Deborah Grey

[Government Contracts, June 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the question is: Did anyone go away empty-handed, without a government contract last night?

[Government Contracts, June 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I was mentioning the gales of laughter we could hear on Sussex Drive. The Prime Minister was telling jokes about the taxpayers who do not even get it, about brain drain—

[Government Contracts, June 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it must have been just like the Shawinigan hotel convention. I am sure the Prime Minister's shindig was just fabulous, particularly for him.

'Twas the night before recess, they snacked on sweetbreads When visions of contracts just danced in their heads

Gales of laughter were heard while the Prime Minister told jokes about this—

[Government Contracts, June 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister threw quite a bash last night for his biggest contributors. The so-called Laurier Club showed up at 24 Sussex yesterday for a gabfest that no doubt included just a little seminar on how to be discreet when doling out money to the Prime Minister.

Want a contract? Hold off on that real estate deal until after CIDA has said yes.

I would like to ask the Prime Minister just how many government contracts were handed out last night as door prizes.

[Prime Minister, June 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister continues to say that he is just being a good little MP to help friends get money. He said yesterday that he has nothing more to add. Well, I do.

He had a business financial interest. That same business also received a $1.5 million windfall from the recipient of a $6 million government contract.

I would like to tell the Prime Minister: get up and give the name of one member of parliament who would ever do such a thing.

[Prime Minister, June 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, let me quote from Hansard :

As long as he keeps silent on this issue, he gives every Canadian...the impression that he himself, the Prime Minister, is there to help his friends, the friends who helped him.

Guess what? That is a quote from the heritage minister back in the days when she believed that prime ministers ought to be accountable.

Why will the Prime Minister not at least uphold the ethical standards of his heritage minister and announce to us all about this conflict of interest?

[Prime Minister, June 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it is just great that he gave the problem to somebody else. In fact he says that he sold something that he did not really sell, that somebody bought something but he did not really buy it. It is as clear as mud.

This Liberal arrogance, this going to see me through attitude, is just not working. Just ask Camille Thériault and Dalton McGuinty how well that works.

We have asked the Prime Minister to produce the proof that he is not in a conflict of interest and he just tells us that he is being a good little MP. We asked him to show us proof that the shares were actually sold to somebody and up comes the human shield. The question remains. Where is the proof?

[Prime Minister, June 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has avoided answering more than 50 questions in the last three weeks about Shawinigate. He and his human shield have done everything possible to hide their shame for the Shawinigan shame, hoping it will just go away. I have news. It will not go away.

The Prime Minister insists that he does not own the shares he is trying to sell. He cannot explain why he is selling something that he does not really own but, gee whiz, it is like we are all just supposed to accept it and go on, right?

We do not and we would like an answer to the question once and for all. Where is the receipt?

[New Brunswick Election, June 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, there is a new government in New Brunswick today. Thank the Lord.

The election really was a horse race and what a finish it was. The winner came in with a message which is that absolutely nothing can stand in the way of people who agree it is time for political change.

Hurray for New Brunswickers who demonstrated their political muscle yesterday. They considered carefully the policies, the parties, the leaders and the candidates. But most of all, they weighed the past against the future, and the future won.

That is what change is. It is a powerful statement of faith in new people and new ideas. It is about letting our children and our youth have their say in their future. It is about hope and energy going in new directions. Change is powerful. And it is on its way to Ottawa. It is going to thunder through those front benches and halls of power. It is coming around the bend now and nothing will be able to stand in the way when it is time to change the government. All I can say is, heads up, your time is coming too.

[Government Contracts, June 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, those arms get pretty short.

The Prime Minister owns shares in a golf course that not only stands to benefit from government contracts and grants, its value was then boosted by a half million dollar land deal from a friend who happened to, just as luck would have it I am sure, get a $6 million CIDA contract.

The truth is that the Prime Minister knows full well that he is in a conflict of interest. He just thinks that there is nothing wrong with it.

I would like to ask, I would like to demand as Canadians would like to know, why the Prime Minister will not just clear the air and clear his name.