Jean Chrétien

[National Defence, April 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, that is what we do all the time. The mandate of the authorities, the soldiers and the commanders who are there is to ensure that they are well protected. Canadian soldiers are very competent and do their jobs well.

Unfortunately the friendly fire was by the Americans and we cannot blame the Canadians for an action done by somebody else.

[Ethics, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I guess I have just heard a leadership candidate. I would like to know if he has started to collect money. I say to the person who is sitting just in front of him, watch your back.

[Ethics, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, coming from that corner of the House, I am surprised to get a question like that.

This government has been in office for nine years. None of the cabinet ministers has been forced to resign because of this problem but we saw more than half a dozen in the few years that the Tories were in power.

[Kyoto Protocol, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Energy are working on this right now. They will, I hope, be in a position to put forward tangible proposals to the ministers of the provinces and territories in the coming weeks.

[Kyoto Protocol, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we have been saying for many months now that we wanted to consult the provinces and those with an interest in this issue. It is very important that we have co-ordination with the provinces so that an environmental protection plan can be implemented by Canadians. The matter is not closed.

Only this morning, just a few hours ago, I discussed this problem with Japan's Prime Minister, who is planning to ratify the accord. They too have certain problems. We are hoping that eventually, here in Canada and internationally, we will find common ground and that the accord can be signed by as many countries as possible, including Canada.

[Government of Canada, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the member just said that the letter was sent to me on April 12 of this year. Therefore, I could not act on them before I received them. I received them last week and I will act before the end of next month.

[Government of Canada, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I received a letter from the ethics counsellor last week and I want to see him because I think they need to be improved. When the regulations are ready, I will make them public. He was not there last week so I could not meet him.

I intend to meet him, and to discuss that with a few people. I hope that we will have rules ready to tabled in the House before the end of May.

[Government of Canada, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, there is no leadership race at this time. I know the other party had a race a few weeks ago and it has not given the names and the amount of money that has been collected. It dares to tell us to do something that it does not do itself.

There will be rules when there is a leadership campaign. I have said that in the House of Commons and I have said that in caucus, but in due course, and probably quite soon.

[Government of Canada, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, the Leader of the Opposition was very happy that we had a Challenger to take him to Trenton. I invited him and he went on the plane. He had no scruples using the plane to go to pay tribute to the soldiers there. I would like to give the facts and stop that hypocrisy.

I said, yes, that there will be guidelines. People have the right to organize, like the opposition parties, if there is a leadership campaign. There eventually will be a leadership campaign. I do not think that I will be here for another 30 years, so some day some of these kids who are around me can hope to take over from me.

[Government of Canada, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the ethics counsellor appears four or five times a year in front of a committee to report on lobbyists to the committee and to the House of Commons.

When he advises the Prime Minister on the responsibilities of the Prime Minister he has to talk to the Prime Minister. However on the other matters he can do that through the committee of the House and he has done it many times.

The reality is that since this government has been in operation, almost nine years, not one minister has been obliged to resign because of corruption.