Debates of Oct. 27th, 2010

The Speaker Peter Milliken

I will say right now, this appears to be a matter of dispute as to facts.

It is not the Speaker's role to determine who is right and who is wrong. I know there are disagreements over some things that are said in this House, but it is not up to the Speaker to decide either way.

The hon. member for Joliette is also rising on a point of order.

Pierre Paquette Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons made false statements about the member for Sherbrooke. The member for Lévis—Bellechasse also made false statements about the member for Gatineau. These were baseless attacks on the part of the Conservatives.

When we ask questions and go on the attack, we do so because we have done our research. For example, when we said that the Minister of Natural Resources was at a restaurant belonging to Mr. Padulo junior, a close friend of the Rizzuto clan, we checked our facts. When we said that Mr. Padulo senior was photographed with the Prime Minister, we had the photograph. This is not about debate. This is about respect for truth and the integrity of parliamentarians, especially members of the Bloc Québécois.

Richard Nadeau Gatineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, I heard what the member for Lévis—Bellechasse said. Tomorrow evening, the only thing on my agenda is getting ready to go to Newfoundland for the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador. I am not giving a speech anywhere tomorrow evening, nor have I given any of my own money or my member's allowance to the organization hosting the conference tomorrow.

I would like the Conservative member who said that I support hate groups to explain himself and apologize.

Steven Blaney Lévis—Bellechasse, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Gatineau for his point of order. I would just like to remind him that in my question, I was referring to the fact that it was reported in an article published in Maclean's, which is a trustworthy magazine.

I would like to remind my colleague that his friends in the Réseau de Résistance du Québécois supported Maclean's Quebec bashing. In such cases, as my grandmother used to say, if the shoe fits, wear it, and if not, it is no big deal.

Dominic LeBlanc Beauséjour, NB

Mr. Speaker, I will try to tone things down for you.

In question period the Minister of National Defence referred to the issue of the cancellation of the EH-101 project. I thought it would be instructive to ask perhaps if you, Mr. Speaker, could seek unanimous consent in the House for me to table a document that would be very instructive to that point raised by the Minister of National Defence.

Of course I am referring to a document with which you will be very familiar, Mr. Speaker. It is the Reform Party of Canada's March 11, 1993, plan to in fact scrap the EH-101 purchase.

What is instructive about this document from the Reform Party is that the person who was policy director at the time that the Reform Party advocated the scrapping of the EH-101 project happens to occupy the Prime Minister's chair today.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Is the hon. member seeking unanimous consent to table this document? Does the House give its consent for the tabling of this document?

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. Minister of National Defence has a submission on this point.

Peter MacKay Central Nova, NS

Mr. Speaker, not being a member of the party that my friend opposite refers to, I would invite my friend to deposit it anywhere he wants.

Navdeep Bains Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am getting up on a point of order to ask for unanimous consent with respect to a question I asked during question period. It pertained to consultants charging the government and taxpayers $3,400 for two press releases that contained about 1,300 words, and the minister of state in response said he would investigate the matter.

I have the press releases here, and I would like to table these documents to help the minister with his investigation. It is also worth noting that in one of the press releases the minister himself is quoted. Therefore I hope this helps in his investigation, especially because he is investigating himself.

Therefore I look forward to the support of all members in the House.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to table these documents?

The Speaker Peter Milliken

I suggest the member just send them to the minister.