Mike Bossio

[Canada Elections Act, June 15th, 2017]

I rise on a point of order, Mr. Speaker. There have been a number of misleading statements around the cash for access—

[Canada Elections Act, June 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, it is all smoke and mirrors. The Conservatives like to talk a good game. Let us face it. The Conservatives created a system that was flawed. Bill C-50 would fix those flaws and add a level of transparency. These events in future would provide a list of individuals who paid more than $200 to attend a fundraiser.

Does the member not agree that Bill C-50 would correct the issues that existed under the previous system and add transparency and accountability to those fundraising rules?

[Canada Elections Act, June 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I will retract that. There was a barbecue hosted at Senator St. Germain's ranch. The original barbecue was open to the public, but then there was a special tent set off to the side for special Conservatives, who would pay $1,000 to have the then prime minister come and meet with them and have—

[Canada Elections Act, June 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I find it rich to hear members on the other side talk about fundraising and how they are so lily-white about everything they do.

A member on the other side was talking in the same manner, when in fact, she would have barbecues, and the barbecues would be open to the public—

[Canada Elections Act, June 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I have the highest level of regard for my colleague across the way. We served on the environment committee together. I appreciate his passion.

However, we have a Prime Minister in this country who has truly made himself accessible to so many Canadians from small towns like those in my riding. In Napanee, 180 people came out to meet the Prime Minister. He met with each and every one of them. He stopped and had a conversation with them. They had serious issues that they wanted to raise directly with the Prime Minister and they had the opportunity to do so. They were so appreciative afterward of that opportunity. Many of them came up to me afterward and said they voted NDP or Conservative in the last election and did not even think they would be able to get through the door given how these things had typically been done in the past.

Would the member not agree that this level of accessibility is truly what Canadians are looking for? Would he not agree that fundraising is a reality that exists within our political system?

[Main Estimates, 2017-18, June 14th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, once again I appreciate the opportunity to address the question. I think the member misses something very important, and actually I am very disappointed in his negative, cynical view of the Senate and its ability to be that chamber of sober second thought. We have created an incredible democracy in this country, and the Senate is an integral part of that democracy as long as it is not a rubber-stamp chamber as existed under the previous government. When it is actually there and it is enabled to do the job that it was meant to do under the original Constitution that was framed in this country, it serves as a tremendous benefit to all Canadians.

[Main Estimates, 2017-18, June 14th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I would remind the member of the benefits of the Westminster-style democratic system we have in our great country. We have a chamber that provides sober second thought. It is by appointing such qualified individuals as we have under this new process that we enable that chamber to provide sober second thought to the elected officials, where the final decision is made. That is of utmost importance.

Canadians have elected us as members of the House to make those large decisions, but as long as we continue to appoint highly qualified senators that come with different areas of expertise, which perhaps some members of the House may not have, it only makes our system that much better and that much stronger. That will continue to benefit Canadians for generations to come.

[Main Estimates, 2017-18, June 14th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, the question allows me to shine a light upon this really outstanding process that has selected highly respected, well-thought-of experts in their fields to be now part of the Senate. That would never have happened previously, especially in the previous government. We saw what happened under the previous government, the absolute mess it created and the toxic environment it created within the Senate.

I am so grateful that we have had the opportunity to bring these incredible senators to the red chamber. They are going to benefit all Canadians for many years to come.

[Main Estimates, 2017-18, June 14th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for giving me the opportunity to talk about the outstanding backgrounds that these senators bring to the chamber, whether it is finance, or dealing with indigenous issues, women's issues, tax issues, all of them. It adds to robust debate in both chambers that we can have, respect, and maybe agree on amendments in some cases, as we did with assisted dying, and not in other cases.

It is up to the Senate to do what it feels is the right thing to do, because that is the right thing to do. When they bring that to the House, we will determine whether we agree it is the right thing and that it would benefit all Canadians after our chamber has had its ability to debate the same issues.

[Main Estimates, 2017-18, June 14th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I am very supportive of the members in the red chamber and the work they are doing. It is a testament to their independence that they have come back to the House with outstanding amendments and recommendations on different bills. In fact, they came back with some very thoughtful, provocative, and carefully thought-out amendments for the bill on medical assistance in dying that this government did accept.

Therefore, I agree that this totally validates why we have made the changes we have made to the chamber, and we will continue to do so because it increases the level of diversity of thought. The different life experiences that these senators bring allow us to send bills to the Senate chamber that we know will come back after careful thought and deliberation.