Candice Bergen

[Privacy, October 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, there were disturbing reports this weekend that Stats Canada has informed banks and credit card companies it expects them to hand over personal financial data of at least half a million Canadians without their knowledge or consent. Even worse, banks will not be allowed to inform their customers that the government is following every single one of their transactions.

With the long history of government privacy breaches, Canadians are rightly worried. Why are the Liberals collecting the personal data of Canada without telling them?

[Public Safety, October 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, Canadians were shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific anti-Semitic attack in Pittsburgh. On behalf of the official opposition, I would like to extend our thoughts and our prayers to the victims and their families and to the entire Jewish community. These kinds of hateful acts must be condemned in the strongest terms possible.

Would the Prime Minister update this House on the government's response, and tell us what specific measures it is taking in order to stop anti-Semitism and to ensure the safety of synagogues across Canada?

[Ethics, October 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, it is that government that has said that James Cudmore's hiring is related to Vice-Admiral Mark Norman's court case and it is the Minister of National Defence who has already spoken about this.

On November 20, Cudmore was a CBC reporter writing about shipbuilding contracts. By January 12, 2016, he was a Liberal employee working for the Liberal Minister of National Defence. He did not just get there on January 12 by accident. He was offered the job prior to that date.

The minister knows the answer. He has already spoken about it. Therefore, will the Minister of National Defence keep his word to me and tell me what date Mr. James Cudmore was offered a job?

[Ethics, October 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, I asked the Minister of National Defence on what date James Cudmore was offered a job in his office and the minister told me he would get back to me. His office called mine the next day and told me what date James Cudmore started in his office. That was not the question I asked, so I will ask it again. I know now that he does know the answer and I know he can speak about it because he already has.

On what date was the former CBC reporter offered a job as the director of policy in the office of the Minister of National Defence?

[Corrections and Conditional Release Act, October 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this is indicative of what the Liberals have been doing overall on this bill, which is very disturbing to see. This is a bill that would have a direct effect on the men and women who put their lives on the line every day dealing with the most dangerous, horrific criminals in Canada.

Corrections officers do not like this bill. The government has not talked with them about this bill. It has not talked or consulted with them on the very dangerous and very real implications for the men and women who serve as corrections officers.

This bill would be taking away the ability of corrections officers to put individuals in solitary confinement for the protection of other inmates, the protection of themselves or the protection of guards.

We are again seeing the Liberals focusing on protecting criminals, focusing on worrying about the comfort of criminals who are serving their time in federal penitentiaries, and shutting down any discussion or debate. It is shameful to see.

[Ethics, October 22nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it easier for the Minister of National Defence. Could he tell us if it was before or after November 20, 2015?

[Ethics, October 22nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of National Defence tell us on what date former CBC journalist James Cudmore was offered a job in his office as his senior policy adviser?

[Justice, October 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, in November 2015, both the minister of defence and the President of the Treasury Board were at the International Security Forum in Halifax.

Can one of those ministers tell the House if a meeting took place with Irving in Halifax between November 20 and November 22 with one or both of those ministers, and what was discussed?

[Justice, October 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we are asking about the cover-up that is going on right now in the Prime Minister's Office. The Prime Minister had no problem announcing to the world on multiple occasions that charges would be laid against Vice-Admiral Norman, even before an investigation was complete. Earlier this week, government officials had no problem talking to reporters on background about the Treasury Board president's dealings with Irving, but as for answering serious questions that might embarrass the Prime Minister, there is silence and lame excuses.

Who are they protecting? What are they hiding?

[Justice, October 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the justice minister said that the case against Vice-Admiral Norman was being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and was totally independent of the government. However, there is only one problem with that: the Prime Minister talked about charges being laid in this case back in April 2017, almost a full year before any charges were laid.

How did the Prime Minister know a year ahead of time that charges would be laid against Mark Norman? Who told the Prime Minister?