Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise in the House. This is my first time outside of question period to be speaking in this session of Parliament and it is a real honour to have the confidence of the electors of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes who returned me to the House.
The work of the last Parliament continues. Following the investigation by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, there was a report that bears the name of the member for Papineau, the Prime Minister. I will go to great lengths to not use the actual name of the report in this House. However, it is the second report bearing the name of the member for Papineau from the Ethics Commissioner. It is very concerning that there was, again, a finding by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner that the member, the first minister, the Prime Minister, contravened the act.
That leads me to the question that I raised in the House during question period. The Prime Minister has great power that comes with his office. With it, of course, comes tremendous responsibility. That responsibility includes maintaining the confidence that Canadians have in their public institutions. When we have the Prime Minister under investigation by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, it is incumbent on the Prime Minister to provide all information, produce documents and witnesses to allow the commissioner to do his non-partisan, important work on behalf of this House and on behalf of all Canadians.
The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner told Canadians and this House in his report that he was not given full access, but was in fact obstructed by the Prime Minister in his attempts to complete his report. That is very concerning.
Not only did that obstruction occur with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but it also happened when the RCMP undertook an investigation and made inquiries on this matter. I asked the Prime Minister if he would co-operate with the investigation that the RCMP was undertaking. Now that the election is over and now that Canadians have returned us to this place, it is important that we give Canadians the opportunity to have a renewed faith in this institution and in all of us.
Will the Prime Minister allow the RCMP to do its work on behalf of Canadians? Will the Prime Minister lift the veil of secrecy? Saying that it was granted an unprecedented waiver is a word salad. It does not provide clear answers to Canadians. Canadians want the veil of secrecy lifted.
The former attorney general was fired. The Prime Minister's former principal secretary resigned in disgrace. The former clerk of the Privy Council was fired too. It was very much the Saturday night massacre referred to by the member for Vancouver Granville.
Will the Prime Minister stop his obstruction and let the RCMP complete a full investigation into his interference in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin?