Dave MacKenzie

[November 24th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I truly wish that the member opposite would use the accurate numbers. Many of the numbers that have been bandied about here tonight are not accurate.

The real numbers have been brought forward by officials from this government, agencies and provincial agencies to a number of committees. The numbers she has quoted are simply not accurate.

The initial estimate was included in estimates that the government supported and did provide.

I would hope my hon. colleague would recognize that, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer indicated early on, the numbers were very much in line for the budget that would be expected in the Muskokas.

A number of items that the member has rolled into all of these things have to do with infrastructure spending that the municipalities applied for under other programs. These issues that she has brought forward are not all about the summit.

I would say to the member that, when we put the security requirements and the associated cost estimates into context, we must remember that security planning began a year and half prior to the event. Some of these facilities were not just set up for a weekend. They were there for months and months in advance.

This was a huge deployment of personnel; 20,000 security personnel were involved in these two summits. It was unprecedented in any country.

We have an obligation as a nation when we take part in these summits that we must host them. This is exactly what Canada did, and I think Canadians would be proud of what occurred. It brought the world to this country. It focused on this country.

We would not doubt that there were some hoodlums, anarchists and thugs who in fact did try to sully the reputation of Canada, but they were minimized because of the great security.

I would say to the member opposite that initially the RCMP has indicated that, after reconciliation, its expenses are coming in significantly under budget. Its initial budget was $507.5 million. Estimates to the end of this fall indicate that expenses will come in around $329 million, which is about 35% under budget.

[November 24th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I wish my colleague would recognize that it was thugs and anarchists who caused the trouble in Toronto. It was not the government.

I would like to remind the member of the opposition that not only did Canada have a moral obligation to protect visiting heads of state who were in attendance at the G8 and G20 summits, but Canada was also obligated under the United Nations convention that was adopted in 1973 to protect internationally persons, which includes participants of the summits.

Approximately 60 states, organizations and international groups had representation at the summits that were covered under this convention. This included heads of state, royalty, foreign ministers and leaders of world organizations. Their security was critical to the success of the summit, which will advance several significant global initiatives such as the Muskoka initiative that seeks to improve maternal, new born and under-five child health. These initiatives will ultimately have an impact on citizens of all nations.

[November 24th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to this very important issue this evening.

I would like to take the opportunity to review the actions taken by the government to ensure that the appropriate security was provided for the G8 and G20 summits in a responsible, transparent and accountable manner.

The government detailed the funding requirements related to security through the normal parliamentary procedures, which identified funding requirements by fiscal year. These requirements were based on cost estimates that were generated using the best information available at the time, which included preparing for several security contingencies. It was the responsible approach to take.

Further to this, the government invited the Parliamentary Budget Officer to review these cost estimates prior to the summits as well as the Auditor General of Canada to review security costs following the summits. These actions ensured that Canadian taxpayers were informed of the funding requirements in an open and transparent manner.

In fact, the Parliamentary Budget Officer noted in his report, “the PBO does not feel the total cost of security of the 2010 G8 in Huntsville is unreasonable”.

I would also like to add that the Auditor General observed:

—I think we have to realize that security is expensive. There are a lot of people involved over a very long period of time...We may think that the meetings only last for a few days, but all the preparations involve extensive planning, extensive co-ordination for months before that.

Hosting two summits such as the G8 and G20 in such close proximity to each other was unprecedented and came with a tremendous responsibility to Canada as a host nation, not the least of which was security. The summits as well as the security operation that allowed them to take place were recognized as a unqualified success. Simply put, without security operations, the summits could not have been held.

The security operation in itself was the largest peacetime security operation in our history. To comply with Canada's international and domestic legal obligations, the provision of security was required for the summits. Summit security costs were higher than we would have liked, however, it was not a responsibility that could have been forsaken due to its cost.

Now that the summits have concluded, the Office of the Attorney General is in the midst of examining the security costs that were incurred for the summit. The Auditor General is receiving the full co-operation of the government and will continue to do so throughout the evaluation.

In addition to this, the government has provided full responses to all questions posed in the House and has recently ensured the availability of senior government officials for a technical briefing for the media.

The government is committed to being transparent and will report the full costs once they are known.

[Public Safety, November 22nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals opposite obviously have no sense about justice issues. That is why the member opposite talked about that.

We have no apologies for being strong on justice. Canadians expect prisoners to go to jail and serve their time. That is why the justice minister has brought forward a lot of legislation that Canadians have been looking for over a long period of time.

I would invite my colleagues opposite to get along with us and pass that legislation.

[G8 and G20 Summits, November 22nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the agreement was signed in March 2010 by Ontario minister Rick Bartolucci, whom I am sure the member opposite recognizes as a Liberal colleague.

I think many Canadians would agree with me that it is rather hypocritical of the federal Liberals to stand in this place and spout party rhetoric while their friends at Downsview Park refuse to release the expense reports of the Liberal candidate in Vaughan for when he was the CEO of Downsview Park.

The real question is why is Tony Genco hiding from Canadians, and why are his friends at Downsview Park refusing to release the information?

[G8 and G20 Summits, November 19th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I expect my colleague will be able to ask that member after November 29.

They were public statements made by the OPP that its costs were expected to come in well under budget. That summit was unprecedented in its success. We have been disclosing the full details to date of the costs of the summit. That is further proof of our government's commitment to transparency and accountability.

[G8 and G20 Summits, November 19th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, these silly questions will end after November 29.

However, I would remind my colleague across the aisle that the agreement was signed by Ontario minister Rick Bartolucci, who the member would probably recognize as a Liberal colleague. That was signed in March.

However, as the host of unprecedented back-to-back G8 and G20 summits, we are proud of their success.

As we have said all along, the majority of the costs for the summits were security-related. Approximately 20,000 security personnel were tasked with safeguarding both summits.

[G8 and G20 Summits, November 18th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, my friend across the aisle is frequently wrong about his issues. He talks about an extension cord. In actual fact, it was an electrical cable. There were 13 kilometres of electrical cable to provide power to the fence around Huntsville. It was required by the RCMP and utilized by it.

[G8 and G20 Summits, November 18th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the silly season opposite will end on November 29, but we do understand from public statements made by the OPP that in fact its costs are expected to come in well under budget.

[G8 and G20 Summits, November 18th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the security arrangement with the Ontario government states that it has until December 1, 2010 to submit all of its G8 and G20 security expenses.

As the member opposite knows, the deadline has been in place from the beginning of the agreement with the provincial government. In fact, this agreement was signed by Ontario minister Rick Bartolucci, a member of the Liberal caucus in Ontario.

Are the federal Liberals really suggesting that our Premier McGuinty would permit the OPP to waste taxpayer money?