Apparent, yes. I hear the hon. member for Ahuntsic yelling “apparent” at me, but I would remind her that a minister of the crown has a duty to avoid any suspicion of an apparent conflict of interest. Any suspicion, precisely so as to not end up with a conflict. One must protect oneself from this.
There are still many questions without answers. Why was the Minister of Finance the one to sponsor this bill? Why did he not have the Minister of State for Financial Institutions, the hon. member for Willowdale, do it? Why did he do it himself?
We consider this an imprudent act, one exposing the Minister of Finance to criticism. These 4 CSL vessels registered in the Bahamas clearly indicate that someone can, if enterprising, take advantage of tax havens.
When we know that the company in question belongs 100% to the Minister of Finance, it is no wonder ordinary citizens, the people watching us today on television, have lost confidence. It is because such loopholes exist.
This does nothing for the credibility of this institution. Most members here try to do a good job. We try to thoroughly research the issues and when something like this is thrown in our faces, how do you think we feel?
One might also wonder why Canada Steamship Lines does not register its ships to Canada, as would normally be done. The Desgagnés group bought the Rio Orinoco , which was wrecked off île d'Anticosti, and renamed it the Thalassa Desgagnés . The Thalassa Desgagnés carries oil between Miami and certain islands in the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico. It is registered to Canada and has a Canadian crew.
I think there are shipping companies that show they are capable of assuming their responsibilities by hiring people from this country and paying their taxes here. We see that the Minister of Finance says one thing and does another. Everyone claims to be lily-white, but when we see this sort of sleight of hand, it worries us. That was what I wished to say.