Paul Calandra

[Ethics, December 2nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, of course, I would not have any information with respect to how many times Senator Duffy called. I noted that in the emails that were received by the RCMP, it would appear to be one time, but I have not spoken to Senator Duffy with respect to this particular matter. That would obviously be inappropriate, in light of the fact that there is an RCMP investigation going on.

[Ethics, December 2nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party did not pay back the expenses of Senator Duffy. As the Prime Minister has said in the House on a number of occasions, it would not be unusual for the party to assist members if they require legal assistance. It is the exact same standard the Leader of the Opposition seemed to have used when he asked his party to pay his legal expenses, unlike our side. We do not pay the judgments of hundreds of thousands of dollars, like the Leader of the Opposition asked his party to pay for.

[Ethics, December 2nd, 2013]

Of course, Mr. Speaker, the emails she refers to are part of the hundreds of emails that were released by the Prime Minister's Office. As we have said, the Prime Minister's Office would be assisting, and that is the standard we have continued to see. At the same time, the RCMP is investigating. It is looking into this. Senator Duffy and Nigel Wright are the main focus of the investigation right now, and we trust that the RCMP will continue its work.

[Ethics, December 2nd, 2013]

As you know, Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is continuing to investigate this matter. What is also quite clear is that the Prime Minister's Office is continuing to assist the RCMP in this investigation, but also, the RCMP has identified Nigel Wright and Senator Duffy as the main subjects of this current investigation.

[Ethics, December 2nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as the House knows, and as I have said on a number of occasions in the House, each of us as parliamentarians, whether we are in the House of Commons or elevated to the Senate, is in charge of making our own decisions with respect to the files that we handle.

At the same time, the RCMP continues to investigate, and I trust that it will get the information it requires.

[Ethics, December 2nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, of course, the RCMP is continuing to look into this matter. I trust that the RCMP will do the job Canadians expect it to do.

[Ethics, November 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, there is another question from the opposition that brings the value of this Parliament down. I am sure the members opposite will complain about my answer. I know the good people in the press gallery will get all upset with me because I refuse to answer such a ridiculous question.

[Ethics, November 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it is not up to the Prime Minister to decide; it is up to committees to make that decision.

I note that yesterday the Senate brought forward the three Deloitte auditors who participated in and undertook the audit. The auditors said that their work was done with the utmost and strictest confidentiality and that all the rules were followed. Upon hearing that, I suspect that is why the senators decided that no additional witnesses were required.

[Ethics, November 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, what Deloitte said yesterday in front of the Senate was that its audit was in no way compromised at all, that the utmost in confidentiality was maintained and that the Senate could have confidence in the work that Deloitte had done. That is actually what Deloitte said.

Now, the hon. member can say whatever he wants and cast all kinds of aspersions on all kinds of people, but the facts are that Deloitte maintained confidentiality and the Canadian people and the Senate, more important, can also be confident in the work it did.

[Ethics, November 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, again, the question defies some form of logic because what the member suggested was that the Conservative Party paid off Senator Duffy's expenses and, of course, we did not. I think it is quite clear that it was Nigel Wright who paid off the expenses of Senator Duffy. We know that was not right. That is why the Prime Minister, as soon as he found out, ordered his office to assist the RCMP.

Let us be clear. It is Nigel Wright and Senator Duffy who are being investigated by the RCMP right now.