Mr. Speaker, let us re-examine the situation regarding the Minister of National Defence and this whole incident about destroying documents. Look at the timing.
This cover-up first came to light in October 1995. At that time the minister said to the House: "As soon as we get to know why this happened, we will certainly make it public". We had all that time. The minister has not made it public. We have to learn the details of this whole thing from an outside agency and still do not know what the minister has done to punish the offenders and correct the problem.
Instead he is once again burying his failures under a cloak of closed door administrative action. Documents are destroyed and altered and the minister continues to cover up.
Will he take the responsibility required here and resign in order to restore public confidence?