Paul Calandra

[Ethics, April 29th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP and the Liberals are trying to make a victim out of Mike Duffy. We know why they are doing this.

The NDP, of course, has to answer for the fact that 68 of its members illegally used the resources of this House, pretending that it was hiring people in its Ottawa offices but sending them to Montreal, against the rules of this House.

The Liberals and the NDP together account for almost $45 million in illegal House of Commons and taxpayers' resources. They promised to pay it back. They never did. They are in front of the courts. Both parties want to create a coalition.

My gosh—

[Ethics, April 29th, 2015]

Obviously, Mr. Speaker, I completely reject the premise of that question.

It is actually New Democrats who are in front of the courts. They are in front of the courts because 68 of their members illegally used the resources of the House of Commons, of taxpayers, for illegal offices in Montreal. They owe $2.7 million to the taxpayers of Canada. The Leader of the Opposition owes some $400,000 and 67 other of his members owe the rest of that money.

I would encourage him to do the right thing for taxpayers and pay the money back.

[Ethics, April 29th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, there is a constitutional practice on this that has been clear for almost 150 years.

Speaking about misrepresenting the truth, how about the NDP which has 68 members of Parliament who, contrary to the rules of the House, paid for partisan political offices in Montreal. In fact, the Leader of the Opposition himself owes the Canadian taxpayer more than $400,000. He refuses to pay that money back. He broke the rules. He and the 67 other members of his party ought to pay that money back to taxpayers.

[Ethics, April 29th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is really a shame that the NDP is trying to make a victim out of Mike Duffy right now. This government will continue to provide every possible assistance to the crown in its case against Mr. Duffy, but it is Mr. Duffy's actions that are in front of the court.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, of course, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on evidence before the court.

[Government Advertising, April 27th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, that is kind of rich coming from a member opposite, when 68 members of his own party illegally used resources of this House to fund an illegal office, a partisan NDP office, in Montreal.

It was 68 members, and that does not even include the 23 other members who actually illegally used resources to fund advertising, in the middle of a by-election campaign, for another $1 million.

Between the NDP and the Liberals, some $45 million of taxpayer money is outstanding. It would be nice if they paid it back.

[Ethics, April 27th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I reject the premise of that question, but there is another really important question.

There are 68 NDP members who used House resources in violation of the rules of this place. The member who asked this question used over $25,000 in violation of the rules of the House. I hope that she will do the right thing and pay taxpayers back the more than $25,000 she owes them.

[Ethics, April 27th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I completely reject the premise of the question and I will not comment on matters that are in front of the court.

The member could help me and Canadians recover the $2.7 million that the NDP owes them for illegal offices. That is $2.7 million that 68 members of the NDP caucus owe the Canadian taxpayers and I actually have not gone into the $1.1 million it owes for illegal advertising as well. Perhaps in a supplementary we could talk about that.

[Genocide Recognition, April 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for bringing this motion forward. On the weekend, a number of people were in downtown Toronto in remembrance of the Armenian genocide. Across this country, we often stop and remember what has happened.

I wonder if the member could speak more emotionally to how important it is to remember, not only for government and for us, but for the victims and the people who have suffered through this.

[Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015, April 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, let me congratulate the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety. She is doing a fabulous job for her constituents in Scarborough Centre.

This is very important legislation. We have put forward a legislative process that would help protect Canadians. It would help protect Canadians at home and abroad and it would work effectively with our international partners to do that.

The member is quite correct when she talks about some of the misleading statements that have been coming from the members opposite. Perhaps they have not read the bill. I truly believe most of them have read the bill and understand it. However, when we look at what the Liberals in particular have said about this, the leader of the Liberal Party actually got on a stage in British Columbia. Also, the member for Malpeque said earlier today that the only reason the Liberals are supporting this is not because they actually believe in the legislation and how important it is to protect Canadians, but they do not want Canadians to hold it against them if they vote against the bill. That is the Liberal position on this. They do not want Canadians to hold it against them if they vote in favour of the bill.

That speaks to how important the bill is, not only to Conservative members of Parliament but how important it is to Canadians that we pass the bill and do all that we can to ensure the safety and security of Canadians at home and abroad, and that we are part of the global coalition to stop these terrorists wherever they are.

I congratulate the member again for all of her hard work.

[Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015, April 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the safety and security of Canadians is of paramount importance to us. So, too, is the privacy of Canadians.

I pointed out in the bill a number of mechanisms that not only could be utilized by the minister to ensure the safety and security of Canadians, but also the protection of Canadians with respect to their ability to fly.

It should also be noted that, as the member said, it is very important to share information that could become a threat to Canadians and our partners. That is why the legislation would update that and make that information sharing more effective across departments.

I encourage the member to support those measures because, ultimately, it is a measure of public safety and it is a measure of keeping Canadians both safe at home and abroad. It is about working with our international partners to attack the scourge of this global jihadi terrorism and whatever threats may come after that.