James Moore

[Ethics, March 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, Chuck Cadman was not lying when he said there was no offer, as the Liberals are accusing us of making. Chuck Cadman spoke the truth. The Liberals can continue to throw all these kinds of accusations and falsehoods forward, but as George Will once said, these are like cobwebs trying to lasso a locomotive, and it is not going to work.

The truth stands on its own and the truth is that the only offer made to Chuck Cadman was our desire to have him rejoin the Conservative caucus, to present himself as a Conservative candidate and to continue to stand for the things that he believed in for the people of Surrey North.

[Ethics, March 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, those are obviously very tough words for the deputy leader. However, first, I would like to thank him for supporting and showing confidence in our government by supporting our budget last night. That was very good of him, and I thank him for that.

In fact, as has been said a number of times by Chuck Cadman himself and by the Prime Minister, the only offer that was put on the table to Chuck Cadman was our desire to see him present himself as a Conservative candidate and to get re-elected as a Conservative in a subsequent campaign. That was the only offer.

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, what matters here are the facts, again. The facts are that there was the one meeting and there was the one offer to Chuck Cadman for him to present himself as a Conservative candidate.

I wish the Liberals would embrace the facts, instead of running away from it like Superman from kryptonite, and recognize that there are some basic facts here. The facts are we made the one offer to Chuck Cadman to present himself as a Conservative, to rejoin our caucus and get re-elected as a Conservative. He was a good man, and we believe his word when he said that no other offer was made. Tom Flanagan and Doug Finley have corroborated that as well. This is the simple case of the fact of the matter.

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the only case made to Chuck Cadman was our case. We recognized that he was a fantastic member of Parliament. We wanted him to present himself as a Conservative candidate in a subsequent campaign. We asked him to rejoin the Conservative caucus. We said that we would give him assistance in a subsequent election campaign, that we were proud to have him as a colleague and that we wanted him to continue as a Conservative.

That is the only offer. That was the only thing put on the table. Doug Finley has said so. Tom Flanagan has said so. In fact, Chuck Cadman himself said so. My colleague does not have to take my word, but I hope he believes the word of Chuck Cadman.

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the allegations about the natural resources minister are just flat not true. However, I wonder, though, if the Liberals really believe in these allegations, if they really believe in their own rhetoric, last night why did only seven Liberal MPs show up to vote on their own budget amendment? If they really believe in their own rhetoric, if they really believe that the government should not continue to govern, then maybe we will see tonight whether they show up to vote and represent their constituents.

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I say this again for my colleague from Brampton. There was only the one meeting with Doug Finley and Tom Flanagan. That happened on the 19th. We have been clear and straightforward about that. It is the central truth of this.

I wish the Liberals would embrace the truth and recognize it as it sits before them plain as day.

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, why is my colleague from Beauséjour ignoring the truth and the facts?

The facts are clear. It is simple and it is public knowledge. Mr. Cadman himself said on two occasions, on CTV national television and on Global, that there was only one offer, that of May 19, 2005. Tom Flanagan and Doug Finley both said that all they wanted from Mr. Cadman was that he vote against the Liberals, return to the Conservative Party caucus and stand as a Conservative candidate in the next election. That was the only offer.

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, if my colleague from Beauséjour wants to present himself as an expert on Conservative nominations, he may want to read the Conservative constitution which says clearly that any member of Parliament who is a Conservative caucus member is automatically a party nominee.

Chuck Cadman would have automatically been a nominee. The member's comments about Dave Matta are not at all true.

Everything that we have said here has been consistent and straightforward. Chuck Cadman spoke the truth when he said no other offer was made. What my friend from Beauséjour is saying is not at all true.

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, as we have said a number of times, the only offer made to Chuck Cadman was made by Doug Finley and Tom Flanagan on May 19, 2005, when they talked to Chuck Cadman about rejoining the Conservative caucus and running as a Conservative candidate.

If the member for York Centre really believes in what he is saying, if he really believes his accusations against the Conservative Party, then maybe he will show up tonight and vote on the confidence motion on the budget tonight. He did not show up last night. Only seven Liberals showed up. The only Liberal MPs that--

[Ethics, March 4th, 2008]

There are children in the room. Members are scaring the children. Just calm down and listen to the answer.

Chuck Cadman was asked about this very issue by CTV:

Mr. Duffy: --Conservatives were prepared to offer you an unopposed nomination if you would vote with them, and also help with campaign funding and so on. Was that offer actually made?

Mr. Cadman: Well there was some talk about that. As far as the unopposed nomination, you know, the discussions did come up--

Mr. Duffy: So they were making an offer to you, and in the end you refused?

Mr. Cadman: Yes. Well, that was the only offer on anything that I had from anybody.