Michael Ignatieff

[Afghanistan, October 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, denouncing the detainees as Taliban is an evasion of ministerial responsibility.

In May, the government rushed into a transfer agreement to end the scandal caused by its mismanagement. Since then, it has done nothing to ensure this accord is respected.

Does the government even know how many allegations of torture there have been since the agreement came into force in May? Why has the defence minister done nothing to ensure that the agreement is respected?

[Afghanistan, October 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, in the spring, the government said that there was no evidence of torture in Afghanistan, but today an authority in an Afghan prison said that, in fact, detainees are being tortured. As well, the Independent Afghan Human Rights Commission contends that a third of prisoners are tortured.

Since April, we have been asking this government to assume responsibility for protecting Afghan detainees. Why has nothing been done to ensure the agreement is respected?

[Afghanistan, October 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government says 2011. General Hillier says 2017. Our brave soldiers deserve better than that. Who speaks for Canada? Who is in charge of the mission? Who are we to believe, the Prime Minister or General Hillier?

[Afghanistan, October 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government has a long history of bungling this mission. After the detainee fiasco, it had to shuffle its ministers. Then it had to appoint an outside committee to do what ministers should be doing, which is to determine the future course after 2009. Now we learn that General Hillier and the government are at loggerheads.

Our troops deserve better. They deserve competent leadership. When will the Prime Minister start to provide it?

[Afghanistan, October 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that Canada's top soldier went to Afghanistan. The Prime Minister's Office apparently had no idea he was there. Then he contradicted the government's statement in the throne speech itself that Afghanistan would be able to defend itself by 2011.

Now the Prime Minister's press secretary has issued a public reprimand to Canada's top soldier, trying to bring him back into line. What is at stake here is the government's competence and its credibility.

When will the government get this mission under control? Who is in charge?

[Elections Canada, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, in committee, the Conservatives did everything they could to prevent having their election spending examined. In the House, they have done everything they can not to answer our questions.

When will the Conservative government do everything it can to tell the truth in this House?

[Elections Canada, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, not only did the Conservatives overspend their campaign limit by about $1 million, they are now bilking taxpayers for $780,000 worth of rebates they have no right to claim.

Then, to make matters worse, they are sticking Elections Canada with their legal tab. This is ludicrous: fleecing Canadians not once but twice for the same scam.

Why will the government not admit it is wrong, drop the lawsuit and save taxpayers the bill?

[Elections Canada, October 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Elections Canada has ruled that the Conservatives broke Canada's election law. They transferred federal money to ridings and then recycled it back again into their own coffers. It is called “in and out” and it is a scam.

Instead of owning up, they are taking Elections Canada to court and Canadian taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill. Will the minister tell the House how much it is going to cost Elections Canada to defend itself against a frivolous Conservative court action?

[Elections Canada, October 24th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, every time the government explains its election spending scheme, it says that it was acting within the law. But this is not true. Elections Canada has clearly stated that it is against the law.

Obviously, the Conservatives are trying to hide their embarrassment, but you can see it on their faces. Is that why they are trying to trigger an election? To hide everything?

[Elections Canada, October 24th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government cannot claim its election expenses scam is legal because Elections Canada says it is not.

The government cannot claim it is accountable to the House because it never answers a question we ask.

Will the Prime Minister get up in his place and commit that at the next election he will put a stop to in-and-out financing or is he in fact trying to do it again in the next election?