Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the Bloc Quebecois' motion on this allotted day, particularly as I am Chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
I believe it is our duty, when we have the floor, to put things in perspective, so that our listeners can understand what we are talking about.
On May 7, 1996, the Auditor General of Canada, Denis Desautels, tabled a report. Under an Act of this Parliament, the auditor general is expected to submit three reports each year. In this report, one chapter in particular caught our attention, not only the attention of the official opposition but also that of all the members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Let me explain. I am talking about Chapter I, entitled "Other Audit Observations". This is a kind of catchall, not so much in terms of its content but because it contains a variety of observations.
This chapter described two particular cases. The auditor general had examined two particular cases relating to the transfer of assets from one family trust to another family trust in the United States. The figure was astronomical. The principle would also have been unacceptable had the figure been smaller, but the very fact that it was a tax-free transfer of $2 billion made it even more so.
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met, as it does each time the auditor general tables a report, and as it did today, in fact. In committee, we try to determine which priorities we should look at, study and call witnesses about.
You will understand that the official opposition wanted to study these two family trusts quickly, I must stress this fact, right from the beginning, as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the only committee to be chaired by a member of the opposition. The rules of our democracy entitle the official opposition to chair that committee which acts together with the auditor general. This committee monitors the government and the
different departments to ensure, for Canadian taxpayers, that their taxes are being spent efficiently. In fact, such is the role of a state where taxes are collected. We pay the taxes and we make sure that we get our money's worth.
We wanted to examine this issue on a priority basis and that is why we, in the official opposition, decided it warranted further debate in the House, because we were unable to find out in detail what really happened in these events we now call a scandal. This term was not necessarily chosen by the official opposition. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue said that the government members do not like to hear us using the word "scandal", but we are not the ones who first used this term. It was first used by neutral and independent reporters who happened to examine the case. We could quote Martin Leclerc, from the Journal de Montréal and the Journal de Québec ; we could quote Gilles Gauthier, from La Presse. They are not in the pay of a specific party. They were the ones who said this situation was outrageous, that it did not make sense.
We can tell you that, again today, as a result of delaying tactics, the official opposition is not in a position to do its job properly because, as we speak, we cannot find out what really happened.
As my colleague, the member for Portneuf, was saying earlier, we have a few questions of our own. Why, when it is time for two rich families to transfer, tax free, $2 billion, are all the officials, all the senior officials at Revenue Canada available to meet with them, help them win their case and proceed with the transfer?
This is what worries us about the 1991 decision. It was handed down on December 23, 1991. If there are questions or comments later on, I already know that Liberal members will say: "This did not happen while we were in power, it happened under the Conservatives". Quite true. Nice try. Indeed, the Liberals were not in power in 1991, but they will not be able to get away with what was made public today by the auditor general in his report. Revenue Canada is going to have to account for $630 million worth of tax evasion. The auditor general mentioned that this is due to a lack of auditing of major oil companies and the tobacco industry; $630 million in 1994-95 alone.
This means that the Liberals' argument that they were not here in 1991 still holds. However, what practical steps have they taken to close the door?
The Liberals want us to stop reviewing chapter 1 of the auditor general's report, claiming that the Standing Committee on Finance has already done so. They want the Standing Committee on Public Accounts to work on something else. I know some members here in this House could say: "Yes, but the committee agreed to hold only one meeting on family trusts". Maybe the Liberal majority members are smarter than I, but, as I said to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, I do not feel that one single sitting is enough to shed light on what really happened on December 23, 1991.
Because we, the members of the official opposition, have always believed in the institution personified by the Auditor General of Canada, we also find it unfortunate and deplorable that the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance and member for Willowdale tried twice to discredit, to corner, to trip up the auditor general and his colleagues. He never assumed such an attitude towards the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Dodge, or the Deputy Minister of National Revenue, Mr. Gravelle. This is what we call double standard. Instead of showing some respect for the Office of the Auditor General of Canada,an independent and democratic institution that has no political ties, he chose to play party politics.
The member for Willowdale is well-known for the way he conducts the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Finance. As Chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, I do not need the member for Willowdale and Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, telling me what to do.
The fundamental issue is the issue of the accountability of senior officials. This is regrettable, but I must tell you that the question of accountability of senior civil servants will not be studied by any parliamentary committee. The Standing Committee on Public Accounts, of which I am a member, will not be able to do it in one single sitting any more than the Standing Committee on Finance did. In a democratic society, it is of considerable concern when people are not accountable for their actions and their decisions.
We will never know neither the circumstances which led to the transfer out of Canada of $2 billion, tax free, nor all the reasons surrounding these improprieties. I am not the one mentioning improprieties in this context, it is the auditor general.
To conclude, if we go beyond this case, it is the whole process of external audit of the government which has to be reviewed. Maybe Liberals are longing for the time when they were in opposition. They were more aggressive then, more lively, perhaps, and they will probably be there again after the next elections. The only committee chaired by an opposition member is being side-tracked despite its formal mandate to study the auditor general's report. The auditor general is under attack and will not have any forum to defend his indictment of this government, if the Standing Committee of Public Accounts is not able to shed light on this question.
I will conclude by saying that this is a frontal attack on the principle of government accountability to Parliament.