Scott Brison

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there have been allegations before Justice Gomery of malfeasance within the separatist organization in Quebec, within the Conservative Party before the Liberal government was formed and of course within the Liberal Party.

There is one party and only one leader, and that is our Liberal Prime Minister who has had the guts to confront this issue head on, to do the right thing, to get to the bottom of this issue. I would urge similar courage over there. Canadians want us to change the culture of governance in Canada and to do the right thing. Only the Liberal Party and the Liberal Prime Minister have the guts to do it.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, a number of other allegations are being made. It is being alleged, for example, that the Parti Québécois received inappropriate funds. Does the Bloc agree with this testimony? If not, perhaps we should wait for Justice Gomery's report. At the moment, it is utter hogwash.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, this is no joke, it is very serious. However, these are allegations and not facts. The facts will not be revealed until Justice Gomery releases his report.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, this seems to be the opposition's smear of the day campaign. Yesterday it was Chuck Guité, the patron saint of the opposition. Today it is Mr. Béliveau.

Lorne Gunter in today's Edmonton Journal said this about Chuck Guité:

Guite is far from a credible witness and his assertion against Martin is hardly a “smoking gun.”...Such a serial dissembler hardly makes a credible witness.

Lorne Gunter is not exactly a friend of the Liberal Party of Canada. I would urge hon. members opposite to at least listen to their buddy Lorne Gunter on this one.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member were to familiarize himself with the entire testimony, he would also see that Mr. Béliveau said that he “never, never told other Liberal officials”. He said that “he acted alone”.

It is clear that those members will take one individual's testimony, even when it is contradicted by other testimony, and use it for their own narrow partisan purposes. As Canadians see this kind of activity on the floor of the House, it makes them even more secure in their knowledge that Justice Gomery is doing the right thing and that is why they support his work.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we already know what the Conservatives say about some testimony. In fact, this is what they said about Chuck Guité's testimony a few months ago. The member for Calgary Southeast said that the only person who believes Chuck Guité is Chuck Guité and his testimony is “not credible”.

The fact is that they will use selectively specific testimony to support their narrow partisan arguments, but today's Globe and Mail said in its editorial:

There has been no persuasive testimony that Mr. Martin was involved in any of the alleged chicanery...Mr. Tremblay is in no position to confirm or deny; he died last fall. And it is difficult to imagine a more--

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister has been clear, the government has been clear and the party has been clear that any funds received inappropriately will be returned to the Canadian taxpayers.

Let us remember that there is only one leader in this House who is standing up for justice, who is willing to put country before party, who is willing to put principle before partisan strategy and do the right thing and get to the truth, and that is our Prime Minister, who stands by Justice Gomery and with Canadians.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there have also been allegations that the Parti Québécois received this kind of inappropriate funding. The fact is that at the Gomery inquiry there have been allegations against the Conservative Party, there have been allegations against the Parti Québécois and the separatist parties, and yes, there have been allegations against the Liberal Party.

But it is only this Liberal Prime Minister who is getting to the bottom of this issue, because the separatists and the Conservatives are denying any responsibility for this kind of thing within their own parties. We are getting to the bottom of this issue because we are standing with Canadians, who want the truth.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the party has been clear: if it has received inappropriate funds, it will reimburse taxpayers. However, this cannot be done until all the facts are known. Therefore, we must wait for Justice Gomery's report.

[Sponsorship Program, May 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, this is what Justice Gomery said yesterday:

--there is nothing dishonourable about working in an election. Unfortunately, the sponsorship issue has made a lot of people's reputations doubtful for no reason. People who work in elections are not bad people. In fact, they are good people. They are participating in the democratic process.

Justice Gomery is right. While we want to see the guilty punished, Canadians do not want to see the reputations of thousands of political activists in all political parties smeared by Conservative and separatist bickering.