Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, time does not allow me to read my speech all over again, because I believe my hon. friend missed most of it. I did mention in my speech that we are not debating Canada's decades long history of relations with Cuba. In fact we support it, and I very much support these past policies.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share my time today with the member for Parry Sound—Muskoka. One can tell much about a regime by the direction the rafts are travelling. In the decades following Cuba's revolution, 20% of Cuba's population, over one million people, fled the country, often taking the small boats in an attempt to cross the Straits of Florida to reach the United States.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B) 2016-17: Vote 1b under Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada”.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, Canada 2020, a Liberal think tank associated with Liberal lobbyists and good friends of the Liberal Prime Minister, recently introduced a donor agreement to prevent accusations of cash for access for events it holds with Liberal ministers. It is really sad that the Liberals' actions make such agreements necessary.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, for weeks now, we have demanded that the Liberals stop peddling cabinet access to their friends and lobbyists. Fresh off his trip to visit old family friends in Cuba, we learned that the Prime Minister was cosying up to Chinese Communist Party officials who attended a cash for access fundraiser in May.

Government Priorities  Mr. Speaker, the Liberals really have lost touch completely with Canadians. They are wasting money left, right, and centre: limos, moving expenses, cash payments to staff, and the Prime Minister's ongoing international junkets. They are increasing taxes on hard-working Canadians with payroll tax increases, a carbon tax, and a small business tax increase.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, Liam saved up the down payment for a home in Strathmore. He was pre-approved for a mortgage in his price range and was just waiting for his lease to expire so that he could move into a new home. Then the Minister of Finance changed the rules. Now Liam cannot qualify for anything in Strathmore, Chestermere, or Calgary.

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Madam Speaker, I am not entirely familiar with the details of the case that the member makes specific reference to under NAFTA. However, in the broadest terms, we cannot lose the opportunity to ratify this agreement. If we want to seek out reasons why we should not do an agreement, because in an agreement of this size there is a portion of it that is unacceptable, we could talk ourselves out of just any agreement.

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Madam Speaker, it almost sounds like a bit of a sign of some hesitant support from members of that party, that they might actually be on board with a trade agreement, which is refreshing. Going to the question about the fact of the Brexit vote and the effect on this agreement, I do not see any reason to take our foot off the gas in getting this agreement approved.

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Madam Speaker, I have said this before in other speeches and others have said it during debate on this bill, but it bears repeating. Canada was built on trade. In fact, one in five jobs in Canada today depends directly on exports. Trade between the colonies of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia provided the impetus for Confederation, and debates among the Fathers of Confederation demonstrate that an internal free trade zone in British North America rivalled mutual defence as their top priority.

2016 Grey Cup  Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, the 104th Grey Cup game will be played in Toronto. Canadian football remains a distinct game, a unique part of our Canadian heritage. Our game is played on a bigger field with a shorter play clock, only three downs and, of course, in Canadian football, we have bigger balls.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, at last Thursday's ethics committee meeting, I asked the Commissioner of Lobbying what she thought of cash for access fundraising involving lobbyists. Her answer was pretty clear. She said: ...I think we're seeing in the media and so on that this is an issue that's potentially creating real or apparent conflicts of interest, which is why I'm looking into it.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, the Commissioner of Lobbying repeatedly said that she is looking into cash for access fundraising involving lobbyists and Liberal cabinet ministers. She said that when a lobbyist organizes a fundraiser, a sense of obligation is created. It is time for the government House leader to stop reciting irrelevant talking points.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the member prepared very carefully for his speech, but the problem is that almost nothing in his speech was relevant to this motion. This motion is not about the Elections Act. It is not about public consultations in his riding. It is not about town halls. It is not about spending limits.

Questions on the Order Paper  With regard to real or perceived conflicts of interest: (a) what are the precise reporting requirements of the Conflict of Interest Act with respect to Ministers and staff recusing themselves from decisions which would place them in a conflict of interest; (b) does the government operate under a standard of avoiding the appearance of conflict of interest; (c) if the answer in (b) is in the affirmative, how is this higher standard enforced; and (d) what plans, if any, does the government have to amend the Conflict of Interest Act to mandate this higher standard?