House of Commons Hansard #12 of the 37th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was liberal.
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, again, I just cannot be clearer. We have nothing to hide on this side of the House. We are willing to cooperate with every investigation and inquiry.
In fact the Prime Minister has specifically asked if there is anyone on this side of the House who has information in relation to this matter to come forward.
Jason Kenney Canadian Alliance Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years this kind of corruption has been going on through various programs. Through all of those 10 years the Prime Minister was the most powerful minister in cabinet, the most senior minister from Quebec, the controller of the public purse, the vice-chair of the Treasury Board who controlled effectively every riding association and office of the Liberal Party in Quebec. How can she expect us to believe that the rumours he heard were merely those and why did he not act on those rumours at cabinet or at Treasury Board?
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, again, just let me say this very clearly. The Prime Minister has nothing to hide. No one on this side of the House has anything to hide. That is why we are committed to getting to the bottom of this matter. That is why the Prime Minister has asked anyone on this side of the House who has any knowledge in relation to this matter to come forward.
We are as concerned as the Canadian public in terms of getting to the bottom of this matter.
Christian Jobin Liberal Lévis-Et-Chutes-De-La-Chaudière, QC
Mr. Speaker, following on the ruling in Oakville v. Canadian National and the complaints from a number of citizens concerning the noise from railway operations, the Canadian government had decided to amend the Transportation Act, but since then the process has been halted.
I would like the Minister of Transport to tell me when he intends to include the necessary deadlines for arbitration in the Transportation Act, in order to put a prompt end to the disputes between the rail giants and the citizens' groups of individuals subject to the din of marshalling yards at all hours?
Tony Valeri LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.
Certainly noise pollution in our communities is an issue that concerns all of us. Through previously introduced legislation, we have heard from numerous stakeholders, including members of Parliament, to look to address this issue.
The government has made it very clear that it intends to give the Canadian Transportation Agency the necessary authority and jurisdiction that it requires to deal with this issue that the hon. member brought up.
I want to assure the hon. member along with the House that I, along with my parliamentary secretary, will deal with this issue.
Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK
Mr. Speaker, for some 20 years we had Brian Mulroney, the Conservative, and the current Prime Minister make health care, education, the environment and the farm crisis worse. For 20 years we have had Mulroney and the current Prime Minister's corporate policies, their corporate scandals and their corporate buddies and Canadians are now fed up with it.
I ask the Deputy Prime Minister, let us send the backroom boys and girls back, the corporate cronies back, and put the power back in the hands of the people. Will the government hold a national referendum on proportional representation to put the power of the people--
Jacques Saada LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister responsible for Democratic Reform
No, Mr. Speaker. Throughout the country many authorities are wondering how to improve our democracy. The Prime Minister has already given one speech on the matter.
I have tabled an action plan to begin to address these issues. I intend to consult the people of Canada, for instance I know that the people of British Columbia are asking questions, as are the people of Quebec. I have an open mind. We are prepared to listen to what people have to say about the matter.
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
U.S. congressmen and military personnel with whom Jack Layton and I met in Washington last week condemn the lunacy of missile defence that depends on missiles--
National DefenceOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order. The hon. member for Halifax has the floor. I think she was fine with her question. We will all want to be able to hear it without all the assistance.
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, U.S. congressmen and military personnel with whom we met in Washington last week condemn the lunacy of missile defence that depends on missiles capable of hitting other missiles, a system described yesterday by our defence minister as designed “to look out, not up”.
Canada used to stand for arms control and disarmament. In the words of Nobel laureate John Polanyi, why are we now--
David Pratt LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, let us go back to the basics on this. Canada has been involved jointly with the United States in terms of the defence of North America for 60 or more years. We accept our responsibilities as far as protecting Canadians.
The discussions in which we are involved with the United States right now are intended to obtain more information from the U.S. with respect to what precisely is contemplated in terms of this system. Once we get that information, we will make a decision consistent with Canadian values and Canadian interests.
Diane Ablonczy Canadian Alliance Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, it gets harder every day to believe the Prime Minister and the Liberals. Pretending to be totally shocked, at first the Prime Minister said that if anyone knows about this scandal they should come forward right away; however, he turns around and tells his Quebec ministers to keep their lips zipped.
Yesterday the President of the Queen's Privy Council did not even dare to answer an easy question like, has he talked to the Prime Minister about his role in the sponsorship program? One would think someone put Krazy Glue on the minister's chair. Why the gag order on Quebec ministers?
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, this is crazy. There is absolutely no gag order on anyone on this side of the House.
In fact, that is why the government announced, minutes after the Auditor General's report, a comprehensive package including a public inquiry, the public accounts committee, new legislation involving whistleblowers, and a review of the relationship between crown corporations and the Government of Canada.
On this side of the House, we want to get to the bottom of this matter.
Diane Ablonczy Canadian Alliance Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, well then, maybe the Deputy Prime Minister can explain why the minister hid from a basic question like, has he talked to the Prime Minister about his role in the sponsorship program? What are Canadians to think when he cannot say a simple yes or no?
The minister is well known for his heavy hand in doling out Liberal favours and rewards in his Quebec turf. He has been at it for 20 years. It is natural to wonder how deep his sticky little fingers got in the sponsorship honey pot. Is he silent because he is afraid to answer and that his answer will incriminate him?
Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period
The Speaker
I would caution the hon. member for Calgary--Nose Hill on her choice of words in this question. She is well aware that in the House the practice is that any minister may rise to answer a question that has been put to any minister. There is no requirement that the minister to whom a question is directed must answer the question. That has been the practice in the House since question period began and we are not going to change the practice now.
The hon. the Deputy Prime Minister is rising to answer the question that has been put.
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, as I have said earlier this afternoon, no one on this side of the House has anything to hide.
In fact, our Prime Minister made it very plain that if there is anyone on this side of the House who has information in relation to this matter, they should come forward with that information.
We have also indicated, every one of us, that we will cooperate fully with the public inquiry and the public accounts committee. I can do no better than to say that no one on this side of the House has anything to hide.
Jay Hill Canadian Alliance Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, perhaps they have nothing to hide because they have already shredded all the evidence.
The Prime Minister belatedly acknowledged that Canadians were mad as hell about this latest Liberal waste of taxpayers' dollars. The Prime Minister now admits that he too is mad as hell. Why was the Prime Minister not mad as hell two years ago when he first found out about it?
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, along with all of us and all Canadians, is obviously concerned about what happened here. That is why we all want to get to the bottom of this. Nobody is hiding anything.
Jay Hill Canadian Alliance Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know what average Canadian gets mad as hell two years after finding out about something being wrong?
Why is it that a mere 11% of Canadians believe the Prime Minister's claim that he was unaware of what was happening? I will tell you why, Mr. Speaker. It is because it goes completely against human nature to react the way the Prime Minister is reacting. That is why Canadians do not believe him.
I am going to ask again, why the hell did he not react two years ago?
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, let me make this plain. We have absolutely nothing to hide. The Prime Minister has nothing to hide, none of us have anything to hide.
Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. The hon. member says he could have answered the question himself. Then one might ask, why was the question asked? But it was. We have an answer forthcoming from the Deputy Prime Minister and we have to be able to hear it.
The Deputy Prime Minister has the floor.
Anne McLellan Liberal Edmonton West, AB
Mr. Speaker, we have a public accounts committee and a public inquiry. The Prime Minister and everybody on this side of the House have made it plain that we will cooperate. We will appear and we will answer questions. We have no problem with that because we have nothing to hide.