House of Commons Hansard #58 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was million.

Topics

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Brian Murphy Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB

Mr. Speaker, it gets worse. In a Vancouver radio interview broadcast on June 12, 2005, Mr. Cadman was specifically asked about allegations of Conservative vote buying. His response was, “I think people have to interpret that the way they want to. There were certainly some offers made and some things along those lines about not opposing me and helping me with the finances of the campaign”.

If the financial support that the Conservatives offered Mr. Cadman was not an inducement, just what was it?

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, it was our desire to see Chuck Cadman present himself as a Conservative in the following election campaign. Chuck Cadman was elected as a Conservative and was then elected as an independent. He supported this Prime Minister when he ran for the leadership of the Conservative Party and we wanted to see him serve as a Conservative member of caucus and to continue that going forward.

If the Liberals are really so outraged, why did they sit on this story for a year? They sat on it for a year because they wanted to wheel it out now because they have no confidence in their leader and they want to distract Canadians from the truth, which is that the Liberal Party has no policies that Canadians like.

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, when a member retires, he or she can convert his or her public life insurance policy to a private insurance policy with Industrial Alliance. It is more expensive and the benefits are less advantageous, but it is possible, and with no medical exam.

Did Tom Flanagan, Doug Finley or anyone else make an offer to Chuck Cadman to pay his higher premiums? And does such an offer comply with the Federal Accountability Act and the Parliament of Canada Act?

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, there was no offer concerning life insurance, as my hon. colleague states in his question and as others have stated. Each of the three people at that meeting all clearly said that no such offer was made. It is clear, it is out in the open and everyone knows it.

The Liberals can keep on trying to push this but they cannot ignore the facts. The simple facts are that no offer for insurance was put forward. The three people who were at the meeting have said so and it is clear as day even if the Liberals do not want to recognize it.

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, by converting his public life insurance policy into a private insurance policy, Chuck Cadman, who had terminal cancer, could have guaranteed his family's financial future.

Why does the Conservative government refuse to be transparent? If an offer really was not made, why did the Prime Minister simply not deny it when he was asked about it by a journalist in 2005?

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have this incredible way of taking a little bit of this and a little bit of that and, as I have said, trying to mash it together and turn it into some vast conspiracy.

The facts are clear on this and the facts were spoken clearly and plainly by Chuck Cadman on CTV National News, on Global and on CKNW in Vancouver. He said that there was no offer made in this regard.

The only thing that was discussed was our desire to have Chuck Cadman present himself as a Conservative candidate in a subsequent election campaign. That was all that was discussed. That was all that was offered. It was entirely appropriate. We wanted Chuck Cadman to present himself as a Conservative because Chuck was a dear friend of ours who believed in our agenda.

Bill C-10Oral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's cultural community is worried. Bill C-10 on tax measures contains a clause that redefines the conditions for obtaining a film production credit. This highly vague provision is a mistake and must be corrected.

Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage assure us that she will intervene to correct this mistake immediately, a mistake that does not reflect the intention of the legislators?

Bill C-10Oral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Louis-Saint-Laurent Québec

Conservative

Josée Verner ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows, this tax measure is not new. This measure was announced in 2003 by the previous government. It was reintroduced in 2006 and received support from all the opposition parties. The question I have today for the hon. Bloc Québécois member is the following. Why did she not speak up sooner if she had questions?

That said, in Quebec, SODEC also has measures in place to ensure that Canadian taxpayers do not end up sponsoring excessive violence or any heinous attacks against targeted groups in society.

Bill C-10Oral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC

Mr. Speaker, we are the ones who ask the questions and they are supposed to answer the questions.

The risk here is the undue use of a very broad provision that could be used as a censorship mechanism because it is confusing. Does the minister agree to respond favourably to the artistic community that is very worried and will she ask her finance colleague to propose an amendment to the bill to correct the situation?

Bill C-10Oral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Louis-Saint-Laurent Québec

Conservative

Josée Verner ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, again, this measure is not new. The opposition parties, including the hon. member from the Bloc Québécois, had an opportunity to ask questions on this. However, I presume that, as usual in the Bloc Québécois, they voted without even reading the bill.

Bill C-10Oral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Bill C-10Oral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Stupid idiot. Insipid. She is insipid.

Securities IndustryOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's finance minister is confused and annoyed by her federal counterpart's stubbornness in wanting to create a Canada-wide securities commission, in an attempt to encroach on yet another one of Quebec's exclusive jurisdictions. She advises the minister to mind his own business and scrap his plan.

Does the Minister of Finance plan on taking his colleague's recommendations and focusing his energy on fighting economic crimes that fall under his jurisdiction, instead of interfering with Quebec's jurisdictions?

Securities IndustryOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, a single commission would provide better enforcement of the acts and regulations.

We recently appointed a committee, headed by Mr. Hockin, to look at drafting a bill that would respect the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories and respect the jurisdiction federally on this subject. This is not an academic point. We have a great challenge with respect to securities regulation in Canada that needs to be addressed to protect our capital markets and protect Canadian citizens.

Securities IndustryOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC

Mr. Speaker, I see that the Minister of Transport is supporting the Minister of Finance. How can he, as a former member of the Quebec National Assembly, endorse the finance minister, whose objective is to strip Quebec of its jurisdictions to ensure that Toronto dominates the Canadian financial sector? The Minister of Transport should be ashamed.

Securities IndustryOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, our intention is to respect the various jurisdictions. In fact, Mr. Hockin's panel will report back, not only to me but also to the provincial and territorial ministers of finance.

Having said that, it is somewhat strange that, at the same time that the TSX and the Montreal Exchange are getting together willingly, the Bloc advocates for the location of a national carbon exchange in the city of Montreal at the same time that the member opposite argues against a common securities regulator for Canada.

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives want Canadians to believe that they only met with Chuck Cadman once, on May 19, but the Prime Minister's two operatives, his campaign chair, Doug Finley, and his former chief of staff, Tom Flanagan, also met with met Mr. Cadman two days earlier, on May 17. Of course, the Conservatives do not want to talk about that meeting.

When will the Prime Minister tell Canadians the truth about what really happened at that meeting on May 17?

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, Doug Finley and Tom Flanagan have publicly stated that they did not meet with Mr. Cadman on May 17. They have made that clear.

All we want is for the Liberals to simply accept the facts that are clear, that are on the table and that are unavoidable. Chuck Cadman said multiple times that there was no inappropriate deal. It is clear and it is on the table.

I will keep saying that until the Liberals accept it and, if they keep asking, I will keep saying it because they need to understand that is the simple fact of this case.

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, it would be clear if the Prime Minister stood up and said no. It would be real easy to understand then.

In Tom Flanagan's book he admits that there was more than one meeting with Mr. Cadman in an effort to sway his vote. On page 215 of his book, Flanagan states, “Doug Finley wanted to make one last attempt to persuade Cadman to rejoin the Conservative caucus”.

Dona Cadman again confirmed today that at one of those meetings the million dollar offer was made.

Are the Conservatives calling their candidate in Surrey North a liar?

EthicsOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals can keep trying to design and come up with these elaborate schemes and conspiracies but it is like designing a lead airplane; it cannot work.

They cannot develop a conspiracy that is devoid of facts and the facts on the table are clear: there was no such offer. The only thing that was put on the table for Chuck Cadman was our expressed desire to have him present himself as a Conservative candidate in the 2006 campaign, that we would help and support him in a nomination campaign and that we would help secure his re-election to the House of Commons.

Chuck Cadman was a great asset to the House. We wanted to see him re-elected as a Conservative and we were going to fight with Chuck to retain his seat for the people of Surrey North.

EthicsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, we know in a TV interview that Mr. Cadman said that he had received certain offers but did not mention a life insurance policy. We know he told his wife that he was offered a $1 million policy and told his daughter and son-in-law the same thing.

We know the Prime Minister was aware that certain offers were being made to Mr. Cadman by people, as he put it, “legitimately representing” the Conservative Party.

Would the Prime Minister not agree, from his own life experiences, that under those circumstances it is far more likely one would decide to be less clear in a TV interview than with one's own wife, daughter and son-in-law?

EthicsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, the member for York Centre may want to call Chuck Cadman a liar in what he said on TV but we will not call Chuck Cadman a liar. He was clear. He was on the record. He was concise.

Chuck Cadman had a record in public life, both as a member of Parliament and, prior to that, as an advocate for victims of crime. He had an unblemished record of being a person who shot straight, who was honest and who was straightforward. He spoke the truth in those television interviews. He spoke the truth on the record when he said that no such offer was made.

We trust Chuck Cadman. We do not trust the Liberals who sat on this story for a year. They do not believe it. They are talking about all this righteous indignation but they do not believe what they are saying. We believe Chuck Cadman. We believe that he told the truth.

EthicsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, through all the their noise and spin, we know that if what Mr. Cadman's widow, daughter and son-in-law are saying is true, this was about offering money for a vote to bring down a government. Buying a vote to bring down a government: unimaginable, unthinkable, Canada. This is as serious as it gets.

I am sure the Prime Minister would agree that if this is true, he can only, resign.

EthicsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, it is one thing for a member of Parliament to get up in this place and accuse somebody of a crime under parliamentary privilege but if that member has the guts and he believes in what he is saying he should say it outside the House of Commons where people can defend themselves.

He does not have the guts. He does not believe it. If he really believes what he is saying and believes he is on the side of the angels on this, then he should have the guts to stand by what he says and say it outside the House of Commons so people can defend themselves against the Liberal lies in this mess.

AgricultureOral Questions

March 3rd, 2008 / 2:45 p.m.

Conservative

Merv Tweed Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, I continue to hear from producers who want freedom of choice to market their own barley.

Last year, 62% of producers voted for choice and that number is growing. Western Canadian farmers know how to best market their products and they want the right to choose.

I know that the government is putting farmers first. Could the Minister of Agriculture tell the House when we will see legislation to give farmers barley marketing freedom?