Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a matter of utmost importance: transparency and accountability.
Those are two words that the NDP-Liberal government's actions have proven it knows very little about, or it simply does not care.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines transparency as “A situation in which business and financial activities are done in an open way without secrets, so that people can trust that they are fair and honest.” It defines accountability as “A situation in which someone is responsible for things that happen and can give a satisfactory reason for them.”
In 2015, the Liberals ran on a platform of transparency and accountability. Where is it? After nine years, Canadians are still waiting for it, proving that the NDP-Liberal government is not worth the cost. Crime and corruption, along with scandals and controversies, have plagued the government from the very beginning.
We have had scandals like the SNC-Lavalin affair, the Aga Khan vacation, the India trip with Jaspal Atwal, the Jamaica vacation, the WE scandal, the blackface controversy, the Tofino controversy, cash-for-access fundraisers, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the handling of the Afghanistan crisis, “elbowgate”, Governor General Julie Payette's resignation, Queen Elizabeth's funeral, the Chinese election interference allegations, the use of the Emergencies Act, and now the corruption of the green slush fund.
When will these scandals, controversies and corruptions end? They have deeply tarnished our democracy and damaged our reputation on the global stage.
Only common-sense Conservatives, led by our leader, will continue to push for accountability, end the corruption and get answers for Canadians. Canadians have whiplash, and the NDP-Liberal government has been scandal after scandal, with a side of controversy and a splash of crime.
It feels like just yesterday we were debating the ArriveCAN debacle, and before Canadians had the time to process that scam, they were hit with the news of a billion-dollar green slush fund that failed to reduce emissions or support green technology. Instead, those funds went into the coffers of Liberal insiders. To add insult to injury, a government official, who was handpicked by the Prime Minister, confirmed that no action was taken after gross mismanagement and conflicts of interest were uncovered.
For Canadians who are not familiar with this topic, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, or SDTC, was established by the Government of Canada in 2001. It is a federal initiative aimed at funding and supporting the development and demonstration of clean technology.
It has two goals: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by investing in innovative technologies and to support projects that contribute to environmental sustainability and economic growth. This initiative is meant to help Canadian businesses bring their clean technology to market, thereby boosting the economy and creating jobs. Sustainable Development Technology Canada provides grants and funding to companies working on projects that align with these goals, aiming to make a significant impact on Canada's environmental and economic landscape.
However, this fund comes under scrutiny, and for good reason. The Liberal green slush fund has been accused of giving grants to start-ups with ties to the senior management of Sustainable Development Technology Canada. The Auditor General found that Liberal appointees gave, and members should hold on to their pants now, $400 million to their own companies.
The Auditor General reviewed 226 projects and concluded that of those 226 projects, 186 were conflicted. If we do the math, that is 82%.
Leah Lawrence, the CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and the chair, Annette Verschuren, have both resigned following allegations that the money in the fund was used improperly.
The Liberals appointed a chair who was a friend of the Prime Minister and was found to have broken ethical—