James Moore

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is conducting an independent investigation and can certainly answer those questions. We have been very clear from the beginning: the RCMP will of course have access to all the information and documents it needs to do its job.

The NDP leader should show us how he plans to respect the RCMP. Clearly, he failed to do so earlier today on Parliament Hill.

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, that is the same question. For the fourth time, here is the same answer.

As I told her colleague, an investigation is under way and the RCMP will have access to all the information and documents it needs. The government did not have access to a personal cheque written by Mr. Wright.

The process will continue and we will respect it. Thank you.

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, an independent process is under way, and the RCMP will look into the matter and examine all of the relevant documents.

However, this is a very interesting day for the New Democrats to ask the government to respect the RCMP. It is not the Conservative leader who behaves that way on Parliament Hill. It is not the Conservative leader who behaves that way when he drives. It is not the NDP leader who should lecture anybody about respecting the decency of the RCMP.

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we have already answered these questions very clearly: it was a personal cheque. We do not have access to a personal cheque from one individual to another. This is an independent process, and the RCMP is independent of the government. It will certainly look into this matter, and it will have access to any documents it requires.

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I am afraid that the leader of the Liberal Party beat the member to this very question, and I answered that.

If the member for Timmins—James Bay wants to live by that standard, perhaps he could answer this question. Is the leader of the NDP being investigated for running five stop signs? Is the leader of the NDP being investigated for not listening to an RCMP officer? Is the leader of the NDP, at some point, going to show up in the House and apologize to Canadians for breaking the law?

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it is an important question and those who break the law should be held accountable, which is why the RCMP is looking into the matter of Senate expenses. That is why the Auditor General is looking into this matter as well.

It is also why we, as a House, should be asking and getting serious answers from the NDP about why the NDP leader thinks he can flaunt the law, confront RCMP officers, ignore them when they try to pull him over and then not show up in the House of Commons to be accountable.

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, again, as we have said, we do not direct the RCMP. The RCMP is independent and its members can answer whatever questions the member opposite has with regard to the nature in which they are approaching this very question.

Just as the Liberal Party can only answer the questions that taxpayers have about the money that was taken from them and given to their friends, the Liberal senators.

The very central question is $231,000 taken from taxpayers by Liberal Senator Mac Harb and the leader of the Liberal Party says, “As long as he pays the money, he is perfectly welcome to come back as a Liberal”. He stole the money and the Liberal leader should—

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, of course, the RCMP is independent. The RCMP can speak to the RCMP's investigation, just as only the Liberal leader can speak to the Liberal senators. Indeed, Liberal Senator Mac Harb took $231,000.

I hear the leader of the Liberal Party say that he is not a Liberal senator. He was sure a Liberal when he stole the money. Again, if the leader of the Liberal Party believes in accountability and responsibility, perhaps he should answer this simple question: How much money does a Liberal senator have to steal before they are not welcome in the Liberal Party?

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, an investigation is being conducted into this matter and we will certainly respect this process. As we said yesterday in the House of Commons, it was Mr. Wright's personal cheque and that is why we do not have access to that cheque.

However, we have a real question for the leader of the Liberal party concerning Senator Mac Harb. He wants to talk about the Senate, Senate reform and senators' accountability. Why is it all right for the leader of the Liberal Party to protect Mac Harb, who has to pay back $231,000 to taxpayers? The Leader said that if Senator Harb reimburses that money, he can return to the Liberal Party. What standards are we talking about here?

[Ethics, June 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague knows very well, the Ethics Commissioner operates independently and is following the rules and following the RCMP investigation into this matter, but what is equally important for the NDP members, if they want to be so self-righteous, as they are every day, about the importance of following the rules, respecting the law and demonstrating leadership by example, it would be great if the leader of the NDP would actually show up in Parliament.

We know he is on the Hill. He was in a real hurry to get here today--