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Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, not only has the Prime Minister called a full judicial inquiry on this issue, we have actually made available cabinet documents back to 1994, which is almost unprecedented in terms of openness and transparency. Beyond that, the government has provided over 10 million pages of documents to Justice Gomery.
The government is committed to getting to the truth. I do not know what the hon. member or that party has against getting to the bottom of this issue.
Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, it is very important to respect the independence of Mr. Justice Gomery. We should not prejudge his work. I am anxious to read his report, but we must wait for it.
Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I cannot understand why the opposition that demanded a judicial inquiry is now actually questioning the independence of a judicial inquiry. We ought to allow Justice Gomery to do his work and not prejudge his work or interfere or in fact comment on the day to day testimony when that testimony will vary throughout the entire inquiry.
Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, it would be very important not to prejudge the work being done by Justice Gomery. We must wait for his report. I am looking forward to the report and its findings.
Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been clear that he was aware of the sponsorship program. All members of Parliament were aware of the sponsorship program. When he became aware as a result of the Auditor General's report of alleged malfeasance, he acted immediately to cancel that program and to start the judicial inquiry that will lead us to the truth.
I would urge the hon. member not to prejudge the work of Justice Gomery. Allow him to do his work and to get to the bottom of this issue.
Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we are not going to discuss the day to day testimony of the Gomery commission here on the floor of the House of Commons because there is no reason why today's testimony would not be contradicted by next week's testimony. By the time Justice Gomery has completed his work, Canadians will have the whole truth, which they deserve, and the truth that we are committed to achieving in this government on behalf of Canadians.
Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, there is a deputy leader over there who used to call the leader antagonistic and ill-informed.
The fact is all MPs were aware of this program. All MPs across Canada from all political parties received support from that program, including the member for Calgary West, including the ridings of Calgary Southeast, Wild Rose, St. John's East, St. Albert, South Shore, and the riding of Kings--Hants where I was proud as a member of Parliament when I sat in the opposition to have received support from that very good program for very good initiatives like the apple blossom festival and the pumpkin race.
Sponsorship Program October 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said repeatedly that he was aware of the sponsorship program. All members of Parliament were aware of the sponsorship program. It was a national program of the Government of Canada.
When the Prime Minister became aware of alleged malfeasance, he acted immediately to cancel the sponsorship program and to start a judicial inquiry.
I would urge the hon. member to respect the independence of that judicial inquiry, allow Justice Gomery to do his work, to get the whole picture and learn the truth for Canadians.
Sponsorship Program October 12th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is just plain wrong. The fact is the Prime Minister and the government were completely open with the public accounts committee and responded to any request for information. The fact is Justice Gomery's commission did ask a broader question and the information was provided.
The hon. member should not prejudge the work of Justice Gomery. At the same time, he should not prejudge the work that the government is doing to provide open, transparent information to ensure that this type of thing does not occur again.
Sponsorship Program October 12th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the government has been extremely open and transparent with information on sponsorship and has provided, as the hon. member recognized, over 10 million pages of documents to the Gomery commission. That is because we are interested in getting to the truth here.
Beyond that, the commitment to transparency and openness in information has been recognized by the Information Commissioner who has said that the government will be sufficiently self-confident, courageous and honest to beat the secrecy addiction to which most governments fall victim.