Madam Speaker, I am not defending the indefensible. I am defending a Minister of Finance who has always complied with the law and the rules and has always followed the recommendations of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.
Frist and foremost, I am defending a Minister of Finance and a government who have done more for Canadians who need it most than the party in opposition did during its 10 years in power. The Conservative government was far too focused on giving tax breaks to the wealthy and it neglected the middle class.