Mr. Speaker, yesterday at the procedure and House affairs committee, the opposition parties had a chance to come clean with Canadians, but sadly, minutes before a vote that would have opened up the political financing books for all parties, Liberal members, along with their cohorts in the Bloc and the NDP, literally ran out of the room, thus shutting down the committee.
Canadians expect better of their members of Parliament. This obstruction and this lack of accountability, on the part of all three opposition parties, are preventing Canadians from having the opportunity to learn about the financing practices of all parties.
What do they have to hide? Is there another sponsorship scandal just waiting to be uncovered beneath the surface of the Liberals, the Bloc and the NDP?
As long as the opposition parties continue to shut down this committee by neglecting their duties and leaving the room, Canadians are being deprived of the truth. I call upon all opposition parties to be open with Canadians and to stop hiding the facts on their own spending habits and start being honest with Canadians.