Peter Goldring

[Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, February 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today we honour our Queen of 50 years.

Royalty has shaped our rich heritage, our present culture and will continue to guide our future.

Canada's military is steeped in royal tradition. Many regiments bear royal names and have royal patrons.

Today the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry will be honoured at Edmonton city hall. Its colonel-in-chief is Countess Patricia Mountbatten of Burma. Her father, Lord Mountbatten, and son Nicholas were killed in a terrorist bombing in 1979. Today the PPCLI continues a war on terrorism.

Today Edmontonians have shown their support for the brigade in a special flag raising ceremony at city hall where their flag will fly until they return home.

Today we wish our gracious Queen a long reign, that the royal family be well and that the Princess Pat's and all who serve Canada, Godspeed.

[National Defence, January 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the minister clearly does not know what is happening. Or is he waiting for another week before he is going to tell us?

The Sea King replacement program is over budgeted and mismanaged and is quickly falling off the rails; thirty years and the Liberals are still screwing around with the specifications.

Why are we using a split procurement when the public works department and industry both say it wastes tax dollars, increases risk and delays the delivery?

[National Defence, January 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the deputy minister of public works confirms that the program to replace the Sea King is woefully behind schedule, full of unnecessary risks and has skyrocketing budget problems. That is the Liberal way.

The minister told this House and the military that it would have its first Sea King replacement by 2005. The public works deputy minister says 2006.

When will the litany of Liberal contradictions end?

[Question No. 94—, January 30th, 2002]

For the wholly owned subsidiary of the Canada Lands Company Ltd., located at 200 King Street West in Toronto, can the government provide a list of federal surplus properties disposed of by year and federal constituency since January 1, 1993, including the description of each property, the date each property was put on the market and the date of sale, the asking/proposed and the final selling price of each property, the name and address of each buyer and the process by which it was sold (e.g. sealed bids, noncompetitive, sole source, etc.)?

Return tabled.

[National Defence, January 30th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence is miscommunicating important information to the Prime Minister on several issues. The shameful 30 year old Liberal lightning procurement odyssey to replace the ancient Sea King helicopters continues.

Does the Prime Minister know just how bad it really is? He tells the Prime Minister that we will get a new helicopter. Does he tell him though that it will not have a searchlight, cargo hook or navigation systems for Allied exercises? Does he tell him that operational standards have been lowered even below that of the 40 year old Sea King?

Liberal interference is watering down and dumbing down military requirements. We have a 30 year politically challenged odyssey of Liberal ineptness and a 30 year Liberal legacy of military cutbacks. A multipurpose long range military helicopter needed for the 1990s will now be a cut rate Liberal chopper for 2010.

[Privilege, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege with regard to the very grave matter relating to information I requested through Question No. 94 on the order paper.

Events have led me to believe that there has been a deliberate attempt to deny me the information by the Deputy Prime Minister and his staff with respect to the question. Accordingly I charge the minister with contempt of the House.

On December 3, 2001, I used an order paper question to ask for details about all real estate sales by Canada Lands, a crown corporation that sells surplus federal properties which at the time reported to the minister of public works and now reports to the Deputy Prime Minister.

My question sought information about all land sales since the Liberals took power in 1993. I indicated my desire to receive this information within 45 days pursuant to Standing Order 39(5)( a ). As you are aware, Mr. Speaker, the 45 day period has long lapsed and according to new procedures a committee investigation could be launched to look into this matter pursuant to Standing Order 39(5)( b ).

Under normal circumstances I would await the outcome of such an investigation. However I am in possession of information that elevates this matter to privilege. This is not a case of mere negligence or incompetence but involves and requires the attention of the House and a resolution through its authority. As a result, I am duty bound to bring this matter to your attention, Mr. Speaker.

While we may have a new procedure to deal with late questions in committee, order paper questions are instruments of the House and contempt against such proceedings must be dealt with in the House itself.

Before I present my evidence regarding the withholding of the information, I would like to set the procedural stage for this question of privilege. I requested information from the government through Standing Order 39(1) which states:

Questions may be placed on the Order Paper seeking information from Ministers of the Crown relating to public affairs; and from other Members, relating to any bill, motion or other public matter connected with the business of the House, in which such Members may be concerned;--

On December 16, 1980, at page 5797 of Hansard the Speaker ruled:

While it is correct to say that the government is not required by our rules to answer written or oral questions, it would be bold to suggest that no circumstances could ever exist for a prima facie question of privilege to be made where there was a deliberate attempt to deny answers to an hon. member--

As I stated earlier, I requested information under the provisions of Standing Order 39 on December 3, 2001, and the deadline to answer my question pursuant to Standing Order 39(5) had lapsed.

Yesterday a National Post reporter called Canada Lands to find out why the information I requested through Q-94 had not yet been delivered to me. You may find this article, Mr. Speaker, in today's National Post .

The reporter, Andrew McIntosh, put his question to Gordon McIvor, a vice-president of communications for Canada Lands. Mr. McIvor replied that information was sent off to the minister's office several weeks ago. The National Post article reported Mr. McIvor as saying:

It's all been completed and it all went to the minister's office, two weeks ago, three weeks ago. There's absolutely no reason why it shouldn't have been passed on to--

And he mentions my name.

The information I sought has been available for some time. The government agency responsible, Canada Lands, has complied with my request but the Deputy Prime Minister and his staff acting as the middle agent have deliberately withheld information from parliament for several weeks now. This dismissive view of the House and its members is contemptuous.

As members of parliament it is our duty to scrutinize the government and to hold it to account. The order paper question is one of those tools that we as members use to seek information from the government. The order paper question is part of our rules and is considered a proceeding of parliament commanding respect from ministers and necessitating protection by the House.

I ask that you allow me to move the appropriate motion to secure that protection and to bring a swift resolution to this matter.

[Crown Corporations, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister of all stated that he had reviewed the facts in the Canada Lands file and that the Liberal rules were followed.

Canada Lands sent to the minister answers to questions that I have requested under House rules of proceedings. The rule is that an answer be given within 45 days.

Why did the minister break this House of Commons rule, and what other House rules are being broken in order to hide this fact from the House?

[Crown Corporations, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of everything stated yesterday that crown corporations relied on their appraisers to establish the value of property. Then they liberally appraised and sold $12 million worth of property for only $4 million.

It is not hard to sell land for one-third of its value. It is kind of like selling $100,000 homes for $33,000. Why is the minister's office not investigating this creative Liberal fire sale?

[The Singing Christmas Tree, December 14th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, this year is the 35th anniversary of an Edmonton event of such magnificence and spiritual delight that it truly is a spectacle to behold.

Forty-five feet tall with 6,000 lights on its evergreen boughs only begins to describe this wonderful extravaganza of sparkling colour and sound. One hundred and forty lend their costumed personages with voices raised in song, true human tree adornments in choral unison with the accompaniment of a full orchestra, a mesmerizing musical backdrop to an eclectic, ecclesiastical expression.

The Central Tabernacle and Pastor Bob Jones again this year present this delightful expression to the citizens of Edmonton. The Singing Christmas Tree has been an event, a spectacle and a spiritual message for 35 years. I congratulate all involved.

[Ramadan, November 29th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, Ramadan is an important time of the year for the Muslim community. Starting November 16 and lasting for 31 days it is a time of reflection, a time of spiritual renewal.

This year more than most, because of the unconscionable acts of inhumanity on September 11, Ramadan has special meaning for the Muslim community as it expresses deep sympathies for Muslims and all others who perished.

We want the Muslim community in Canada and around the world to know that as the followers of Islam celebrate the revelation of God's word to Muhammad we join them in honouring his call for harmony. I ask members of the House to recognize and embrace the Muslim spirit of reflection and annual renewal. I am sure that our upcoming year will be bettered by such resolve.

To Oula Sanduga of my Edmonton office and all the members of the Muslim faith nationally and internationally I say Ramadan Mubarak.