase in the number of Quebecers in the labour market...” Further on—

Lawrence Cannon Pontiac, QC

I know the truth hurts.

Further on, it says, “Employment in Quebec's manufacturing industry increased in May”. What can I say—

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. member for Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

Meili Faille Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages is also launching a campaign of disinformation about the history of Quebec. The minister responsible for the Quebec City region no longer talks about the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City, but of the founding of the Canadian state.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages not realize that to say such a thing is as ridiculous as saying that Italy was founded by Romulus and Remus?

Sylvie Boucher Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Bloc, we on this side of the House are proud to promote the French fact in Quebec City and to publicize Quebec City as a francophone city across Canada and around the world.