Madam Speaker, the Liberal government's track record on ethical breaches is astounding. In the previous Parliament, Canadians were treated to the SNC-Lavalin scandal, when the Prime Minister politically interfered in the criminal prosecution of his friends at SNC-Lavalin. Canadians were shown the finance minister and his forgotten French villa. “Clamscam” reinforced the fact that the Liberals looked out for their own when the fisheries minister awarded a lucrative fishing licence to family. Of course Canadians learned of the Prime Minister's illegal vacation to billionaire island. Just this weekend, we learned that the bills were still being paid, many years later.
The hallmarks of ethical breaches and cover-ups are the record of the government. Now the Prime Minister has mandated his ministers to operate to the highest ethical standards, but they continue their disregard for ethics by continuing to block investigations and award sole-source contracts to former Liberal MPs.
The lack of clarity and prudence in the decision-making exhibited by the Liberal government has deeply impacted the great residents in my riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
Flooding along the St. Lawrence River has caused massive amounts of damage to homes and businesses, leaving residents with a great deal of anxiety and fear for what is sure to be a repeat this spring. People are seeking answers from the government and the International Joint Commission, but are met with a continued theme of opaque transparency and decision-making. To date, the IJC and its representatives have refused to hold public meetings in my constituency or appoint someone who has feet in the street or real boots on the ground experience with the St. Lawrence flooding. I am continuing my calls on the minister and the IJC to hold open meetings and work to find solutions for those affected by the flooding.
Transparency and prudence are of the upmost importance in good governance and a governing party ought to be constantly reaching for those goals, but sadly my constituents just do not see that happening. The County Road 43 expansion project is extremely important to the residents of my riding, but the government has shut them out when they seek answers and transparency.
More than 18,000 vehicles travel on County Road 43 daily. Expanding the road to four lanes would increase the safety of motorists and pedestrians and improve access to local businesses. This project is important not only for the Municipality of North Grenville, but for the entire region.
The project was ranked by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville as its top priority and was approved for funding at the municipal level. Thanks to the work of Minister Steve Clark, the local MPP, and the Ontario PC government, provincial funding was approved last summer. Any inquiry into timelines for federal funding has gone unanswered.
How can Canadians be expected to have confidence in their government and public institutions when the government, marred by scandal after scandal, seems increasingly separated from the lives of everyday Canadians? The public trust can start being repaired if the Liberal government opens up and stops blocking the full investigation into its corruption and begins to put Canadians first, before its friends.