House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 61% of the vote.
Points of Order June 12th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Earlier today we had a unanimous consent to move on to orders of the day. At that point we lost presentation of petitions.
I would seek unanimous consent to return to routine proceedings specifically for the petitions segment.
Business of the House June 12th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, it being Thursday, we would like to find out from the government what we have on our plate for the rest of the day, for tomorrow, of course, and what it has up its sleeve for next week. Will we see a comprehensive aid plan for mad cow disease before we leave this place for the summer?
Government Contracts June 12th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, there is an “I do not know” to a whole lot of things.
The Prime Minister spirited his Quebec bagman out of the country before the RCMP could get to him. Accusations of patronage at Canada Lands, money laundering through sponsorship grants and insider trading on printing contracts all beg for a public judicial inquiry with Mr. Gagliano as the star witness.
Who is preventing the return of Mr. Gagliano from Denmark to testify?
Government Contracts June 12th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the minister of public works hides behind his lawyer's jargon and says he cannot comment on any investigation.
The minister claims he wants to avoid political interference, but unless his Danish predecessor is actually under investigation, we have to assume it is his political interference that is preventing that investigation.
Has the RCMP ever interviewed Alfonso Gagliano, or do we need to extradite him home from Denmark?
Agriculture June 12th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the mad cow crisis in western Canada is changing from mad cows to mad cowboys. The Liberals seem content to stand by and watch a vibrant industry grind to a halt.
That need not have happened if the Minister of Agriculture had only sent a strong signal of support for the beef industry.
Instead, the minister is using this crisis to push his own agenda. He is blackmailing the provinces to sign on to his third failed initiative, that much touted agricultural policy framework. Everybody in the west realizes that the APF can never work as a crisis management tool. It will not happen.
Folks in my part of Canada are always wary of Liberal posturing because we have worked through crises before on our own. The outbreak of CWD in our elk herd has been under control for more than two years now and still export borders are closed to our elk ranchers.
Where are the Minister for International Trade and the Minister of Agriculture when we really need them?
It is high time for the Liberal government to lead, follow or get the heck out of the way as the provinces step up and go to bat for the beef industry on their own.
Merchant Navy Veterans Day June 12th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, I move:
That the House do now proceed to the Orders of the Day.
Government Appointments June 11th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the minister is consistent and keeps claiming he will not interfere in police business but the longer the kingpin keeps Gagliano in exile the longer it will take to ventilate this scandal.
Now Denmark is saying goodbye to its unwelcome visitor with some Danish takeout.
Did the Prime Minister authorize the farewell before the rejection by the Vatican, or are the Danes just wanting to get rid of Gagliano too?
Government Appointments June 11th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Works constantly tries to assure us that corruption centred around Alfonso Gagliano is being looked into. He mentions the Auditor General and the RCMP and claims that the activities of specific public servants are being pursued under the Financial Administration Act.
That begs the question: Does Alfonso Gagliano fall under the category of specific public servant, or is he beyond the reach of any investigation?
Government Contracts June 10th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, we have ventilated everything but the truth in this matter.
It is clear to everyone that Gagliano is in the witness protection program in Denmark. Now they are going to serve him cold shoulder on June 17. Not even the Vatican can forgive this guy. It will not accept him as ambassador.
When will the Prime Minister call an independent judicial inquiry with Alfonso Gagliano as the star witness? When will the government do that?
Government Contracts June 10th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, Alfonso Gagliano doled out contracts and cash to his friends and relatives and then was the bagman for the Liberal Party.
When questioned about the Prime Minister's directions to him he said, and I quote, “He's the boss. I served the way he wanted me to serve”.
The RCMP did its job 10 years ago when it warned the Prime Minister not to appoint Gagliano to cabinet in the first place. Is the Prime Minister refusing to call a public inquiry into the activities of his hand-picked minister because he knows it will lead directly back to the PMO?