David Collenette

[Liberal Party, May 3rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, it is this government that has delivered on its commitment to reduce the deficit. It is this government that has delivered on its commitment to restore faith and integrity in public office in this country.

The right hon. Prime Minister has led the way in many of these promises which we have outlined in the red book. We feel that by the time the next election comes, Canadians will judge us on our performance and they will see that we have delivered on the promises we made in that election.

[Liberal Party, May 3rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, time and time again the Prime Minister has stated that this government has a very proud record of discharging its promises as laid out in the red book in the last election. We are discharging our promises.

Perhaps I could ask the hon. member about his party's promise. His party campaigned on doing things differently in politics, a new way of politics. Is the new way of politics reflected in the statements of the hon. member for Nanaimo-Cowichan, the statements of the hon. member for Athabasca, following on statements I could cite from other members in this House? That is not the new way of doing politics.

I would submit our record in discharging our promises on this side stacks up very favourably compared to that of the Reform Party.

[Goods And Services Tax, May 3rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, there is no divergence from what the Prime Minister has said, what the Minister of Finance has said and what the former Deputy Prime Minister has said.

The fact is this government is committed to the elimination of the goods and services tax. We are achieving that goal by the vehicle of harmonization of sales taxes with the provinces which is now well in train. I think in the next few months we will see even further progress on this issue.

This government is working to fulfil its promises and is doing so in a very difficult financial context. Despite the best of intentions

sometimes reality confronts us. The Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister have been very open and forthright in admitting that.

[Flooding, May 1st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the flooding in Manitoba this year has been particularly severe. As was the case in southeastern Saskatchewan last year, there are mechanisms in place whereby the federal government can assist the provinces.

The prime responsibility for co-ordination of disaster relief is with the provinces, and the province has requested relief and assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces. Seventy class A reservists have been working over the last three or four days to assist with flooding in the Saint-Adolphe area.

However, under the disaster financial arrangements regime there is a program whereby the federal government can assist the provinces and in turn the provinces can compensate individuals or municipalities. Officials of the two governments are working on this right now. Official requests are to come in the next few days.

[Communications Securityestablishment, April 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the government welcomes the initiative taken by the hon. member for Scarborough-Rouge River and the members on the subcommittee on security intelligence of the justice committee.

We have been holding discussions with him and other members as to the appropriate oversight mechanism. We should be in a position within the next few weeks to make the government's views known. I hope that will satisfy the legitimate concerns of the members of that committee and the Canadian public in general.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, to answer the hon. member's question, the guarantee is contained in the terms of reference for the inquiry. I would hope that he reads the terms of reference.

It is not for us to debate on the floor of the House of Commons procedural matters that appear before the commission. That is something between the commissioners and the counsel for the various people appearing, including the government. It is not for here in the House of Commons.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I would submit that those lacking credibility are the members of the opposition who will not allow the normal Canadian judicial process to take its normal course and allow people every right to give their side of events in an impartial setting.

It is not we who are out of step, it is the opposition that is out of step with the ideas and values of Canadians.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, this question

has been asked a number of times in recent days and I am compelled to give the same answer.

We have a process in motion. A commission of inquiry is looking into all aspects of the Canadian force deployment to Somalia. Some other issues that are perhaps tangential but which may deal with the documentation issue with respect to Somalia have been raised. The commission has started hearings and those hearings are ongoing.

All people concerned will have the opportunity to give their side of events and their points of view over the next couple of weeks. I would ask the hon. member the basic courtesy to allow all those people to come forward and let the decision be made by the commission in due course.

[Translation]

[Somalia Inquiry, April 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the military police investigation is on a series of incidents that happened in the public affairs branch of national defence, not on one individual or another.

For all police, whether municipal, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the military police, if new evidence surfaces, an investigation has to be reopened. This is what has happened in this case. This has also happened with respect to Mr. Grace, the information commissioner.

I ask the hon. member to allow all individuals concerned in this matter, including the chief of defence staff, the basic Canadian right to express their views to an impartial commission before he draws conclusions and perhaps casts aspersions on their character in the House of Commons.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I have answered this question many times. I have also addressed it in question period in reply to a question from the Bloc Quebecois.

There is a commission of inquiry looking into all these matters. There will be a lot of testimony given, including the testimony of the chief of defence staff. He will be going in a couple of weeks. He will have his opportunity to put all the facts on the table.

I am surprised the hon. member opposite, himself a former general officer in the Canadian forces, does not recognize the system of fairness in our justice system which allows people to give their side of the story.