Mr. Speaker, I wish to rise to respond to a question of privilege raised on May 16 by the hon. member for Wild Rose.
The allegations made in the question of privilege are serious. I agree with the hon. member that members of parliament must be treated with respect by Correctional Service Canada and by all parts of the government. That is why I have spoken at length with both the commissioner of Correctional Service Canada and to the corporate secretary to the service concerning this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I have been advised that there was no threat to withhold information made by anyone in Correctional Service Canada, nor was there any attempt to intimidate either the hon. member or his staff.
First, it should be noted that the commissioner and the corporate secretary have often dealt with the hon. member's assistant in the past.
In fact, the hon. member's assistant had placed a phone call to the corporate secretary last Friday concerning this very report. In this instance I have been informed that following question period on Monday, May 15, the corporate secretary phoned the hon. member's office seeking particulars regarding the report to which he had referred in question period.
Although the hon. member's assistant offered to fax a copy of the report to CSC, the corporate secretary declined that offer and indicated that she would get the report from senior Correctional Service Canada officials in the prairie region. When she was unable to locate the report within the CSC in a timely fashion, the corporate secretary phoned the hon. member's office and the hon. member's assistant again offered to fax her a copy of the report.
I am advised that when no fax was received, the corporate secretary placed a further call to the hon. member's office. She stated that she was on the speakerphone because she was in a meeting with the commissioner and the headquarters management team. The management team wished to discuss the report in an effort to respond to the hon. member's question as quickly as possible.
I have been informed that the hon. member's assistant indicated that she would not be able to provide the document. The commissioner inquired why the report would not be provided and was advised that the hon. member had instructed his assistant not to provide the report.
The corporate secretary concluded the conversation by stating she would continue her efforts to obtain a copy through CSC channels.
Fortunately for the commissioner and the corporate secretary, this conversation took place with nine other CSC executives in the room. These people have each confirmed that both the commissioner and the corporate secretary acted in a businesslike manner and that they did not at any time say that the CSC would refuse to offer the hon. member help or information concerning that report or any other Correctional Service Canada matter. These nine individuals have also confirmed that the tone assumed by both the commissioner and the corporate secretary through the conversation was professional and was not intimidating or rude.
When the corporate secretary asked me the other evening what would have happened if there had been nobody else in the room, I did not have an answer for her.
Having reviewed this matter personally, I am satisfied that CSC and its officials at all times acted in a proper and professional manner. I therefore believe that there is no substance to the allegations put forth by the hon. member.