Paul Martin

[Sponsorship Program, February 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the continued attempts by the Leader of the Opposition to subvert the Gomery commission will be responded to in due course.

On another issue, the other day the Leader of the Opposition said that the protection of a certain minority right, that is to say the definition of civil marriage, was an attack on multiculturalism. That is an attack on the Charter of Rights. It is the worst example of the politics of division.

I ask the hon. member to take this opportunity--

[Iraq, February 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we refused to send Canadian troops to Iraq two years ago. That decision stands. Canadian troops will not be going to Iraq.

I want to be very clear, so I will repeat what I just said. We refused to send Canadian troops to Iraq two years ago. That decision stands. Canadian troops will not be going to Iraq.

[National Defence, February 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, it was a great honour for me to be with the Minister of National Defence at the installation of the new chief of the defence staff, General Hillier. At the same time I would like to take this occasion to congratulate General Henault on being named head of the NATO military committee.

The Minister of National Defence has made extensive recommendations as to what has to be done in terms of increasing military spending. We are very open and will continue to protect the--

[National Defence, February 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, on the militarization of space, which was the question that came from the leader of the NDP, the answer is no.

[National Defence, February 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there is no dithering, no hesitation. The Canadian government will not pursue or participate in, in any way, shape or form, the militarization of space, period.

[Parental Leave, February 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I have said on many occasions, and so has the hon. minister, that we remain open to continuing negotiations. We want them to continue.

Besides, the leader of the Bloc Québécois just commented that great progress had been made. We want this progress to continue.

[Sponsorship Program, February 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I would have thought the Leader of the Opposition, having stood up in the House numerous times with information that was incorrect, taken out of context and contradicted the next day, would learn that fundamentally the Gomery commission should be allowed to do its job. There should not be obstruction or interference by the hon. member simply because he has had it wrong so many times.

[The Environment, February 2nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, to answer the first part of the question of the leader of the New Democratic Party, the reason we took this decision was made public, as were Norad's intentions in all this. Everyone knew it. If the leader of the NDP did not, then that makes two people in the world who were out of the loop.

[National Defence, February 2nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc's position is totally preposterous. Back in July, it was clear what the decision should be, as well as why we were making this decision. We made that decision because we wanted to ensure the role of Norad in the future. It was all open and transparent. The leader of the Bloc may be the only person in the world who did not know.

[National Defence, February 2nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc is a little confused, I must say. The main issue is the defence of Canada.

For the defence of Canada, Norad is essential and very important. The decision we made in July unquestionably empowered Norad to provide information on the missiles. We wanted to maintain the protection not only of Norad, but also of our airspace. That was a very important decision for Canada.