Herb Gray

[Minister Of Finance, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is a newcomer to the House. He has been—

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not hiding anything.

I am wondering why opposition members persist in these questions. Are they trying to hide the fact that they lost the election because Canadians said that they had no vision, that they wanted to get rid of the health care system and that they wanted to get rid of old age pensions?

They are trying to hide a lot and that is why they are bringing up this subject now.

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has given full answers in the House. The ethics counsellor has appeared before the industry committee and has given very full answers on this matter.

The whole picture is already before the public as well as the House.

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, according to my information, the Prime Minister did follow the advice of the ethics counsellor.

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Wilson was speaking hypothetically. The matter is clear and he has reached a decision on it. He has said clearly, and I quote him in English:

“The Prime Minister doesn't own the shares and has not owned the shares since November 1, 1993, which is the only important issue”.

This was what the ethics counsellor testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry.

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the ethics counsellor, in testifying before the industry committee of the House, said “The Prime Minister doesn't have an interest in this matter. He sold his interest”.

He went on to say: “It was a sale free and clear of his interest in that golf course. The Prime Minister doesn't own the shares and has not owned the shares since November 1, 1993, which is the only important issue”.

That was the ethics counsellor's testimony before the standing committee of the House.

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the flow of funds, the member will have to direct her question to the Quebec government. This was done under a Quebec provincial program.

The Prime Minister's position, as stated by the ethics counsellor to the Standing Committee on Industry, is that “the Prime Minister doesn't own the shares and has not owned the shares since November 1, 1993, which is the only important issue”. These were the words of the ethics counsellor before a committee of the House.

I am not trying to deflect anything. When it comes to answering the deputy leader with respect to her pension, it is not a deflection, it is a direct hit and she has taken it on the chin.

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member, as she is every day, is completely wrong in this. The ethics counsellor has not changed his position. The ethics counsellor has carried out his responsibilities for which he was praised by opposition parties. He is doing his job on an independent basis and should be praised for that.

Speaking of cover-up, how long did the hon. member cover up her intention to take her pension?

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the ethics counsellor did not confirm that the Prime Minister was in a conflict of interest. The Leader of the Opposition is completely wrong in saying that.

I also want to say that what the Leader of the Opposition is asking members to do is nothing more than simply attack the Prime Minister for acting on undertakings he made to create an ethics counsellor position which did not exist before the 1993 election.

The ethics counsellor reports to the Prime Minister who reports to parliament and that is why we should vote against the opposition motion. It has no basis in reality.

[Ethics Counsellor, February 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the ethics counsellor has maintained on several occasions that the Prime Minister was not in conflict of interest in this matter. He noted this in writing a few weeks ago to the leader. He confirmed it in interviews and maintains his position that the Prime Minister had no conflict of interest in this matter.