Deborah Grey

[The Senate, September 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, frankly I had never guessed that an election might be undemocratic. Forgive me.

I would like to ask the government again about how it always resorts to section 24 of the constitution. There is absolutely nothing in section 24 of the constitution which does not support an election. There is nothing either that says that the prime minister has to be directly involved.

I would like to ask the justice minister who is from Alberta why she will not stand up and support and represent Alberta in our Senate election, which is legal, on October 19.

[The Senate, September 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, for days now we have been asking the justice minister about the Alberta Senate election but she just lies still and lets the Prime Minister attack Alberta. If she sits so idly by while he is attacking us in public, I can only guess how she is selling Albertans short in private.

I would like to ask the justice minister today, if she is allowed to answer, just what is it under section 24 of the Constitution that she is objecting to that she will not support and respect the Alberta Senate election.

[The Senate, September 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, just to refresh the Prime Minister's memory, the Charlottetown accord was in the fall of 1992. He became Prime Minister in the fall of 1993.

I will repeat my question in light of the fact that he continues to talk about the Charlottetown accord which he knows full well would never have given a triple E Senate.

Since he became Prime Minister in 1993, let him name for this House and our Senate candidates here today one tiny thing that he has done to accomplish real Senate reform.

[The Senate, September 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, for months now the Prime Minister has treated Ralph Klein and Alberta's Senate election as if they were a joke. The final slap in the face came last week when he appointed a senator just weeks before a vote. The Prime Minister says he believes in a triple E Senate. Really?

Our candidates are here today. They are off and running. Can the Prime Minister name one tiny thing that he has done since he became Prime Minister to bring about real Senate reform, just one thing?

[Apec Summit, September 22nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I can understand why the Prime Minister was shocked there was an incident because he very clearly pointed out that he did not want to be embarrassed and have other leaders be embarrassed.

This public commission looks into the activities of the RCMP, not the unethical activities of politicians.

When is the Prime Minister going to stand up in his place and admit he was wrong, or is he above the law?

[Apec Summit, September 22nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister seems to have his fingerprints all over this. The “PM” he is talking about is a post-mortem that Canadians want on this whole issue because they are disgusted.

Why is it that the Prime Minister resorts to blaming a bureaucrat? Why does he not believe in ministerial accountability, stand up in his place right now and say “I'm responsible. I apologize and I will explain what I did in this affair”?

[Apec Summit, September 21st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know what the Prime Minister will do about this and where his fingerprints are all over this deal.

The RCMP had to stare down these bodyguards and Canadians want to know why the Prime Minister gave in to a foreign dictator who uses goons with guns. Why would that be?

[Apec Summit, September 21st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister deliberately ordered police to quash peaceful protesters. Canadians want to know why and what it was he said.

Why was the Prime Minister more concerned about the feelings of a foreign dictator than he was about protecting the rights of our own Canadian citizens?

[National Defence, June 12th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the biggest barrier to women coming forward with these kinds of allegations is absolute fear that they will not be believed, and the government knows it.

Dickey has run up against this problem at every turn for two years. First of all it was her commanding officer. Then it was the military investigators. Now it is the minister himself who is blaming her and asking about her credibility.

When will one of these so-called defenders of human rights over there stand and tell the minister that he cannot deal with sexual assault victims by blaming the victims?

[National Defence, June 12th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we would love to let the investigation take its course, except the minister spoke out and talked about zero tolerance and how terrible it is for any sexual assault to occur. Then he had the nerve to come forward and taint that investigation by saying that her whole story is not credible.

I want this minister to answer the question. Why should any woman ever come forward with allegations of sexual assault when she will have to go on trial by the minister, his department and the media?