Paul Calandra

[Ethics, May 8th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is the members opposite who are engaged in buffoonery when they think that Canadian taxpayers do not care about the $2.7 million they used illegally. It is no wonder that the new premier of Alberta is trying to distance herself from this crew over here. It is a shame, because they came to Ottawa and said they would be different. They said they would be different when they were elected, but they are no different than the Liberal Party. They are the same group of people illegally using the taxpayers' money and refusing to pay it back. I hope they will finally do the right thing and repay the millions of dollars they owe the Canadian taxpayer.

[Ethics, May 8th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have answered that. Again, I will repeat that this is obviously before the court, and the member knows that it would be inappropriate for me to comment.

However, it is a sad day, because still there are 68 members of the NDP who owe taxpayers some $2.7 million. I understand that they have admitted their guilt and are trying to seek a settlement on this. They have actually taken it away from the court, they have admitted their guilt, and they are trying to seek a settlement. I think Canadian taxpayers will settle for the full $2.7 million they owe them.

[Ethics, May 8th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have already answered that question many times. This matter is before the court, so it would be inappropriate for me to comment.

However, as I said yesterday, a number of New Democrats used House resources to violate the rules of the House.

In fact, the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent used $31,888 to support an illegal office in Montreal and is refusing to repay the taxpayers of her riding. I hope she will do the right thing and repay taxpayers that $31,000.

[Ethics, May 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, that is obviously an affair between Elections Canada and Mr. Bowers. We will allow the process to unfold.

There are very clear rules that the NDP members themselves broke. We bring in the rules; they actually break the rules. This is the party that accepted, illegally, $350,000 worth of union donations, against the rules. This is a party in which 68 members owe $2.7 million. Another 23 members owe over $1 million. This is a party convicted of robocalls.

Our Minister for Democratic Reform has brought in rules that will continue to make elections fair.

They will continue to break the rules.

[Ethics, May 7th, 2015]

Again, Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question on a number of occasions.

Again, when it comes to ethics, let me quote from the judges who were reviewing our boundaries: “the first hint of what the Commission considers to be inappropriate involvement by a Member of Parliament in the electoral redistribution process”.

This member has the nerve to get up in the House and ask questions about ethics when he was doing one of the worst things any member of Parliament could do: try to influence judges reviewing our boundaries in his favour. He was probably worried, because he voted against the abolition of the gun registry, which he promised his constituents he would not. That is why he was trying to gerrymander his riding.

[Ethics, May 7th, 2015]

Obviously, Mr. Speaker, I completely reject the member opposite's question, and I have answered the question, but let us bear in mind who is asking the question. This is a member who was singled out by the judges who were reviewing our boundaries as somebody who was trying to inappropriately influence the process. He was one of two members in this entire House who was singled out. The only other person singled out was another member of the NDP, for breaking the rules, so when it comes to ethics, this is certainly not a member who anybody in the House should ever take a lesson from, no one. He could help, though, by repaying the $2.7 million.

[Ethics, May 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have already answered that question. This case is before the court, and it would be inappropriate for me to comment.

Unfortunately for that member, she used nearly $30,000 intended for her riding for an illegal office in Montreal. I hope she will do the right thing and repay the taxpayers in her riding immediately.

[Ethics, May 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question.

Imagine this member of Parliament getting up and asking a question about accountability. This is a member of Parliament who was given resources by the taxpayers to use for her riding, and the member instead used it in an illegal office in Montreal. The member owes the taxpayers $30,000, and that does not include interest, which is compounding every single day. I would encourage her, for her residents and for her riding, to pay it back.

[Ethics, May 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, this is hardly a time to be reminding the people of Ontario about Bob Rae, because Ontarians remember what Bob Rae did to their economy. They remember the billions of dollars of deficits, the high taxes, and the millions of people who were unemployed. They remember the Rae days. They do not want to go back to that. They are going to do everything to make sure that they do not.

Instead, they have a government on this side of the House that is focusing on the economy and on putting more money in their pockets so they can invest in their future and their family's future. We will continue to do that for a long time to come, because it is the right thing for Canada and for Canadians.

[Ethics, May 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question on a number of occasions. As we know, the case is in front of the courts, so I will allow the courts to do their work.

Again, I would ask the Liberals to help us out, and help all Canadians out, by helping us find that $40 million they stole from Canadians.

At the same time, on this side of the House, we are doing our best to ensure that our economy continues to grow and that the real Canadian taxpayers have money in their pockets so that they can reinvest in their future and in their family's future. We will continue doing that for a long time to come.