Sue Barnes

[Budget Implementation Act, 2007, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague in the government to verify to Canadians that it is the government House leader who sets the agenda for which bills are called before the House.

About three weeks went by after the budget was introduced when the bill never saw the light of day on the House order list. We could have been at this earlier. I just want the hon. member to confirm that it was the choice of the government in the movement of the bill. Here we are today finally with another time allocation period. I believe that if the Conservatives had wanted to do this earlier, they could have.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this is just not a good day for Conservative promises, so I hope that happens on Friday.

Even if this report is made public, the fact remains that new allegations continue to surface. There are many problems within the RCMP that need to be addressed.

We are in the last two weeks of the sitting of this Parliament. We know that Commissioner Busson will retire in just a few days. Will the minister guarantee to Canadians that a new RCMP commissioner will be named and on the job without any interruption?

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, on the RCMP pension scandal, the minister said he wanted fast answers and announced his half measures investigation instead of a full judicial inquiry.

That report, the Brown report, is due on June 15, but there is no sign of any report and no sign of the answers Canadians want, this despite the minister's promise to make the full report public.

Can the minister guarantee that the Brown report will be available this Friday as promised and made public in its entirety as promised? We hope this will help restore some public trust.

[RCMP, May 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, RCMP officers told the committee yesterday how the pension scandal investigation was suppressed and dismantled by senior RCMP management.

Why is the public safety minister so determined to subvert the investigation of this alleged abuse? Why not do the obvious, what every expert knows is necessary, and call a full judicial inquiry?

[RCMP, May 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, a dozen uniformed RCMP officers alleging harassment, political spying and even worse have come forward asking for protection and a public inquiry to air their claims. The Conservative public safety minister's response is to shrug his shoulders, plug his ears and see no evil, hear no evil.

Is this wilful blindness or gross negligence? When it comes to protecting the integrity of Canada's national police, why is the public safety minister thwarting real action?

[Firearms Advisory Committee, May 28th, 2007]

It is strange, Mr. Speaker. An email from the office of the member for Barrie dictates how to respond if pressed on the bias of the Canadian firearms advisory committee. Even the government was afraid to publish the list of members when the appointments were made.

Why does the advisory committee only hear the voices of the pro-gun lobby? Where is the balance now, as we had when we were in government?

[Firearms Advisory Committee, May 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the secret society for firearms is the latest salvo in the Conservative plan to eviscerate gun control laws.

One Conservative appointee said that the Virginia Tech shooting could have been stopped if the students were armed. Another said that the weapon used at the Dawson College shooting was “fun”.

If the government really supports the police, why was the Canadian Police Association left off this list? Could it be because it dared to support the gun registry?

[Correctional Service Canada, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, jaws dropped yesterday at the public safety committee when Correctional Service Canada revealed that its “financial situation is dire”. “We're broke,” said acting commissioner Don Demers.

The minister ignores the advice of dedicated Correctional Service Canada officials and blows $3.5 million on a blue ribbon review headed by a Harris Conservative.

Why does the minister not take the advice of his officials and demand adequate funding for Correctional Service Canada immediately?

[Points of Order, May 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I want to erase the confusion in the Minister of Public Safety's response to my question for him. He said that I had never asked questions on this when I was parliamentary secretary. I have never been parliamentary secretary for public safety and security. I hope that establishes the correct fact.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, May 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the public accounts committee is hearing allegations of behaviour from senior officers that is simply unacceptable. Allegations of cover-up, intimidation and harassment are coming from rank and file officers who put their careers on the line while attempting to get to the truth.

This minister has done nothing to show that he is taking these allegations seriously enough and has taken no action whatsoever on this file. What is he waiting for? What will it take for this minister to get involved and call a full judicial inquiry? We cannot wait.