Information & Ethics Committee on Sept. 29th, 2011

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

“Socialists”.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

--and of course the Liberal Party, to try to steal power after losing an election. I remember that.

I don't think those meetings were entirely public, were they, Charlie?

Of course, we know that obviously quite a few secret meetings have occurred with respect to the union sponsorship of the NDP convention and what went on with the NDP filibuster last spring, where all of your talking points were being handed to you by a third party. I think there were a lot of secret meetings involved with that. The NDP doesn't come clean with that.

[An hon. member]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Patricia Davidson]

Through the chair, please.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

You have an opportunity, with the tens of thousands that you've received from the unions for the spring convention....

I'd encourage, Madam Chairman, the NDP to maybe talk about those secret meetings and come forward and be fulsome on it.

As we indicated, Minister Clement will be appearing before the public accounts committee. I encourage members of the opposition, if they have questions, to ask them. He will be there.

But go ahead and review all of the public announcements we've made around these projects. I have put forward the level of reporting and so forth that we've done on this. I'd suggest to you that every cent has been accounted for, as I said earlier. I would argue that we've made lasting investments into that region. I think that as a government and as a Parliament, we should be proud when we make contributions that make tangible improvements to regions in this country.

I was very proud as a Canadian, very proud as a Canadian, to see the international leaders welcomed to Muskoka and for that event to occur there. I thought it was just a tremendous setting. I'm very proud of everybody who worked to make that happen, because it really rolled out what I think was.... They didn't just make people feel welcome; they really, I think, put forward a very beautiful face of Canada to the world, and I was very proud.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Patricia Davidson]

Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Thank you.

I know Dean can wax on all day, so we don't have to go too long on this.

I think if we had Mr. Clement come before the ethics committee, he could explain why he was telling local mayors to keep their mouths shut until they got their story straight, telling them not to make announcements because it would make him--quote--“uncomfortable”, because some of the more dodgy use of the money--for example, claiming this media centre when in fact they were building an Olympic hockey arena--was certainly causing them trouble. So they were telling the local mayors not to talk until Tony got their lines straight.

Now, I don't know how Mr. Del Mastro's team works, but normally when we work with mayors and it's a good news story, they go out and tell their story. I don't have to phone them and say, “Listen, don't talk to anybody until we get our lines straight”. That makes you ask questions on what they were worried about.

But I'm not going to worry about that right now. I'd like to close on a simple statement that was made by one of Canada's great newspapers, the Sun, the Sun that says “It is time for Tony to step aside”.

Now, when the editorial in the Sun says Tony Clement has “repeatedly violated practically all standards of accountability and ethics” and has to go, I mean....

Dean, when you can't get the Sun to back you up on this, you guys are in a deep hole.

I would totally concur with the editorial of the Sun that he has broken practically all standards of accountability and ethics, which is why we bring this motion to our committee.

I rest my case.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Patricia Davidson]

Mr. Del Mastro.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

I'm very pleased that Mr. Angus has pointed out the impartiality of the Toronto Sun and the Sun Media chain.

I'm sure they'll provide us with additional information in the years to come, Mr. Angus, that I could cite. And now that you've pointed out they're an impartial party and you've accepted this as gospel, you'll just have to accept all of their commentary. Some of it may be difficult for you to accept, Mr. Angus.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Patricia Davidson]

Seeing no more speakers on the list, we will call the question.

(Motion negatived)

The meeting is adjourned.