Brian Pallister

[Question No. 155, June 10th, 2005]

What were the amounts of dividends paid, by year, by VIA Rail Canada to the government from 1995 to 2004?

[Public Safety, June 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, it is a wonderful example of how easy it is to get grass across the border and how hard it is to get cows across the border with the government in charge of things.

As a result of this drug bust, weapons, hundreds of thousands of dollars and even a helicopter were recovered, all to be used in the export of drugs. This activity heightens the fears of law-abiding Canadians.

Organized crime continues to grow. Rather than sit on organized crime, the government continues to sit on its hands.

When will the minister recognize the importance of a stronger Canadian border and the role it plays in combating organized crime?

[Public Safety, June 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, a drug trafficking ring has been uncovered in the Eastern Townships. At the same time, the Liberals are seeking to decriminalize cannabis and open the door to organized crime. In addition, this government keeps reducing the budgets for the RCMP and border security.

When will this government recognize that withdrawing RCMP officers is a threat to our safety and encourages drug traffickers?

[Privilege, June 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I would not in any way want to discredit or disparage the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. I would want it on record that I in no way intended to have my remarks reflect on him. My remarks were directed toward the minister responsible for Canada Post and the Minister of National Revenue. That being said, I accept your ruling without equivocation and withdraw my comments.

[Canada Post, June 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, that is a stalling tactic and it is a marathon audit.

The Prime Minister told party faithful last night at a speech in Montreal that “those who abuse the system will all be held accountable”. Video will show very likely that he was winking at the time.

If there were any other Canadian involved in a case like this, Revenue Canada would have completed that audit, penalties would have been levied and possible jail terms would have been provided to those wrongdoers.

The revenue minister has failed the people of Canada. He has not upheld the responsibilities of his office. It is time for the government to admit that if it were interested in cleaning up anything, it would clean up the revenue minister and--

[Canada Post, June 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, today is the day. Judge Gomery has completed nine months of listening to countless witnesses testify. He will be reviewing thousands of pages of documents.

Coincidentally, it has also been nine months since supposedly Revenue Canada began investigating the former chairman of Canada Post who still has not accounted for his $2 million in self-approved receipts. It has been nine months and any other Canadian would have been called to account in nine days.

When will the minister admit that he is covering up for his Liberal crony, or will he announce the date the audit will be made public?

[Taxation, June 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, he should be the minister of ostriches.

While Liberals leave bags of cash on restaurant tables, the minister chooses to go after the people who wait on those tables. Hiring and favouring his friends is one thing; going Liberal light on tax enforcement is quite another.

The Gomery commission has exposed a litany of Liberal money laundering and tax evasion. Will the minister finally get his act together and commit to a full tax audit of all those individuals involved, whether they are Liberals or not?

[Taxation, June 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the underground economy deprives provincial and federal coffers of an estimated $12 billion annually. That is a big problem. This year Revenue Canada has been going after waitresses in Atlantic Canada. That is not a big problem.

The big problem is the tax evasion involved in the sponsorship scandal itself and the large amounts of cash that Liberal fat cats have siphoned out of taxpayers' pockets. Will the minister get his priorities straight and apply the same rigorous rules to his Liberal cronies that he applies to struggling Atlantic Canadian waitresses?

[Canada Post, May 30th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian taxpayers are not allowed to audit themselves and neither should the minister be allowed to audit himself. The Minister of National Revenue is allowed to audit Canada Post because it is his department, just as André Ouellet was allowed to self-approve over $2 million in expenses without a single exception. The conflict of interest here is staggering and this nine month stonewalling audit is going absolutely nowhere.

The Prime Minister talks about accountability. He has to now step into this incestuous situation and commit today to replace the minister with an independent auditor.

[Canada Post, May 30th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the case of André Ouellet's missing receipts keeps getting murkier.

The revenue minister is also in charge of Canada Post. André Ouellet testified under oath that he turned his receipts over to Canada Post last December. Four months later, the revenue minister claimed he still did not have the receipts. This can only mean that Canada Post has not handed over the receipts to Revenue Canada. The minister is claiming that his right hand does not know what his left hand is doing.

Could the minister explain why one department he is responsible for is stonewalling the other department he is responsible for?