Herb Gray

[Business Development Bank Of Canada, February 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member, who I commend for her French, did not make clear what she was quoting from. She should do so.

The ethics counsellor found that the Prime Minister was not interfering with the work of a crown corporation. He was doing no more than what members on all sides of the House do, making enquiries and making representations on behalf of a constituent.

If the hon. member thinks that is wrong, then I think she ought to make a fresh start on learning her duties as a member of parliament.

[Business Development Bank Of Canada, February 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I do not accept the premise of my hon. friend's question that the loan went through with lightning speed.

I have been informed, however, that this loan was approved and participated in by the local caisse populaire and the Fonds des travailleurs du Quebec, both bodies not connected with the federal government nor with the Prime Minister, and their judgment was that the loan was a valid commercial transaction. She ought to take that into account before raising the kinds of empty questions she does whenever she has a chance.

[Business Development Bank Of Canada, February 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I will get the hon. member a detailed answer to his question, but does he know that Mr. Beaudoin is the subject of a counterclaim in the pending court case, because the auditor general found that Mr. Beaudoin inflated his pension by some half a million dollars?

Why is the hon. member basing his questions on something as contentious as the comments of Mr. Beaudoin?

[Business Development Bank Of Canada, February 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I do not have all the information that he is seeking, but I am confident that the relevant ministers will meet the requirements of the law.

[Summit Of The Americas, February 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the answer to that question is yes. However, I should remind her that when Prime Minister Tony Blair of England was here with regard to this meeting he said:

However sincere the protests, they cannot be allowed to stand in the way of rational argument. We should start to make this case with force and determination.

That is the message from Prime Minister Blair of the Labour Party of Britain to members of the NDP in Canada. They should listen carefully to that common sense point of view.

[Natural Resources, February 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's visit is not for the purpose of entering into negotiations. Its purpose is for him to meet the new minister, former Senator Abraham. The first step is an exchange of views.

If, in due course, negotiations ensue, we will follow the normal procedures for informing the provinces.

[Pensions, February 23rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member unfortunately is wrong in his assertions. The Prime Minister raised this matter vigorously with Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain. Prime Minister Blair of Britain confirmed that in his press conference and Prime Minister Blair said, based on my recollection of the transcript of the press conference, that he would look into the matter further.

This was raised vigorously by the Prime Minister. Mr. Blair in his press conference responded to this by saying he would look into it further. I think that should be recognized by the hon. member.

[Multiculturalism, February 23rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the immigration minister is doing an outstanding job as minister, as a member of parliament and as a representative herself of the diversity of our great Canadian family. When the hon. member asserts otherwise, it shows why he and his party are totally unworthy of the support of Canadians, especially those from groups other than the traditional majority groups.

[Immigration, February 23rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the premises in the question of the hon. member must be rejected categorically.

The underlying premises are false, since the minister has categorically denied having intervened in the case of Gaetano Amodeo either directly or indirectly. It is his staff, not the minister himself, who carried out what was nothing more than a standard administrative follow up. The words of the hon. member are therefore wrong and I feel obliged to correct them.

[Immigration, February 23rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is spreading false statements concerning the Minister of Public Works and Government Services because, I say again, the minister categorically denies any direct or indirect intervention in the case of Gaetano Amodeo.

Once again I would add that the minister has again said that the only correspondence from his riding office was an inquiry into progress with the case of Maria Sicurella. This was merely a standard administrative follow up and in no way a—