Mr. Speaker, either we will no longer have pages here next week, or you just announced the date of the next election.
On March 20, in reply to a question from the leader of the official opposition concerning the $4.8 million secretly paid by the federal government to Option Canada, the Minister of Canadian Heritage made comments which do not accurately reflect the reality. She said, and I quote:
Mr. Speaker, the member is certainly aware of the fact that the Government of Quebec-and I have in my hand a copy of the October 11 order in council-gave a total of $4.8 million to the Conseil de la souveraineté du Québec headed by Yves Duhaime, the great friend of the new leader of the official opposition.
This statement aroused our interest, and I have here the October 11 order in council to which the minister referred. If I can get the unanimous consent of the House, I will very pleased to table this document. The order in council reads: "Whereas the government, through the August 16 order in council, has already authorized the payment of $2 million to the Conseil de la souveraineté, and whereas it is in order to pay an additional amount of $1.8 million"-and a bit, but I believe this is the right amount-"therefore it is ordered, on the recommendation of-, to pay $1.8 million".
What confused the minister is the "whereas" providing that, in order to grant a subsidy of more than $1 million, the government's prior approval is required. The minister added $2 million, plus $1.8 million, plus $1 million, for a total of $4.8 million, when in fact-