Candice Bergen

[Standing Orders of the House of Commons, March 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, this week, tensions in this House have risen. There has been a very high level of animosity between the Liberals and the opposition, and it is growing. It is all because the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons have insisted on ramming through changes to the rules of this House so that the Prime Minister can be less accountable.

They really have messed up this file drastically, but it is not too late to fix things. It is not too late for the Prime Minister to give his commitment that no changes will be made unless he has a consensus from all parties. It is not at all unreasonable, and we could all get back to working together.

Will the government commit that no changes will be made unless there is a consensus among all of us?

[International Trade, March 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, that response was very troubling.

The report in The Globe and Mail is disturbing, and the government needs to tell Canadians what its plan is. The report goes on to state that Beijing does not want Canada to use human rights or national security concerns as bargaining chips. Both of these should be at the top of Canada's list when having any discussions with China.

Again I ask the Prime Minister, is the government aware of these conditions? What is the government's response to this very troubling report and to these demands?

[International Trade, March 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, a troubling report in today's Globe and Mail says that during free trade talks currently under way, the Chinese government is asking Canada for unfettered access to all areas of the Canadian economy, including our telecom and natural resources sectors, and that the access needs to be granted to all Chinese companies, including ones owned by the state.

These reports are very disturbing. Can the Prime Minister tell us if these reports are accurate, and how his government is planning to respond to these alleged and very worrisome demands from Beijing?

[Business of the House, March 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am normally very quick and direct in asking my Thursday question, but I will just say today that, with everything that has gone on, the big issue that the opposition is facing in terms of how we want to be able to speak and be part of some of the discussions that are going on at committee does relate to what is going on in the House and in the future of the House. It is almost at the point where I wonder if it is worth my asking the question, because I wonder if the government House leader truly does want to know what the opposition thinks.

I will just leave that there and ask the House leader if she could please tell us what business the government has for the rest of this week and the week we return.

[Standing Orders of the House of Commons, March 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the House leader is in on this charade too, and the Liberal members even know it. They know this is not a discussion paper. They know this is an edict from the Prime Minister's Office. The House leader just said that she asked the committee; she is asking it to do her dirty work.

My question is for the Liberal members of Parliament. I know there are some hard-working people with integrity on that side. Will any of them stand up, show some independence, and say no to the Prime Minister and no to the House leader, who has completely botched this for all of you?

[Standing Orders of the House of Commons, March 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that he would not interfere in the work of committees, but that is exactly what he is doing. The Prime Minister's staff, over the last number of days, have been at the procedure and House affairs committee, telling the Liberal backbenchers to block the opposition's simple and reasonable request that we have collaboration and consensus on changes to the rules. Will the Prime Minister back off and let the Liberal members do their job, as he promised that he would do?

[Privilege, March 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, why are the Liberals laughing? Look at the tape. She was clearly upset that the vote was triggered. She has the absolute prerogative to be upset, but she does not have the prerogative to run across the aisle and physically come at me because I am doing my job.

I am going to ask you to review the tape, Mr. Speaker, and that you would please ask the Prime Minister's cabinet to not try to shut us down.

[Privilege, March 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising today on a question of privilege about the ability for me to do my job as opposition House leader. I will explain it and then ask if you would at least review the tape from yesterday. You will recall that there was a vote that occurred just before the budget with regard to going to orders of the day. As soon as I and my opposition colleagues triggered that vote, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and you can review the tape, came running toward me in a very aggressive way.

[Privilege, March 22nd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, if you do find that a prima facie case of privilege has occurred on the issues that have been raised, I would be prepared to move the appropriate motion.

[Petitions, March 22nd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to vote yes on that. The reason for this vote is that if the Liberals have their way, this will be the last budget where the opposition will be able to hold them to account. The—