Mr. Speaker, accountability requires that one explain and justify one's actions and decisions in a manner that is true, full and plain. However, transparency and accountability seem to be just words to the current government.
Let us consider the following: ignoring its own fixed election date law; squandering a $14 billion annual surplus; breaking its promise not to tax income trusts; failing to spend nearly half of the approved infrastructure funding for 2008; the incompetent November economic statement; breaking its promise on equalization; voting non-confidence in Elections Canada.
The latest revelation is that within the government there is systemic abuse of the Access to Information Act by the Conservatives withholding of thousands of documents from the public and with the Prime Minister's Office and the Privy Council Office being directly involved by vetting the information before it is released.
It is time for this litany of unaccountability to stop. It is time for the government to put the interests of the public ahead of its own political interests.
Finally, it is time for the government to start respecting the laws of Canada.