Rob Nicholson

[Sponsorship Program, May 30th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has claimed all along that it supports the Gomery commission and that it wants Mr. Justice Gomery to do his work. At the same time, the biggest Liberal of the last 20 years, Jean Chrétien, and Alfonso Gagliano are doing their very best to shut down the Gomery commission.

Why does the Prime Minister not get all his friends together, all the prominent Liberals, and let Mr. Justice Gomery do the work that he is commissioned to do? Why does he not get his friends together and give them that message?

[Sponsorship Program, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there is one bit of good news. Apparently Elections Canada is in the process of sending out party subsidies to all the parties and the Liberal Party is supposed to get a little over $2 million.

I can appreciate, if all the stories about the Liberals' financial troubles are true, that they did not have the money before, but now that they have the cheque, why not do the right thing and let Canadians put their trust back into the electoral system, and put that money into a trust account?

[Sponsorship Program, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, that is a bunch of nonsense. All they have to do is just check their records.

Last month the Liberals lost a motion that mandated them to put that money into a separate trust account.

Three elections have been fought on that dirty money. Surely Canadians have a right to know that this next election will not be fought with this dirty money.

Will they do the right thing now and put that money into a trust account?

[Sponsorship Program, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there have been reports that the Liberal government is now considering a plan whereby donations that it receives from ad agencies up to their neck in the sponsorship scandal will now be put into a separate trust fund.

Maybe miracles never cease. The Liberals have been resisting this idea for several weeks but a deathbed conversion is better than nothing.

Could the government today commit to putting all the money it has received from ad companies into a separate trust fund?

[Government Advertising, May 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, that is a bunch of nonsense. With all these scandals and all these contract irregularities costing Canadians billions of dollars, I wonder if the Prime Minister could just make it simple for Canadians.

In his 18 months as Prime Minister, has he ever come across any contract process where the Liberals have followed all the rules, or would that be just too much to ask?

[Government Advertising, May 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think Canadians are buying that. Under the government we have heard about the billion dollar HRDC boondoggle, the sponsorship fiasco, the billion dollar gun registry sink hole, the Earnscliffe mess, the list goes on and on, and that is not a complete list.

Yesterday we heard about another problem.

Does anyone ever lose his or her job in all these messes? How is it possible that the Prime Minister has gone all these years as a member of the government knowing nothing about it until someone gets caught?

[Government Advertising, May 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Auditor General Sheila Fraser said that the same disregard for rules that created the sponsorship mess were also evident in the government's overall advertising program, and this one had an $800 million price tag. This has disturbed the Auditor General to the extent that she has now ordered a major follow up audit.

When did the Prime Minister first become aware of these problems, or is he going to make the claim that he knew nothing about it?

[An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments, May 16th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to say a few words to the member on what he indicated to the House would be his swan song or perhaps his final speech in the House of Commons. I am sure he does not take it personally that I actually interrupted an earlier attempt by him to do that.

I am pleased to say a couple of words about him. When I was away from Parliament, after having been here for a little over nine years, I was once asked how I could remember the names of the ridings. I said that there were only a few that I could remember and certainly Glengarry—Prescott—Russell was one of them, in part due to the fact that the member was always on his feet.

When people talk about all the tough questions that come from the Conservative side of the government, I remember some people had some pretty tough questions for nine years of government when I was on the other side of the House. He was no stranger to that. However his is a very remarkable story that I actually do remember. I was glad he mentioned the fact that he had been an employee on the Hill because I remember hearing that story and being impressed with the fact that he had accomplished so much in his life.

I am joining with those members who have had a great experience dealing with him. I was not here when he was House leader but others have commented that his word could be counted upon and that people who dealt with him found it to be a positive experience, as I have myself.

I have enjoyed over the past number of months, when I have had something to say in the House of Commons, watching him scurry through the doors on a couple of occasions to challenge me at the end of my speech. I would not let this out but for the fact that he said that it is his final time to speak. I looked forward to the interaction and something that might enliven the debate. He was pretty crafty and cagey but always to the point and helped make this a great experience. I know it was a great experience for him and also for other members of the House.

I certainly join with everyone, as we can see by the number of people who want to stand and ask questions and comments, to wish him all the best. He has had a wonderful parliamentary career, one that he can be very proud of and his constituents as well.

[An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments, May 16th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wonder if you would find unanimous consent to extend the question and comment period until 2 o'clock.

[The Budget, May 13th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the only reason the Liberals believe it is reasonable is that is the date the Prime Minister has decided he wants to be in town.

We are here to work every day. If the member wants to be reasonable with the people of this country, why does he not do the right thing and do it on Monday when everybody can be here?