Lost his last election, in 2006, with 35% of the vote.
Sponsorship Program March 30th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I reject outright the allegations made by my colleague as to the intervention of the Prime Minister. It simply is not the truth, so I cannot say anything else. It is simply not true.
As far as the work of the committee is concerned, members know full well the committee is the master of what it does, and it is not for us to go against the rules of the House. They have been set to be observed by everyone, including the opposition, notwithstanding their reluctance to do so.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the question the Prime Minister asked all of us was to say if we knew anything about any wrongdoing, and the answer was no. We were not asked if anybody had done a good job. We suppose that each of us does a good job and takes responsibility for the work we do.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, my colleague is not really in the best position to talk about what Canadians feel on this issue, because when Canadians see the kind of witch hunt on which those people have launched themselves, I think people in Canada will be sorry for what they hear on that side of the House.
The minister was in touch with Mr. Tremblay because he was doing his job, period.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, is there anything wrong with a minister doing his job?
The first line of questioning we heard a few days ago from these people was to allege that the minister of the Privy Council was in touch with Mr. Guité. That was denied. There was no evidence, so they are stuck.
Then they turn around and say that he talked with Mr. Tremblay. Of course he did. It was his job.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, in French we would say “idem”. In English I suppose there is an expression similar to this which means exactly the same answer as before.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the next time I come into the House I will bring with me a tape recorder to record my answers and repeat them exactly.
When a member is a minister of the crown, the minister has a responsibility to assume. The minister in question was secretary of state for amateur sport, supported by the way by all those people who came to him to ask for help. He did his job. He did what he had to do as a minister.
Are they saying that as a minister he should abdicate his responsibility?
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I am sure if the opposition cared to put questions on the budget, on the issue of globalization, on matters of health, the Prime Minister would be glad to answer. However in this kind of questioning, nobody has got to go that low.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, just in case there was a language problem, I want to repeat in French something I only said twice in English. The minister did speak with Mr. Tremblay—he said so himself—when he was responsible for amateur sport. He was doing his job. What is wrong with that?
I will tell you what is wrong with that. It is all in the minds of those who think that constantly repeating falsehoods will somehow make them true. This is not true; these are still falsehoods.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, if for once members opposite would prepare the questions after listening to the answers, they might avoid having a second time in a row the same question to which the answer is still the same.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, it seems quite clear to me that the minister did say that he spoke with Mr. Tremblay when he was responsible for amateur sports. What is wrong with that?
We are witnessing at the present time the witch hunt of Salem revisited. It is machiavellianism at its worst. It is enough.