Anne McLellan

[Government Policies, November 23rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we are in the business of governing. We are in the business of fulfilling commitments that were made in either the Speech from the Throne or our budgets.

I would love to know from the opposition members which of these things they would not do: compensation for residential school victims, forestry sector aid, support for affordable housing or better services for immigrants. Let us hear from those people which of those would they not fund. Which of those do they not support to improve the quality of life in the country for all Canadians?

[Air-India, November 23rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I find particularly offensive the implicit character assassination of the Hon. Bob Rae, former premier of the province of Ontario.

Let me be absolutely clear. We asked the Hon. Bob Rae, an independent fact-finder, to determine whether there were questions that remained to be answered. He took up that challenge. He worked with the families. He has established relationships with the families. He did his work in good faith. He has identified those questions, and I have indicated that I will accept his recommendations.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, November 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I guess I can do no better than quote Commissioner Zaccardelli when he was questioned at committee. He indicated that the commitment of the government to the resourcing of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had been nothing short of remarkable over these past number of years. In fact, its budget over a relatively short period of time has gone from $2 billion to $3 billion.

The hon. member is talking about the Auditor General's report. Let me reassure the hon. member that the RCMP and my department have read the report and we accept the recommendations.

[Public Safety, November 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I have no information that any planes landed in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, or anywhere else, carrying passengers that involved the practice of extraordinary rendition.

[Public Safety, November 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I was very plain yesterday, but let me repeat for the hon. member. We have no information or reason to believe that any plane that has landed in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador or elsewhere had anything to do with the practice of extraordinary rendition.

Let me underscore again for the hon. member that the country, this government, has never returned anyone to a country where they face a substantial risk of torture. We are in full compliance with both our domestic and international obligations.

[Foreign Affairs, November 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I again want to reassure the hon. member that Canada is of course in full compliance with both domestic and international law as it relates to extraordinary rendition. We have never deported anyone to a country where they faced a substantial risk of torture. Our position is absolutely clear on this. We have no information regarding the alleged incident that would lead us to believe that it was in any way involved in extraordinary rendition.

[Foreign Affairs, November 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the House that we have absolutely no reports or information regarding the allegations that have recently appeared in the press in relation to an alleged CIA plane landing in Canadian ports, the prospect of this in some way being implicated with extraordinary rendition. I can assure the House that we have absolutely no information nor any reason to believe that such an aircraft was involved in such a matter.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, November 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I think I was absolutely plain yesterday, and I will repeat what I said. The police services agreement is very clear. Article 6 provides that it is the contracting province, territory or municipality that determines the number of RCMP officers they need in their jurisdiction and are prepared to fund. The RCMP has answered positively to every single request from provinces under contract policing. There are no outstanding requests.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, November 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, the Government of Canada has approved all requests from provincial governments for additional positions in contract jurisdictions.

In fact, the hon. member should perhaps ask the Attorney General of the province of Saskatchewan or the Solicitor General as to whether he has formally written to me to request those new positions. After coming from the FPT meeting of justice ministers and solicitors general last week, I asked my office whether I had any outstanding formal requests from provinces for additional contract positions. It is my understanding that I do not.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, November 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member is probably aware, provincial governments set the number of policing resources for their province. There is a process in place by which the provinces can apply for additional positions.

The Government of Canada, and I would ask the hon. member to take this under special advisement, has approved all requests for additional positions for contract jurisdictions. The RCMP will fulfill these requests in accordance with existing agreements.