John McCallum

[Privilege, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I would certainly leave it to your wisdom as to whether this is a question of privilege. I do not know the answer to that. Perhaps I can give a very brief explanation of my understanding of the facts.

First, the question had been answered by the Prime Minister and I referred the hon. member to the Prime Minister's answer.

Second, I did not say it was a policy of mine not to answer questions from the Canadian Alliance. A colleague of the hon. member had raised the matter of answering questions before and it occurred to me that, not as a policy but on this particular issue of exchange soldiers and ships, I perhaps had a tendency to treat the questions of the Bloc and the NDP somewhat more seriously than the questions from members of the Canadian Alliance. I gave three reasons for that. The first was the fact that the Canadian Alliance agreed with our position on ships and soldiers, unlike the NDP and the Bloc. Second, their argument seemed to hinge on the allegation that we cared less about our soldiers than they did, a point to which I took very strong exception. Third, all of those other arguments having failed, Canadian Alliance members seem to resort to name calling.

That was the gist of my answer.

[Iraq, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already answered that question very clearly.

In terms of my answering of questions, I will acknowledge I am somewhat more reluctant to answer questions from Alliance members regarding ships and exchange soldiers. First of all, because they agree with us on these matters and then they go accusing us of not caring about our soldiers, which is ridiculous. When that fails, they resort to name calling.

That explains my reluctance to address their questions with the same seriousness that I apply to the Bloc and the NDP.

[Canadian Forces, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated before, I refuse to engage in a debate that uses our brave troops in the Middle East as a political football. I simply will not do that.

[Canadian Forces, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I never said, “What is the fuss?” I am extremely aware that war is always a tragic event, where many people on both sides die. The idea that the hon. member should suggest that I ever intimated that there was no fuss about war, one of the most tragic events that can ever befall mankind, simply indicates that the opposition has little understanding of the fundamentals of life.

[Iraq, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I stand prepared to answer any question. I prefer a sensible, non-repetitive question but I am here for any question.

However if the hon. member uses up all his time saying that we do not answer their questions, he has no time for a question which I cannot therefore answer.

[Iraq, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am trying to be polite and subdued today because I am somewhat concerned as to the reaction with which the opposition might explode. The simple answer to this question is that the hon. member himself should not object to any Canadian troops being involved because he himself would like to see a far larger involvement than the government.

I do not really know what he is complaining about but the rationale for the involvement of our ships and our exchange soldiers has been explained many times in the House.

[Iraq, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think it is necessary to question the competence of our public officials. There have been all sorts of accusations in the House. It is not the fault of these officials, who are doing their job.

There appear to be anecdotal possibilities. We are continuing to research the matter but it is not certain whether or not we will uncover any cases.

[Iraq, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, this seems to be a daily question. I can tell the member that the research continues.

I would add that the government's decision was clearly not based on such precedents, because we still do not know what these precedents are. The decision was made for other reasons that I have explained a thousand times in the House.

[Iraq, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, Canadian soldiers do not have permission to use these mines, no matter what the soldiers they work with are doing.

[Iraq, April 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, soldiers in the Canadian Forces are not allowed to use or work with such mines.