Debates of June 11th, 2013

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, five years ago today, the government officially apologized to residential school survivors.

However, five years later, none of the promises of assistance they made at the time of the apology have been kept.

Aboriginals have to go to court to ensure that treaties regarding energy development projects are honoured.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission must also take the government to court to get access to documents. Why?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the legacy of the Indian residential schools is still felt today by aboriginal people all across Canada. That is why we are placing such importance on reconciliation and the restoration of Canada's relationship with aboriginal people.

We must forge a new relationship based on an appreciation of our shared history, a respect for each other's cultures and traditions and an honest desire to move forward.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Indian residential schools were a tragic chapter in our history, and five years after this historic apology, survivors and their families deserve more than just words.

First nations children are gathered today on Parliament Hill and are asking us for the same opportunities that others have: to grow up in safe homes and communities, to get a good education, to be healthy and to be proud of their culture and languages.

Their dreams matter. They deserve better than the status quo. Why is the minister not listening?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I could ask the hon. member why her party is voting against each and every step we take to try and improve the situation.

The fact of the matter is that today marks the fifth anniversary of the Prime Minister's historic apology to Indian residential school survivors, their families and communities.

The road to reconciliation is not an easy one, but we shall overcome the obstacles. We are determined to do so.

Ethics

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it has been nearly a month, and the government still has no clear or believable answer on why the Prime Minister's chief of staff cut a $90,000 cheque to a sitting legislator.

The government should consider the statement of the member for Edmonton—St. Albert, who recommended a little contrition and humility instead of simple bluster and blunder on this subject.

Will the government finally tell us the real reason that Nigel Wright gave for writing that cheque?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, indeed the Prime Minister has answered these questions and has been forthright.

We do wish that all senators would pay for their expenses and not do inappropriate billing, as has clearly been the case. Not only has it been the case, as has been exposed widely, but it is also the case for Liberal Senator Mac Harb.

While the Liberal leader is here in the House of Commons, it would be great if he could explain to Canadian taxpayers why he thinks it would be a great idea for the Liberal senator from Ottawa Centre, who claimed $50,000 in illegal money to come back to him for the costs of living in Ottawa Centre to be a senator.

He thinks it is perfectly fine for him to make those expenses and ask taxpayers to pay that money, and he thinks it is perfectly okay for him to continue in the Senate.

If he believes in accountability, perhaps he could—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Papineau.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will be very clear: if he is innocent, he is in; if he is guilty, he is out. However, nobody on this side is going to cut him a $90,000 cheque to avoid the problem.

My question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, who publicly defended Nigel Wright after his resignation. Does he accept as credible Mr. Wright's explanation that he wrote a $90,000 cheque in order to save taxpayers money?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, I see the Liberal leader has changed his position on Senator Mac Harb, and he is doing it right here in the House of Commons.

I wonder what his position is now of Senator Pana Merchant. Senator Merchant has $1.7 million that she is hiding from having to pay taxes.

If Mac Harb is in or out, and he has changed his position on that, would the Liberal leader now very clearly say that hiding her obligation from taxpayers is acceptable behaviour from a millionaire Liberal senator? Is that behaviour acceptable to the Liberal leader?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, confusion abounds, and no one has any idea what is going on with the cheque, the secret fund and the government's conflicting versions.

Former Conservative staffer Émilie Potvin was right on the money when she alluded to the government's paranoid mentality. Canadians deserve answers.

Will the government finally show Canadians a copy of that infamous $90,000 cheque?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that a process with the Auditor General is already underway. Furthermore, the Ethics Commissioner will examine all of these issues and documents.

If the Liberal leader does want to again show transparency and the importance of transparency, perhaps the Liberal leader could tell Canadians if he indeed claimed MP expenses and MP travel when he took money from charities when travelling to their events?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader says he looks forward to welcoming chronic expense violator Mac Harb back into the fold once he pays the money.

Now if a Tim Hortons cashier steals money, they do not get invited back. They get fired and charged. Where is the accountability for Liberal and Conservative insiders who break the rules?

For example, when will they stop hiding the source of the Mike Duffy payout and show us the cheque? They have to have a higher standard than the Liberals, surely. Show us the cheque.

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, as I have just finished saying to the Liberal leader, the Ethics Commissioner, the RCMP and the Auditor General are looking into this matter.

Of course all documents that should be examined will be brought forward, but the member opposite should know that we do not have access to a personal cheque by Nigel Wright.

This process will go forward, and all the information will come out.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about the ethical judgment of the Prime Minister.

This Prime Minister personally appointed Pamela Wallin, Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau, the three most ridiculous Senate appointments since Caligula appointed his horse.

Then his top adviser cut a secret $90,000 cheque to keep Mike Duffy quiet. We are talking about what is going on in the Prime Minister's Office.

We will keep this one simple. Did Nigel Wright, in any shape or form, direct any Conservative Party spending while working in the Prime Minister's Office? It is a simple question.

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Indeed, Mr. Speaker, that question has, in fact, been answered, but a question that has not been answered, while the member for Timmins—James Bay raises—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

It was the purpose of his question. He raised the issue of appointments, who makes appointments, and what it says about their judgment. What does it say about the judgment of the NDP leader, who appointed as his revenue critic somebody who owes tens of thousands of dollars in taxes?

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it will take more than Nigel Wright's chequebook for the government to buy back its credibility.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence said that it is not in the public's interest to show the $90,000 cheque that Nigel Wright wrote for Mike Duffy.

Why exactly are the Conservatives refusing to show a copy of the cheque, which they surely have in their possession?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the Auditor General will look at the file as well as all of the documents.

In addition, as I just said to the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay, we do not have access to Mr. Wright's personal cheque.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only will the Auditor General take a look at and have something to say about what is happening, but the RCMP will also be involved. That is because of the work of the NDP and my colleague from Timmins—James Bay.

I have two questions. First, do the Conservatives believe that the Prime Minister's chief of staff is also the Conservative Party leader's chief of staff? Second, did Nigel Wright speak to Conservative party director of operations, Jenni Byrne, about the Senate expense scandal? Did they talk about it, yes or no?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, as we already know, Mr. Wright resigned, clearly stating that he acted in a way that was not in keeping with the Prime Minister's guidelines and that senators should be held personally accountable for what they choose to do with taxpayers' money. That is why he resigned. He alone made that decision.

[Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe, NDP, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, do the Conservatives believe that the chief of staff of the Prime Minister's Office, whose salary is paid by taxpayers, also works for the Conservative Party? It appears that the line separating partisan activities from government activities has disappeared.

We would like a clear answer. Did anyone at the Prime Minister's Office discuss the possibility of using funds transferred by the Conservative Party to the Prime Minister's Office to reimburse Nigel Wright and, consequently, pay for Mike Duffy's fraudulent claims?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we have already answered this question. A single fund is used to pay for all Conservative Party spending and that fund is controlled by the Conservative Party.

[Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe, NDP, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the parliamentary secretary answer the question, when he was the one who was initially saying there was no secret fund, that he did not know what we were talking about. One of his colleagues said there definitely is one, and no one is contradicting him. It is no longer a secret. Thank you, but I am not sure that the parliamentary secretary can really answer these questions without talking through his hat.

However, perhaps he can answer the following question. Did Nigel Wright still have access to the account that the Conservative Party made available to the Prime Minister's Office when he was negotiating to buy Mike Duffy's silence?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is wrong. The Conservative Party fund is controlled by the Conservative Party.