Michael Ignatieff

[Afghanistan, March 9th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the issue here is getting to the bottom of this matter.

Justice Iacobucci has no mandate, no subpoena powers and no tools to do the job. Allegation follows allegation, including the allegation that the government allowed rendition to occur. This is a serious matter.

We have now learned that the government was more concerned with preventing political fallout, with the media management of this, than preventing torture.

Justice Iacobucci is ready to serve. Why will the Prime Minister not give him the powers to hold a full public inquiry?

[Afghanistan, March 9th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, every day brings new information about the Afghan detainee scandal.

Yesterday we learned that the government was preparing its damage control strategy in March 2007, months before torture was reported in the press. That means that the government knew full well that credible reports of torture would eventually come to light, so the government's credibility is shot. It is caught in a scandal of its own making because it will not tell Canadians the truth.

Why will the Prime Minister not put an end to this charade and call a public inquiry?

[Afghanistan, March 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, first the government hid behind the Canadian Forces, and now it is hiding behind Justice Iacobucci.

The judge does not have a clear mandate, nor does he have the authority he needs to carry out his task.

Canadians want the truth, they need the truth, and they have a right to know the truth. Every day brings more questions.

Why did the Prime Minister refuse to hold a public inquiry? What does he have to hide?

[Afghanistan, March 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the government's record on this lacks all credibility. It shut the House down to avoid questions on this subject. It has withheld uncensored evidence from Parliament. Now it has asked the justice to decide what evidence Parliament should and should not see, but how can he do his job properly? We have not even seen the mandate. We have not even seen his authority.

Why not give Canadians the truth? Why not appoint a full public inquiry to get to the bottom of this sorry affair?

[Afghanistan, March 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, every day there are new allegations about Afghan detainees. Recently we have seen reports about the role of CSIS in interrogation and detainee transfers. These are disturbing reports, but the government keeps holding back the truth.

It has now appointed Justice Iacobucci, for whom we have great respect. We share those sentiments entirely, but if he does not have the power, if he does not have the authority, if he only sees what the government wants him to see, how can he get at the truth?

Why will the Prime Minister not do the right thing and appoint a full public inquiry?

[International Women's Day, March 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honour of International Women's Day.

Forty years ago, the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada made important recommendations in a number of areas, such as daycare and preschool education; increasing the number of female MPs and judges; and equal pay for work of equal value.

The hopes and dreams of 1970 remain the challenges of 2010.

On International Women's Day we renew our commitment to equal opportunity, now decades overdue. We salute our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, our friends, the women who built this country and keep it strong. We pledge to keep faith with their spirit and to achieve our shared ideals.

We have done some good things together, but we must do more, and we will.

[Pensions, March 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, he should try that with those who put their faith in the Conservatives' income trust promise.

The government promised a plan for the pensions crisis in the last budget. Then the parliamentary secretary said he was holding “consultations”. Then the Prime Minister shut down Parliament in order to recalibrate. Nothing came of any of it. There is nothing in this budget on pensions.

The old Reform MPs, including the Prime Minister, got their pensions. What about Canadian seniors?

[Pensions, March 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, that is not an answer to the question.

The Liberal Party made specific suggestions with regard to pensions: a supplement for the Canada Pension Plan, an emergency fund and increased protection for long-term disability. These proposals would have allowed millions of Canadians to have peace of mind in their retirement.

Why did they settle for a mere holiday over our pertinent proposals?

[Pensions, March 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, millions of seniors are worried because they do not have enough savings for their retirement. Their savings are at risk because their employers are not on solid ground. They depend on old age security and the Canada pension plan, a system that is in crisis. In this budget, all the government has to offer those who fear poverty is a holiday.

Why has the government abandoned the seniors of our country?

[The Budget, March 5th, 2010]

Class, I need lessons in class from the other side of the House?

The choices before this country are clear. They are the choices between a party that has had the responsibility of government, two other parties on the other side that have had no responsibility of government at the federal level and a Conservative Party that offers us a dark and endless downward spiral into austerity cuts, freezes and gimmicks.