Herb Gray

[Air-India Disaster, June 1st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the announcement of the reward yesterday was made by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police representing the professional judgment of the mounted police as to the appropriate steps taken to advance the investigation to a stage where hopefully charges could be laid.

I do not think it would be appropriate for me to replace the professional judgment of the RCMP on this matter with my own by setting deadlines. The hon. member should know better than to make such a suggestion if she is serious about bringing the criminals to justice.

[Air-India Disaster, June 1st, 1995]

No, Mr. Speaker.

[Security Intelligence Review Committee, May 30th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I do not accept the allegation of the hon. member that the Security Intelligence Review Committee is inoperable. It is in the position to carry out its functions. There are a sufficient number of members there to fulfil the requirement of the law with respect to its quorum. However, the matter of the vacancy is under review by the cabinet. I hope there will be an appropriate step taken under the law very soon to deal with the vacancy.

[Canadian Security Intelligence Service, May 30th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I do not accept the hon. member's allegations. As I just said, the decision is due to the staff cuts at CSIS and has nothing to do with the opinions in question.

It is sometimes not possible to lay off only those employees who want to leave. In cutting staff at CSIS and in other services, it will not be possible to get everybody who has to leave to do so voluntarily.

As I just said, this layoff has nothing to do with the opinions in question.

[Canadian Security Intelligence Service, May 30th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, it is a well known fact that CSIS is cutting staff. It seems that the employee in question is part of the cuts. I have been told that this decision has nothing to do with opinions she or her husband expressed.

[Request For Emergency Debate, May 29th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, a point of order. I wish to draw to your attention, with the utmost respect, Standing Order 52(3) which reads as follows:

When requesting leave to propose such a motion-

That is for an emergency debate.

-the Member shall rise in his or her place and present without argument the statement referred to in section (2) of this Standing Order.

Section (2) states:

A Member wishing to move, "That this House do now adjourn", under the provisions of this Standing Order shall give to the Speaker, at least one hour prior to raising it in the House, a written statement of the matter proposed to be discussed.

I respectfully ask you, Mr. Speaker, to insist that the hon. member comply with the rules of the House.

[Canadian Wheat Board, May 29th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I will check with the RCMP. I am not sure if it is customary for them to release details of their investigation beyond stating the conclusion of their work, but I will check into it further.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, May 15th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, access to the RCMP's premises in Montreal is an internal management matter that concerns the RCMP. It is a prerogative of the commanding officer, Deputy Commissioner Thivierge, and not a matter for which the Solicitor General is directly responsible. As I just said, it is an internal management matter concerning the RCMP.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, May 15th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the association of former RCMP members is a private organization that does not report to the government. It makes its own decisions regarding access to its meetings.

[Business Of The House, May 11th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to see that it is Thursday once again and I have a chance to provide the weekly business statement.

Today we will continue with the opposition motion. Tomorrow we will resume the legislative list on which we have been working: Bill C-67, the veterans' bill; Bill C-54 regarding pensions; Bill C-88 regarding internal trade; Bill C-87 with respect to chemical weapons; Bill C-86 regarding the dairy commission; Bill C-82 concerning the Mint; Bill C-85 with respect to MPs' pensions; and Bill C-65 regarding the reorganization of certain agencies.

On Monday we will begin with Bill C-89, the CNR legislation and then return to the list just given. We will continue with this list on Tuesday and Wednesday, adding items to it as we make progress. In particular, we would like to proceed quickly with the bill on the Federal Business Development Bank which the Minister of Industry is introducing this week.

Finally, next Thursday shall be an allotted day.