House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 58% of the vote.
Member for Newton—North Delta June 10th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was informed of the intention of the member for Newton—North Delta to cross the floor of the House and join the Liberal caucus. He told his senior adviser and the Minister of Health that no offer was to be made, and none was made. If members opposite have any other information at this time, it should be provided to the RCMP, which will decide whether or not an investigation is required and will act accordingly.
Audiotaped Conversations June 10th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister will admit to no such thing because it is not the truth.
The truth is the member for Newton—North Delta sought to cross the floor. The Prime Minister was aware of that. He advised his chief of staff and the Minister of Health not to make any offers. None were made.
Now those people would want the Prime Minister's chief of staff and the Minister of Health to step aside on the basis of tapes that have been doctored, spliced, sliced and shrunk from four hours to two hours. Even their partisan experts recognize that they have been tampered with.
Audiotaped Conversations June 10th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, if there is someone who has gone into hiding, it is certainly not the Prime Minister's chief of staff. It may be someone else on that side of the House.
However, there is mention of tapes. I still wonder how these members subscribe to the theory of pristine tapes when five independent experts, not partisan experts, have testified that these tapes have been altered, doctored, spliced, sliced and reduced from four hours to two hours.
To ask for anybody to step aside on the basis of such tapes is ludicrous.
Audiotaped Conversations June 10th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, I was not singing and dancing and I am sure the hon. member would not want to see me singing and dancing.
It is quite clear that the member for Newton—North Delta indicated he wanted to cross the floor. The Prime Minister was aware of that. The Prime Minister said that no offers were to be made. None were made and that is that.
If the member has any information that is contrary or additional to that, he is welcome to and he should send it over to the RCMP or to the Ethics Commissioner. The Ethics Commissioner and the RCMP will do what they have to do according to their mandate.
Audiotaped Conversations June 10th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister indicated quite clearly in the House yesterday that he and everyone who worked in the Prime Minister's office would cooperate fully with the Ethics Commissioner in terms of his work.
That is on the record, and I do not see where the problem is.
Sponsorship Program June 8th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, first, the lawyers representing the Liberal Party have been paid less than those representing the Conservative Party at the Gomery commission.
But enough is enough. What the member is claiming today is just the opposite of what was said yesterday. The unit in the Privy Council Office responsible for coordinating the responses of five departments to the Gomery commission responded in a timely and accurate fashion to the requests of the commission, which is said to have resulted in more than 20 million pages of documentation.
If the member did not understand the answers, or if he refuses to understand them, he can check the transcript of yesterday's testimony.
Sponsorship Program June 8th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, this is gross disinformation of what was said at committee yesterday.
What was said at committee yesterday was that there was a coordinating unit in PCO to make sure all the responses from five government departments were made at the appropriate time and in a timely manner to respond to the requests of the Gomery commission.
Over 20 million pages of documentation have been given to the commission via this group, plus all the monitoring and all the help to the Crown counsel to prepare the witnesses so they are aware of their rights and their obligations. That is what was said at committee yesterday, not what the member is insinuating today.
Democratic Reform June 7th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, there were two questions. On the first one, the answer is the same: wait until we vote on it and he will see how people vote.
In terms of the government's response to the committee, we are waiting for the report. We hope that the committee will report and recommend to the House, as the House unanimously asked for, a process to consult Canadians on democratic reform and democratic renewal including electoral reform. The government indeed will take the recommendations of the report very seriously.
Democratic Reform June 7th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the bill he refers to will be debated for the second hour tomorrow. If the member waits patiently, he will find out how everybody intends to vote tomorrow night.
Business of the House June 3rd, 2005
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I propose:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on June 7, 2005, a take note debate shall take place on the subject of supply management.