Scott Brison

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, is the member implying that $100 million was donated to the Liberal Party of Canada?

I am surprised that somebody who once at least called herself a lawyer would be so sloppy in her research. She should fire her researchers and really bone up on her research such that she asks a question that actually can be considered serious on the floor of the House of Commons.

She is not doing anything for the House of Commons when she stands up and makes wild allegations that not only disgrace herself, but disgrace all members of the House.

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is changing the culture of government for a generation. This Prime Minister is taking the courageous stand to identify a problem, to fix a problem and not hide from problems as the leader of the Bloc is doing and the leader of the Conservative Party is doing.

I am proud to stand as a Liberal next to this Prime Minister and this Liberal Party that is doing the right thing to change the culture of government for generations of Canadians.

If it is possible to change the government's future, it is worth it in the short term.

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the party has been clear. If the party received inappropriate money, it will reimburse taxpayers.

The establishment of a trust fund by the party is a strong statement of goodwill in that direction. We cannot complete that transaction to the Canadian taxpayer until we have all the facts.

There are allegations in today's Montreal Gazette that the separatists in Quebec were involved in a conspiracy to obstruct and reject valid no votes in the 1995 sovereignty referendum. Maybe the separatists should demonstrate the courage that this Prime Minister has had and clean up their own house.

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, Canadians know that this Prime Minister keeps his promises, because he is doing the right thing to get to the bottom of this issue. Canadians know that this is a Prime Minister who has put country above party, he has put principle ahead of partisan strategy, and he has done the right thing to get to the truth, which Canadians deserve.

That hon. member ought to clean up his own house and his own party because they owe money to David Orchard. David Orchard is still looking for the money that that party owes him and he is not getting any response.

Our party is doing the right thing in fixing the problem. They are ignoring the problem.

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again the Prime Minister has been clear and the party has been clear from the beginning that if any funds have been received inappropriately, they will be returned to the Canadian taxpayer.

The establishment of the $750,000 trust fund is a goodwill measure that will establish to Canadians a step in that direction, but the final transaction to the Canadian taxpayer cannot occur until we have all of the facts. That is why it is important that Justice Gomery complete his work and work with party auditors to ensure that we have all the facts. I can assure the hon. member and all Canadians that the Liberal Party will be doing the right thing in returning every penny inappropriately received.

[Justice, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the member earlier referenced Gomery and the work of Justice Gomery. It is important to realize that recently constituents of the hon. member started receiving householders that he sent out. In that householder he said:

--we in the Conservative Party, believe that more testimony must be heard. And we believe that the Canadian public deserves a chance to hear, understand, and evaluate this evidence. This will obviously take some time. Our party is not interested in the electoral calculations of the Bloc Québecois, nor do we wish to have any part of pre-empting further evidence...We will not allow the separatists’ dangerous, narrow electoral agenda to dictate that of the entire country.

That is what he said--

[Sponsorship Program, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, those members are attacking the mandate of Justice Gomery in another attempt to try to smear the work that he is doing. They realize that when he reports to Canadians, Canadians will have a balanced review and analysis of all the facts and that will be exactly the opposite of what they provide to Canadians on a daily basis on the floor of the House of Commons. Those members amplify and magnify the testimony that suits their particular partisan position.

Canadians want the whole truth and they trust Justice Gomery to give them exactly that. His mandate provides him with every opportunity to do that.

[Sponsorship Program, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the circular logic over there is almost laughable. I know I am not allowed to say that was a stupid question because you chastized me once. That was an obtuse question.

The fact is that if we were not taking action, Canadians would have every right to be angry at us. We are doing the right thing by taking action and changing our processes to ensure better value for Canadian taxpayers, more open and competitive processes and accountable and transparent ones.

She is out to lunch if she actually thinks she makes any sense with a question like that.

[Sponsorship Program, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister has always been clear on this and the party has been clear on this, that if funds were received inappropriately they will be returned to the Canadian taxpayer and we will do that when Canadians have all of the facts.

Any interim step to establish goodwill is a step in that direction but it does not achieve that transaction until we actually have all of the facts from Justice Gomery's own audit process. He is working with party auditors to achieve that.

We are cooperating fully because we want to ensure that justice is done on behalf of the taxpayer and on behalf of all Canadians.

[Sponsorship Program, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the party leader this afternoon will be making an announcement and that announcement will establish and affirm a goodwill through that.

Beyond that, the actual transaction, in terms of the transfer to the taxpayer, cannot occur until we have all the facts and we have Justice Gomery's report.

In Stevie Cameron's book, On the Take , there are allegations that the Conservative Party operated a tollgating operation in the province of Quebec. Perhaps it ought to establish some sort of trust fund as well or perhaps those members over there ought to take some responsibility for their actions.