House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 54% of the vote.
Iraq February 18th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, we have not been asked and we do not intend to take part in a voluntary group. The government's policy is very clear. If there must be a war in Iraq, we want it to be approved by the Security Council. There may be another Security Council resolution. When the issue has been debated, we will see what we will do. However, our policy is to follow the directives set out by the Security Council.
Ethics February 18th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, I have explained it is a situation that does not occur very often, that it is a privately owned company. He named a trustee to run this asset and he ensured that he was briefed in the presence of Mr. Wilson once or twice a year about the results of what was happening. It is the same thing as a blind trust. We have the right to know once a year if we still have money in the blind trust. It is the same thing for the former minister of finance.
Ethics February 18th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the text is available on the website of Mr. Wilson who has to manage these situations that are different than when they have shares in other companies. It is a management organization where they have trustees who decide everything. However, like anybody who has a trust, he can be informed once or twice a year about the orientation of the company. He is still in a position to know what is going on without making any decision, but be sure that his assets are being protected as well as possible.
Ethics February 18th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, there are a few instances like that where a member of the cabinet is the owner of his own company and he has set that up to be managed by trustees and has not given any instructions to the trustees. However he has the right to be informed of the trend of the company, because there is no other way. It is not like having stocks that belong to the trust, it is a private company.
He acted on that file completely according to the rules and what was needed for good administration.
Ethics February 18th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, I have only to ask the Leader of the Opposition to do his homework. These regulations are on Mr. Wilson's website. He has only to check and it is all there. It describes how they have to operate when they have a situation of that nature. When people have their own company, they have to put it in a blind trust.
Ethics February 18th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for LaSalle—Émard, like all ministers, is required to follow the rules set out in the guide we provide to all ministers when they are appointed. When he was Minister of Finance, he fulfilled all his obligations. He followed all the rules he was given, and managed his affairs so as to be totally free of conflict of interest. That is what Mr. Wilson replied yesterday when he was questioned about this.
Ethics February 17th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, that question is completely out of order. This has nothing to do with the responsibilities of the Minister of Natural Resources. I know that the Minister of Natural Resources has always conducted himself in a very honourable way, always following the guidelines.
In fact, perhaps I could pay him a special tribute because he wanted to make sure that he followed all the guidelines. I offered that he come to cabinet in 1993 and he asked to stay out until all his papers and interests were in order. He should be complimented for that.
Ethics February 17th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, there was no giant loophole. I was not aware of any of these so-called accusations that are being made at this time. I always defended the Minister of Finance at that time. He was an honourable citizen serving us well. He is not a cabinet minister at the moment. He left the cabinet some time ago. Not being in cabinet, there is nothing I can say at the moment because he is not my responsibility as a cabinet minister any more.
Iraq February 17th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP does not even know if there will be a resolution proposed by the United States. I cannot reply about a resolution that does not exist yet. Perhaps we should see the resolution before we make a decision. That in my judgment would be what we are supposed to do.
Iraq February 17th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, we are not like the members of the NDP who say they will never ever follow their responsibilities as citizens of the world. There might be circumstances, if there was a request of the UN, that Canada will have to intervene somewhere. If we were asked we would, but at this moment we have been asked neither by the UN nor by the United States to participate in an offensive in Iraq. We do not want to reply to hypothetical questions. Our course still is and remains the rules of the UN.