Mr. Speaker, the official opposition's motion also calls for an emergency debate on the Senate scandal and on the involvement of the Prime Minister's former chief of staff in repaying what were likely fraudulent expense claims made by a Conservative senator appointed by the Prime Minister.
Many years ago, Shakespeare wrote that, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” I think the same thing is happening on the other side of Parliament. There is a bad smell, and it seems to be coming from the Prime Minister's Office and back rooms.
Now is the time for some real housecleaning, which was not done, despite the Conservatives' broken promises to be an honest government with integrity, after what we saw with the Liberals' scandals. The Senate has become a refuge for party hacks and people who financially support the political party. It is no big deal if a Conservative candidate loses an election. He will be rewarded with a Senate appointment.
Today, senators are helping themselves to money, facing allegations of fraud over their primary and secondary residences and being reimbursed. When they are caught red-handed, they call on their Conservative buddies, who pay back the money from their deep pockets.
So many rules have been broken here that it is time for parliamentarians to be able to talk about it. Unfortunately, we do not get answers from the government during question period. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister does not seem to be available to answer questions from the media and journalists. Once he made his speech, he ran out the door to hop on a plane and flee the country.
Parliamentarians have a job to do. The police should also have a job to do to shed light on what happened with these housing allowance payments. We need clear, specific and strict rules. This money belongs to taxpayers and the public. People who call open-line shows are furious. They are sick of the scandals from this Conservative government. This was the last straw.
We need a forum. We need to be able to discuss this. That is why the NDP is moving this motion. We want to hold an emergency debate on the Senate scandal and on the involvement of the Prime Minister's Office. We need to get to the bottom of this. It has gone on long enough.