Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are unsure if they should support a government led by the former finance minister, they are right to ask themselves some questions.
If he does not support the proposed changes to aboriginal governance, what changes does he support? If he does not like the way the Kyoto agreement was foisted on the provinces and Canadian industry, what is his alternative? If he does not like the recent announcement of $700 million for VIA Rail, what exactly are his transportation priorities? If he is unhappy with the results of the same sex marriage debate, why does he say he will do whatever the courts tell him? Why does he promise cuts to all government departments one day, but assure people that there will be no cuts to programs the next? Why does he hold first ministers conferences, promise disaster relief money, chastise the current Prime Minister over foreign policy decisions, and generally usurp the authority of the current government, yet he is not available to the House to be accountable for his parallel government?
Canadians ask themselves these questions and others because they cannot ask them of the former finance minister. That is simply wrong, and that is why all members of Parliament should vote in favour of the motion to transfer authority and, more important, accountability as soon as possible.