Thank you very much. I appreciate this opportunity to, once again, enter into debate on an incredibly important subject. It has certainly captured much of the attention of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
The motion that is at hand is very simple. It simply asks that we have full disclosure of the relationship between other members of cabinet and WE Charity and the decision-making process.
Each day, it seems that further information is revealed about this ongoing scandal. Of course, many of us, I'm sure, were watching the testimony yesterday at the finance committee, and I'm sure we will all pay rapt attention tomorrow. The continuing revelations of connections, of lack of consistency in testimony, of the information that seems to be uncovered on a daily basis, I think, speak for themselves when it comes to why a motion like the one I presented last week is so important. It would ensure that the very basic questions that Canadians are asking will simply get answered. What connections exist between members of cabinet and WE Charity, and did members of cabinet know about the conflict of interest that has become increasingly clear?
It's even just the ambiguity between what these relationships look like. Yesterday the Kielburgers mentioned that they had limited contact with members of cabinet and that they wouldn't have called themselves friends of the Prime Minister. We've heard all of these things before in the first Trudeau report that found the Prime Minister guilty of ethics violations regarding his “friend” the Aga Khan.
I think that Canadians deserve answers. This is a simple process, a simple procedure, that simply asks those who were tasked with making the decision regarding close to a billion dollars for the information requested so that Canadians, quite frankly, will get the answers they all deserve.
I look forward to what I hope will be a productive debate on the issue and to seeing this passed. I would encourage all members of this committee from every party to be productive and proactive to ensure that we have that attitude in mind in moving this conversation forward, to get the answers that Canadians deserve, and hopefully move forward. I would certainly ask that each member consider supporting this motion as it attempts to do that very thing.
Thank you, Madam Chair.