Lost her last election, in 2006, with 39% of the vote.
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, as we have said before and let me say it again, we have nothing to hide over here. Our Prime Minister has made that plain. I have made it plain. Every one of my colleagues have made it plain. We have nothing to hide. We will cooperate fully with the public inquiry. We will cooperate fully with the public accounts committee.
Firearms Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, because we are both respectful of Canadians' values, they are committed to gun control and we are committed to ensuring the wise expenditure of their tax dollars, we are reviewing the present gun control program. We know Canadians are committed to gun control but we also know they are committed to having an effective and efficient program. That is what we are committed to on this side of the House. That is what we will deliver.
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, everyone on this side is committed to finding out what happened here: why it happened, how it happened and who was involved.
I do believe the Prime Minister has made it plain that wherever that inquiry goes, so be it. We want to get to the bottom of this. That is why we have a public inquiry. That is why we have a public accounts committee.
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the government has taken a number of steps, dare I say comprehensive steps, to deal with this situation.
One of the things the government has done is appoint special counsel to review the files in this matter and to begin civil recovery proceedings wherever they may be appropriate.
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister has not waited 67 days. As I indicated, he in fact cancelled this program within minutes of becoming Prime Minister.
Last Tuesday, within minutes of the release of the Auditor General's report, he announced a public inquiry, in which we will all cooperate, including the Prime Minister himself. He announced a public accounts committee process in which we will all participate and cooperate, including himself. We have announced reform of whistleblower legislation and a review of the Financial Administration Act. We in fact have--
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has taken action on this file from the very moment he was sworn in as Prime Minister. One of his first acts was the cancellation of the sponsorship program. Within minutes of the release of the Auditor General's report last Tuesday, a week today, he announced a comprehensive package of steps to make sure that everyone, all Canadians, knew what happened and how it happened. Nobody should be under any illusions in this House: this is a Prime Minister--
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, it is very plain to me that on this side of the House, and let me say it again, we have nothing to hide. We will cooperate with the public inquiry. We will cooperate with the public accounts committee. On this side of the House, we want to get to the bottom of this matter on behalf of all Canadians.
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we have made it absolutely plain on this side of the House that we have nothing to hide.
No one on this side of the House has anything to hide, which is why we have made it plain that the judge conducting the public inquiry has the full powers under that act to call anyone he wishes. That is why the public accounts committee is hard at work. That is why we asked our opposition colleagues to agree to establishing the public accounts committee early.
So in fact, on this side of the House we have nothing to hide.
Sponsorship Program February 17th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, what this government is committed to doing and what this Prime Minister is committed to doing is getting to the bottom of this situation and making sure Canadians have the opportunity to know what happened.
That is why we are having a public inquiry. That is why the public accounts committee, chaired by the hon. member for St. Albert, is hard at work. That is why we are introducing whistleblower legislation. That is why we are conducting a review of the FAA. That is why we are conducting a review of the relationship between crown agencies and the government.
We are committed--
Firearms Program February 16th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, let me remind the hon. House that since the Auditor General tabled her report in relation to the gun control program, we have accepted her recommendations and we have implemented her recommendations.
Full program costs, as the hon. member should know, were tabled last October as part of the justice department's performance report. I will soon table a complete response to the public accounts committee report on the program. A ministerial review of this program is underway.
We have been transparent in relation to the cost of this program.