House of Commons Hansard #392 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was children.
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not like corruption. Four people have left the Prime Minister's inner circle since January, and he continues to say that nothing happened. The former attorney general says the opposite, however. She says that this matter is serious and that some questions remain unanswered.
As the saying goes, the longer we wait, the worse things will get. This story reeks of corruption, and Canadians want the truth.
What is the Prime Minister hiding? What is he so afraid of?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is investigating this matter. We know that he can do this work, and he must be allowed to do it.
The Conservatives do not want to hear the budget speech and debate it. Today is budget day.
We know that our plan is working for Canadians. The Conservatives must know that Canadians are waiting for their plan, but the Conservatives clearly do not have one. They want to play petty politics instead of talking about measures that help Canadians.
Leona Alleslev Conservative Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
Mr. Speaker, the former Treasury Board president said that she had lost confidence in the government when she resigned. I can relate to that.
The Liberals dismissed her resignation, claiming there was still nothing to see, but I know she would not have resigned over nothing.
The Prime Minister has sacrificed the rule of law and attacked our democracy. Canadians need the whole truth, not just what he wants us to hear. What is the Prime Minister so afraid of? What is the Prime Minister so desperate to hide?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, since 1987, there have been four occasions when cabinet confidence was lifted. This Prime Minister not only waived cabinet confidence, this Prime Minister also waived solicitor-client privilege. Solicitor-client privilege actually is a factor for attorneys general. During the time she was the former attorney general, that privilege was lifted so that Canadians could hear.
We on this side will focus on Canadians while the Conservatives play politics.
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, today we learned that SNC-Lavalin bought a $38-million yacht for the son of Moammar Gadhafi in exchange for contracts.
I want to go back to this issue with the OECD. The foreign affairs minister watched two of her colleagues resign on principle to stand against the Prime Minister and his role in this greasy scandal. Why is she letting herself be used on the international stage for this abrogation of Canadian democracy?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud to speak for Canada, to speak for our amazing country on the international stage.
Because I was not fully heard when the member for Durham posed his astonishing question, let me just say that it is both insulting and absurd to the people of Canada, as well as to the people suffering from the dictatorships of Maduro and Putin, to make any comparison between the two.
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, what is insulting and absurd is that the government stands up day after day and gives cover for insulting Canadian democratic institutions for a company that bought prostitutes for Moammar Gadhafi's son. Every single one of the ministers who stands up, the justice committee today, the Liberal members who gave the Prime Minister cover, should be ashamed of themselves.
The foreign affairs minister, of all the women in this caucus who stand on behalf of Canada, should get this right. Why is she giving the Prime Minister cover?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, since the member has spoken about women and foreign affairs, let me talk about what our government is doing to advance the rights of women in the world. Let me talk about what we are doing to stand up for women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia. Let me talk about what we are doing to stand up for reproductive health and access to reproductive health services for all the women in Canada and the world.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, it was just a few days ago that the Prime Minister's Office promised the anti-bribery unit of the OECD that the Liberals would hold “robust” hearings into the allegations of the former attorney general, and today they shut those hearings down to keep the former attorney general from speaking.
To change the channel, the Prime Minister is bringing back Sheila Copps' old seatmate from the sponsorship scandal, Anne McLellan, who is presently raising money for the Liberal Party.
They cannot appoint someone who is raising cash for the Liberals to reassure Canadians that Liberals are not breaking the law. Does the Prime Minister not understand this? Who is giving him advice these days?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, these are definitely tactics and approaches I expect from the Conservatives, but the NDP definitely should undertake to return to what they used to fight for. We are going to fight for Canadians. We are going to fight for jobs, and we know that our plan is working.
When it comes to the member's question, the hon. Anne McLellan has supported and encouraged women to run as candidates across all political parties for a really long time. We know that we need more women to run for office, and the member also knows that the hon. Anne McLellan will not be at that fundraiser now that she has accepted this role.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, she cancelled the fundraiser, mon dieu. How can we come from sunny ways to these Gong Show days?
The Prime Minister promised to be an ethical alternative to the backroom control of Stephen Harper and the cronyism of Jean Chrétien, and he has proven to be the worst of both. He is burning through his credibility here by trying to shut down the investigation into SNC.
Let me put it simply. This is about leadership. This is about integrity. This is about the rule of law. Does the Prime Minister not understand that or does he just not care?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, that question and the preamble prior to it was entirely misleading. The Hon. Anne McLellan was attending an event and she will no longer be attending that event now that she has taken on—
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order, please. The hon. member for Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix, the hon. member for Carleton and others will come to order. We need to hear both the questions and the answers. Let us show a little respect for each other and for this place.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order. The hon. member for Calgary Signal Hill will come to order.
The hon. member for Carleton.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the deputy leader of the Conservatives asked the former attorney general, “can you tell us what you discussed with the Prime Minister at your meetings in Vancouver on February 11?” The answer was, “I cannot.” The next question asked, “Can you tell us what was discussed with the cabinet on February 19?” The answer was, “I cannot.”
What happened in those meetings that was so egregious and disgraceful that the Prime Minister feels he has to cover it all up?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the justice committee has looked into this matter. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is investigating this matter. There is an ongoing court case.
When it comes to the two dates that the member is asking about, the former attorney general was not the attorney general on those dates.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly how they justified banning her from speaking about the events that she witnessed during that time, and we know those events must have been egregious, so egregious that she felt she had to resign. However, when the deputy Conservative leader asked, “Can you tell us why you've resigned”, the answer was, “I cannot.”
We simply asked for her to come back and finish the rest of the story. Today, we had a motion to do that, but the Prime Minister shut down the justice committee investigation.
What is so egregious and ugly that the Prime Minister needed to cover it all up?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the matter before the justice committee was with regard to her time as attorney general, so the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege for her time as attorney general. The Prime Minister waived cabinet confidence for her time as the attorney general. That is exactly what took place.
The member basically is on a fishing trip. The member can choose to play their politics of division in what the Conservatives do, but we will focus on Canadians. We are going to focus on 300,000 children that have been lifted out of poverty. We are hoping that even more are with our plan.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, when The Globe and Mail first reported about this scandal, the Prime Minister said that it was all a lie and he said that the proof was that his former attorney general was still in cabinet. Well, the next day she resigned. Then he said that he was disappointed in her, that was just her problem. Then his Treasury Board president resigned. He said that was just the two of them. However, then the head of the entire public service resigned.
What is going on behind the scenes that is so egregious that everyone has to resign that the Prime Minister is covering up today?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the justice committee looked at this matter. We believe that Canadians should get to hear from witnesses and that is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege for her time as attorney general. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived cabinet confidence for her time as attorney general. The matter that was in front of the justice committee was with regard to her time as attorney general, because Canadians should get to hear.
The Prime Minister actually also addressed the nation and answered questions from the media, because he recognized that we could always improve on our institutions. That is the leadership he has demonstrated and that is the work we will continue to do.
MaryAnn Mihychuk Liberal Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Indian day school system is a dark and shameful chapter in Canadian history. What many Canadians do not know is that since 1920, over 200,000 indigenous children were forced to attend these schools. Many of them were mistreated, abused and robbed of their cultural identity.
Last week the proposed settlement agreement was announced with some of the survivors of the Indian day school. Could the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update the House on what this proposed settlement means for the survivors, their families and communities?
Carolyn Bennett LiberalMinister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Kildonan—St. Paul for her commitment to reconciliation.
I was honoured to announce the proposed settlement agreement with the McLean class action members. As well as compensation, the proposed settlement includes a $200-million legacy fund in memory of the late Garry McLean to support wellness, healing, education, culture and commemoration.
Nothing can undo the harms of the past, but this will bring us one step closer to lasting and meaningful resolution for survivors and their communities.
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Mr. Speaker, the former attorney general wants to speak because this is a serious matter and certain questions remain unanswered. However, the supposedly independent Liberal members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, have, at the Prime Minister's behest, been playing games to prevent the former attorney general from speaking.
Canadians who want answers will have to settle for a sham investigation by the person who was the Liberal deputy prime minister under Paul Martin. What a joke.
What are the Liberals trying to hide from Canadians?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights have done their job. The Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence for the period during which the attorney general was in office. That is what the committee studied, and that is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.
The Conservatives clearly do not want to talk about the 300,000 children who have been lifted out of poverty. They do not want to talk about the—