David Collenette

[Somalia Inquiry, April 23rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has shown once again that he has not read the terms of reference for the inquiry. He asks about cover up; he asks about destruction of documents. That is all contained in the inquiry.

If he were to read the terms of reference he would find out who can be summoned to the inquiry. That is up to the inquiry and if it wants to summon whomever it wants, whether they are members of this House or members of the armed forces, the commission has the power to do it.

Before the member raised these kinds of questions, he could get the answers by reading the terms of reference.

[French Speaking Members Of Thearmed Forces In Moose Jaw, April 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the member has not heard my answer. I am very concerned about the problems of access to services in both official languages across the country.

With respect to education services, as the hon. member knows, under agreements that have been coming into effect that were signed by the previous government, the Department of National Defence is now handing over education to the various provinces. When we do this we try to ensure that linguistic minorities are dealt with fairly.

As I said in the earlier response, we are looking for improvements. I assure the hon. member we will make those improvements so she will be satisfied.

[French Speaking Members Of Thearmed Forces In Moose Jaw, April 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, we are giving serious consideration to the commissioner's recommendations. We hope to be able to establish the same standards across the country.

I have visited Bagotville and I would certainly concur with what the hon. member said in terms of the availability of standards affecting both linguistic groups and services.

I have also visited the Moose Jaw base in western Canada and I have not been directly informed of some of the things of which the commissioner apparently has been made aware.

We try to make sure that no matter what language is spoken by members of the forces that obviously they are entitled to all of the services, priorities and prerequisites that all Canadians have no matter what language they speak. If improvements have to be made we will certainly put them in place.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the question really makes sense. The hon. member will get all the answers to the questions he posed today and the questions in the House in the last couple of weeks.

If they are patient while the commission does its work, there will be a subset of hearings on the documentation issue beginning Wednesday. Other things will be revealed and other testimony will be given over the coming months with respect to the general incidents that occurred in Somalia.

Everything, I assure members, will be answered. That is why the terms of reference were crafted in that way. No one outside of selected members of the opposition have criticized the terms of reference. Most people realize they are broad, that they are all-encompassing and that they will get at the truth.

The government wants to get at the truth. Canadians want to get at the truth.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, there have been selective readings from what I suppose is the military police document which will be part of the evidence presented this Wednesday at the inquiry.

The inquiry should be allowed to table that report, have it made public, let everyone read it and come to their own conclusions, rather than my selectively responding to quotes from a report, whether from that report or another document, in the House of Commons.

The whole point of creating the inquiry was to allow a thoughtful, orderly process with due regard to the legal rights of individuals, all to be conducted in an impartial setting away from the partisanship of the House of Commons. It was the right thing to do. It was what this party called for in opposition. We have delivered on that commitment.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the hon. member read the terms of reference of the commission of inquiry on Somalia.

In the terms of reference, which I quoted from last week, there were the terms "cover-up", "missing documents" and "tampering of documents". This terminology was used in the original terms of reference.

In specific reply to the hon. member's question, the commission has determined that even though the mandate of the commission was to November 28, 1994, when it comes to documentation and the allegations of tampering, destruction or cover-up, the commission feels it can go beyond that timeframe.

If the hon. member has some concerns about other events that did not take place in the watch of the other government, all this will be under the eye of the commission. It will get to the answers the people of Canada expect and which they will receive.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, clearly I carried out my responsibilities by setting up the commission of inquiry on Somalia. I would ask the hon. member to await the commission's deliberations. Once these deliberations are over, he will have all the answers he and the people of Canada want.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is extending the type of questioning we heard last week. He deals with the question of the public affairs branch and the question of documentation.

As the hon. member knows, the Somalia commission will be commencing hearings on Wednesday on this problem. All of the answers the hon. member wants will be forthcoming at the commission.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can be assured that I certainly have taken the bull by the horns. I have done that by answering his questions all week.

The hon. member has gone through a number of contortions. I have pointed them out on the utility of the inquiry.

The hon. member has gone from the position that the chief of defence staff should never have been appointed, to the chief of defence staff should resign, to the suggestion that he should step aside, and to the fact yesterday that he does not blame him. Today he is back to the earlier accusations.

The member and his party have no credibility on the issue. Canadians understand that the inquiry will deal with the matter and will get to the bottom of it with all the answers.

[Somalia Inquiry, April 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I really should refuse to answer such innuendo. The hon. member has made selective accusations every day in the House. He has maligned a public servant, who is the chief of defence staff.

All of these matters will be dealt with by the commission starting next Wednesday. That is the place where all the evidence should be submitted. That is the place where people should be heard. That is the place where conclusions should be drawn.