Paul Martin

[Natural Resources, June 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I share the views of the hon. member in terms of the seriousness of this measure. I share his views in terms of the need for a full-court press.

It was a major topic that I raised with the President when I spoke to him last week. I asked the President to support his environmental commissioner who is in fact very much aware as a result of the discussions that the government has been having with him.

The President of the Treasury Board has been in constant contact, as have I, with the Premier of Manitoba. I can tell the House that we take this issue very seriously and are pushing it as hard as we possibly can.

[Office of the Prime Minister, June 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the leader of the Bloc Québécois is referring to altered tapes. I can tell him that we acted on the basis that no offer would be made. Unlike the opposition, we are not making accusations of malfeasance about the opposition gratuitously.

[Democratic Reform, June 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the whole reform of the way in which we operate is something that has to be looked at and renewal becomes very clear when we see the way the opposition has treated the House. There are constant allegations, innuendoes and the catcalls we hear right now.

In fact, if anybody requires an example of the need for democratic renewal, it is the way the opposition is acting at this very moment.

[Audiotaped Conversations, June 6th, 2005]

I repeat the answer, Mr. Speaker. The tapes have been altered. The answer to the hon. member's question is no.

[Audiotaped Conversations, June 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about tapes that have been edited. We are talking about tapes that have been altered. The answer to the hon. member's question is no.

[Audiotaped Conversations, June 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, first, I believe we ought to follow the recommendation read by the Speaker of the House concerning the request from the Ethics Commissioner.

All I can tell you is that, according to the experts who have examined these tapes, we are dealing with altered tapes. Their credibility, along with that of the member for Newton—North Delta, is open to question.

[Member for Newton—North Delta, June 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the best way to restore civility to this place is that regardless of the debate, it take place in a civil way, that arguments be made in a way in which they can be made, that the leaders of the opposition stop yelling, trying to shut people down when they are on their feet, that we do what Canadians want us to do, and that is to deal with the principal issues that concern them, and that we do it in a way that would make them proud of this place, as opposed to the catcalls over here from the other side.

[Member for Newton—North Delta, June 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health was approached by a third party on behalf of the member for Newton--North Delta who said that he wanted to cross the floor. A meeting was held. The Minister of Health and indeed, my chief of staff in subsequent discussion made it very clear that there would be no offers forthcoming and that we would accept no requests. That is what happened.

However, I do agree with the leader of the NDP that it is a tragedy we are not discussing important issues, such as the aboriginal meeting which took place yesterday.

[Member for Newton—North Delta, June 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that no offer was made and no offer was accepted. This is obvious from the tapes.

[Member for Newton—North Delta, June 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we are dealing with serious matters here. The fact is for the Leader of the Opposition to deliberately misconstrue what was said, for the Leader of the Opposition to cast that kind of aspersion, is certainly not the level of stability and the kind of debate that Canadians are looking for.

I made it very clear that I would not meet with the hon. member unless it was under conditions that said he would cross the floor with no request being accepted and no offers being made.

Under those circumstances and unless those were there I was not prepared to meet with him.