Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order concerning the failure of the government to respond to Question No. 21 which was tabled in the House on October 2, 1997, seven months ago. I have regularly asked the government when it would reply.
The parliamentary secretary has constantly been vague, verging on stonewalling when asked questions about a response to this inquiry. The question concerns visits of ministers to the Drummondville-Trois Rivieres vicinity during a time that we now know—it has been confirmed—a Liberal fundraiser was engaged in criminal activity.
We keep hearing the words “timely fashion” and “in due course”. There is every reason to believe that ministers of the crown were used as props in these nefarious activities. I invite the parliamentary secretary to outline for the House what actions he has taken during the time period when we have been repeatedly asking for this very basic straightforward information.
I want to know if the parliamentary secretary is refusing to come clean on this or if we will actually get some answers. There has been an admission of criminal involvement in this matter. We want a response and we want one soon.