Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention comments made yesterday by the member for Oak Ridges—Markham. I quote from Hansard:
Liberal MPs have been quoted in the media and even today in the immigration committee saying that anti-Semitic organizations...should receive taxpayer support.
One of the members in committee that the member for Oak Ridges—Markham referred to is me. This affects my personal privilege to do my work as a member of Parliament.
Let me be clear. At no time have I or any member of our party, to my knowledge, made any anti-Semitic remarks.
In discharging my duties as a member of Parliament, I advocate and support funding for groups that provide support for settlement services in my riding. Many NGO organizations are non-profit and their board members are volunteers. In order to get funding, they go through all kinds of checks and balances and jump through hoops.
In the case in question, certain negative adjectives were used to describe the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. The minister, disagreeing with their remarks, has publicly threatened to cut their funding. The minister is directly intervening, directing bureaucrats and ordering them to make certain decisions.
The minister is contravening the Prime Minister's guide for ministers and ministers of state, which states:
Ministers and Ministers of State must act with integrity. To ensure public trust and confidence, not only in our Government but in government generally, Ministers and Ministers of State must uphold the highest standards of honesty and impartiality...Ministers are responsible for ensuring that their departments are managed soundly and with complete integrity...Ministers are accountable to Parliament for the use of all powers vested in them.
The minister from the Conservative Party is using such words as “anti-Semitic” when one questions his party's accountability and credibility.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for you to review such comments and matters and come back to this House with guidance as to the proper use of the language by members.