Mr. Speaker, the more things change—
For months now, we have been peppered with questions about APEC and the events in Vancouver. For months now, the opposition has held to a position that is fundamentally contradictory.
On the one hand, they are calling for a public inquiry while, on the other, they want the commission to be allowed to do its work. But when we agree that the commission should be allowed to do its work, they go back to their call for a public inquiry. The opposition's position is completely illogical.
Mr. Hughes, who is now chairing the commission, has said himself, and I am quoting very freely here, that he will do “whatever it takes to uncover the truth of what went on in Vancouver”. He himself, therefore, is saying that the commission is able to get to the bottom of things, to effectively determine what happened and to submit a report, which, I would remind members, will be made public.
We received a letter from him, and this letter was released Friday at noon. What could be more natural than for elected officials to take the time to read this letter, to examine it and reflect on it, and to respond in a balanced manner that takes into account the full proposal, the present context in its entirety, and the mandate of the commission.