Jean Chrétien

[Ethics Counsellor, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the ethics counsellor appears before the committee all the time. This institution did not exist. It was established with the agreement of the opposition party in 1993.

I think that on the other side we had one member who used all the money to help another person for his campaign. It was well publicized, the member for Calgary Southeast. He used all that he had at that point going everywhere, not to educate the Canadian people but to try to have for this House a better leader than the one we will have next week.

[Ethics Counsellor, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to inform the hon. member but she was included in that survey because it stated that all politicians were like that.

It is because of the irresponsibility that we see in the House of Commons that they are painting themselves in the corner.

[Ethics Counsellor, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, at the request of the committee, the ethics counsellor has appeared in front of the committee many times in a year. He already reports regularly to the House of Commons.

I do not understand why they have problems. If I ask for his advice he gives me advice. If the hon. member wants to ask him for advice he will give her advice because that is his role.

If people want to know what he is doing, he appears before the committee and has not refused to debate any issue in front of the committee of the House of Commons.

[Ethics Counsellor, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, in 10 days from now I will have my eighth leader of the opposition on the front bench. Since that party has had a new leader the quality of the questions has gone down. I see the former leader smiled when I said that.

[Ethics Counsellor, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, there was no ethics counsellor before we formed the government. When we introduced this concept it was approved by the opposition. An individual's name was sent to the leader of the Alliance, the Reform Party at that time, and the name was approved. The individual was praised by the member of parliament who was the critic and he was praised by Mr. Bouchard who was the leader of the opposition at that time. It was understood that the ethics counsellor would advise ministers, members of parliament and appear before committees to reply to all questions. This is accountability. If he gave advice to me, he gave advice to me. If he gave advice to a minister, he gave advice--

[Public Safety Act, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, for the past nine years, I have realized that the louder the hon. member speaks, the less sure he is of his argument.

I would simply respond that he has just indicated that the law will be illegal. If we enact illegal legislation, the courts will say it is illegal. There is a justice system in place. So if the law is not valid, he need not worry; the courts will dismiss it.

[Public Safety Act, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the member can go before the committee.

This information is, I am told, made available to the U.S. authorities for security reasons. Thought is being given to this being required within Canada as well, as it is in the United States. We are prepared to discuss this at the committee.

Therefore, let him go before the committee, where he will hear the views of the ministers responsible and their departmental staff. Eventually, it will be up to the House to decide.

[Public Safety Act, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I said that if the hon. member is not pleased with any measure contained in the bill, he can go before the committee and explain why. The deputy minister and public officials will answer his questions.

But why make a big fuss now, considering that he will have the opportunity to raise all the issues that he wants before the committee in the coming weeks?

[Public Safety Act, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member wants to raise these issues, that is fine with me.

At this point, we have a bill before parliament. This legislation will go through second reading and then be referred to a committee. The hon. member will have the opportunity to raise all these issues before the committee. It goes without saying that if he is right, adjustments will be made. Bills are reviewed in the House and then referred to a committee precisely to be improved if necessary.

[Ethics Counsellor, May 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, whenever there has been a case to be referred to the police it has been done, since we formed the government, but I see this person who tried to raise money himself, and he probably failed badly in his own leadership, and he has never given the names of the people who gave him money a few months ago.