Leon Benoit

[Points of Order, September 18th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

In question period, the parliamentary secretary to the public works minister, the member for York West, said that she could not respond to a question because there was an RCMP investigation going on. I then asked a question and gave her an opportunity to confirm that in fact there was an RCMP investigation going on, and she refused to do that.

How can we have a parliamentary secretary to a minister hiding behind an RCMP investigation and then not confirming that in fact there is one taking place?

[Government Contracts, September 18th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period the parliamentary secretary said that she does not comment on RCMP investigations such as the one that is currently going on regarding the Royal LePage contract being cancelled.

Would the parliamentary secretary in fact confirm that there is an RCMP investigation going on regarding the cancelled Royal LePage contract and, if so, who initiated that investigation?

[Petitions, September 17th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to present the latest petition in a series of petitions resulting from the violent and brutal death of Dana Fair. The petitioners call on the government to disallow bail for any accused murderers caught in the act of committing their crime and to impose only the maximum sentence available in situations like this where they are convicted.

[Government Contracts, September 16th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that in spite of what the minister says we saw another summer of scandals: a $1.4 billion Royal LePage contract, so bad it had to be re-tendered; Allan McGuire writing himself $250,000 worth of cheques, never audited; the department purposely bankrupting a Canadian company; and now the Liberal Party is under investigation. Canadians do not believe that corruption will end with the claims of the minister.

To deal with the sponsorship scandals, will the government initiate a judicial inquiry into the sponsorship program?

[Government Contracts, September 16th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, Communication Coffin is facing 18 fraud charges. A 2000 public works audit red flagged that company. Wrongdoing was exposed, yet the government continued to award new contracts. Corruption and political interference continue. Rules by themselves will not end political corruption. Political interference must end and ministers must be held accountable.

Will the government initiate a judicial inquiry into the public works scandals that will include recalling the former public works minister, Alfonso Gagliano?

[Government Contracts, September 15th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, this government's actions in the past in fact clearly have not solved the problem and the government cannot distance itself from ministerial responsibility. The fact is, the minister is responsible for his department. If there is criminal conduct at the public works department, the minister must be held accountable. Why is the former minister not being held accountable and why is a judicial inquiry being refused? Who in this government will be held accountable?

[Government Contracts, September 15th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is rolling out its prosecutions in the Gagliano Groupaction affair. First up is Liberal supporter Paul Coffin of Communication Coffin, who has been charged with 18 counts of fraud. We can expect a number of others in the weeks to come, but the one person we will not see is the former public works minister. Why will the government not initiate a judicial inquiry into the sponsorship program that will include recalling the former public works minister, Alfonso Gagliano?

[Petitions, June 13th, 2003]

Madam Speaker, the third group is on the issue of stem cell research.

The petitioners say that thousands of Canadians suffer from debilitating illnesses such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer and so on, and that there is a lot of potential to provide cures through stem cell research.

They call on Parliament to refuse the use of embryonic stem cells and to focus instead on adult stem cell research which can provide cures for these diseases.

[Petitions, June 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the second group of petitions is on child pornography. The petitioners call for the House of Commons to say that the use of child pornography is condemned clearly by all Canadians.

They therefore call upon Parliament to protect our children by taking the necessary steps to ensure that all materials which promote and glorify pedophilia or sado-masochistic activities involving children are outlawed.

[Petitions, June 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I have three groups of petitions that I would like to present today.

The first has to do with marriage. The petitioners say that marriage is the best foundation for families and the raising of children and that the institution of marriage is between a man and a woman, and that is being challenged.

The petitioners therefore ask that Parliament to pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage as being between a man and a woman.