House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 1997, with 53% of the vote.
Department Of National Defence May 8th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the auditor general reported serious problems with the Department of National Defence's ability to deal with the government's increased demands on our troops.
How can the minister allow expenditure of taxpayer funds on retirement parties when the auditor general reports that equipment deficiencies do not allow our troops to perform their assigned tasks within acceptable risk levels?
Department Of National Defence May 8th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Defence tried to blame a $250,000 retirement party paid for with taxpayer money on his previous chief of defence staff.
"We have a new chief of defence staff who has laid down the rules to senior military officers that they have to behave in a way with the public's money as the public would have them behave".
Will the minister today tell the House and Canadians specifically the new rule on spending limits on retirement parties?
National Defence May 7th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the government says that it believes in integrity and accountability to Canadians.
At the same time it allowed a senior military official to spend an outrageous $250,000 on a change of command party. That is a quarter of a million taxpayer dollars spent by Major General McInnis on a party for himself.
Obviously the chain of command at the defence department has completely broken down. Why did the minister fail to prevent this outrageous waste of taxpayers' money?
Somalia Inquiry April 30th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of National Defence tell Canadians why there is a contradiction between the messages the justice department is sending and the Department of National Defence is sending to the Canadian public?
Somalia Inquiry April 30th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were shocked to hear a federal government lawyer contradict the Minister of National Defence regarding the mandate of the Somalia inquiry. Canadians want to know who is behind this.
Will the Minister of National Defence confirm that the judge advocate general instructed the federal government lawyer to challenge the mandate of the Somalia inquiry? Can the minister tell Canadians the reason behind this attempt?
Krever Inquiry April 30th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the constituents of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt because one of us, seven-year old Jarad Gibbenhuck, is a victim of the tainted blood tragedy. He is the youngest Canadian to be diagnosed with hepatitis C. He contracted the disease from a blood transfusion during an operation when he was just a baby. Last week Jarad made a trip to Toronto to meet with Justice Krever.
The Krever Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada is being stifled by the Liberal government. The Liberals are afraid that Krever has been too independent and too objective.
The Liberal Minister of Health has led his provincial counterparts into a reform of the blood system in Canada by appointing a tainted blood forum. Canadians are appalled by this manoeuvre to cover up and muzzle the Krever commission. Canadians are outraged by the legal mess the Liberals have allowed which prevents the release of Krever's findings.
Jarad returned to the Okanagan with a single message: Let Krever speak.
Somalia Inquiry April 25th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has placed himself right in the middle of the Somalia scandal.
The minister's department altered and destroyed documents on his watch. The minister recommended a chief of defence staff who was, by his own admission, aware of the plan to deliberately tamper with evidence.
The minister's own staff officer was part of the Somalia working group. It is time the minister came clean with Canadians. The Minister of National Defence is responsible to Parliament for these errors in judgment. Will he do the honourable thing and resign?
Somalia Inquiry April 25th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not want to comment. That is fine because, quite frankly, Canadians have no confidence in anything the minister says anyway.
The minister tried to distance himself from senior officials' attempts to cover up Somalia documents. Yet a staff officer for the Minister of National Defence was part of the Somalia working group.
It is inconceivable to Canadians that the minister was not briefed about the scheme hatched by the public affairs branch of his department to alter Somalia documents and obstruct access to information requests.
What did the minister know about this attempted cover-up? When did he know it? Was he a pawn or a player?
Somalia Inquiry April 25th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
The testimony before the Somalia inquiry makes it quite clear that General Boyle knew about his department's plans to tamper with, alter and destroy documents related to the Somalia affair. This latest testimony seriously undermines the minister, who time after time has defended Boyle in the House.
Will the minister now agree to ask General Boyle to stand down until the Somalia inquiry determines his role in this cover-up?
Somalia Inquiry April 19th, 1996
Why is the minister allowing Boyle to stay in charge when all of the evidence indicates that Boyle is involved in this cover-up?