Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity today to speak on Bill C-22.
This whole Pearson revitalization and the studies that have been done raise many questions. I am hoping that the debate we are about to embark on will provide some answers to the questions. Actually Mr. Nixon's review demands a response. I would like to quote from the press release that came out with Mr. Nixon's review: "My review has left me with but one conclusion, to leave in place an inadequate contract, arrived at with such a flawed process and under the shadow of possible political manipulation, is unacceptable. I recommend to you that the contract be cancelled".
Those are very strong words and I think in those words there is a message that we must be fair. I was interested in the minister's comments when he spoke earlier this morning about being fair. The minister said that there may be those who would question any moneys being paid because of manipulation. He acknowledged that there may have been some manipulation. However he wanted his government to be fair and reasonable.
To whom are we going to be fair and reasonable? Will it be the taxpayers of Canada, the people who are paying the bills, or the lobbyists who are to profit from any moneys that are exchanged here? I think we have to be fair and reasonable. My priorities are that we have to be fair and reasonable with the taxpayers of Canada. We have an obligation to be fair and reasonable to those whose names and reputations have been called into question in all of this. They should be given an opportunity to clear themselves if that is possible. There should be no tax dollars spent until the air is clear.
Bill C-22 is virtually unprecedented. However I would suggest that the circumstances here are virtually unprecedented. We have accusations of patronage, accusations of political interference, accusations of excessive lobbying and apparently the elimination of competition.
The government has said much about honesty and fairness. I would like to quote from the red book on page 91. Chapter 6 begins:
If government is to play a positive role in society, as it must, honesty and integrity in our political institutions must be restored.
The most important asset of government is the confidence it enjoys of the citizens to whom it is accountable.
Bill C-22 does nothing toward this goal. Full disclosure of all that has taken place would go a long way toward achieving this. Let us review the background and the history to bring us up to date on the Pearson revitalization. There are many conflicting and contradictory positions.
Through a series of complicated deals two companies merge as partners: Paxport, which is controlled by Matthews Group Limited with very strong Tory connections, and Claridge investments, a company with very strong Liberal connections. These two companies are joined together as the Pearson Development Corporation.
Bill C-22 is the beginning of the end of a process which started in 1987 to move airports across Canada into local hands. Generally airports across Canada have gone into the hands of local airport authorities. The ones they have tried so far have met with some excellent results.
Pearson airport was a different case. The former Tory government was determined to privatize Pearson for the benefit of a number of its friends, among them David Matthews, a former Tory president and fund raiser and former Tory cabinet minister. Otto Jelinek joined Paxport, which is Matthews owned, shortly before the election. He is on its board of directors and president of its Asian wing. Excessive amounts of lobbying went into the privatization of Pearson airport. At least 10 firms were involved.
One of the clearest parts of this whole deal is the fact that the Liberals are heavily involved. Since the Liberal government has been in power it has appointed a former provincial Liberal cabinet minister to lead the review and the Prime Minister's former law partner to lead the negotiations for compensation.
These may be very capable and honest people. However the circumstances dictated that direct political connections should have been avoided. A suspicious and secret deal by the Tories now looks very much like a suspicious and secret Liberal cancellation.