Scott Brison

[Privilege, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, my question of privilege is with regard to a statement made by the member for Calgary Southeast during question period. He attributed words to me that I had not said and that in fact were said by a journalist, Paul Wells. He was absolutely wrong. He was attributing words to me that I have never said and he violated my privilege as a member of Parliament.

I would urge him to be a little less repressed with the truth in this case and to actually provide to Canadians the dignity of the House that they deserve and retract what he said because he knows full well that he misled the House when he said that.

Paul Wells said, referring to the Prime Minister, “who is said to have released a new tape to Al-Jazeera”. That is what the journalist said. It is not what I said and the hon. member knows that he intentionally misled the House during question period and tried to smear my reputation with that intervention.

[Points of Order, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order with regard to something that was said by the member for Calgary Southeast during question period in which he alleged that I had compared the Prime Minister to Osama bin Laden.

In fact we were able to find the National Post piece by Paul Wells from 2003 in which Paul Wells referred to a release of a tape to Al Jazeera. It was not me. In fact I did not have any recollection of having said it. I knew I did not say it. When we researched it, in fact it was Paul Wells who said it. Both the member for Calgary Southeast and the member for Central Nova said in this House that I had said it and they said that this was in the National Post .

I would urge them to apologize for having said that and for having the gall to refer to that article when in fact they knew full well that I had never said that.

[Points of Order, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, as for the allegation made during question period by the member for Calgary Southeast, in fact I do not have any recollection. My staff has in fact confirmed that the member referred to the National Post . It has been verified that in fact there was not a comparison.

If there was something taken out of context, I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I would never compare our Prime Minister to Osama bin Laden in a reasonable context and I would certainly apologize. The fact is that I trust, as Canadians trust, the Prime Minister of Canada, somebody who is getting to the bottom of an important issue and making a difference in the lives of Canadians.

[Commercial Bankruptcies, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, this government will always defend Canadian workers and will continue to do so. The fact is we consider all proposed legislation through the perspective and from the goal of doing our best to ensure that Canadian workers' rights are protected and at the same time we encourage a dynamic and competitive economic environment. We have done that and we will continue to do that.

[Public Works and Government Services, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. What they do on a daily basis is try to smear the reputation of the Prime Minister, a Prime Minister who they have been unsuccessful in trying to place blame on, a Prime Minister who stands above all the other federal leaders in the House at getting to the truth for Canadians.

They should be ashamed of themselves. Canadians know that they can trust the Prime Minister of Canada who has more integrity in his little finger than the leader of the Conservative Party does in his entire body.

[Public Works and Government Services, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, a couple of months ago that member said that there were forms of just discrimination. I am proud to be part of a party that does not believe that discrimination is just, a party that believes in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

A rough day as a Liberal is better than a good day as a Conservative and a party that does not believe in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

[Sponsorship Program, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, any allegations Mr. Corbeil has he ought to make before the Gomery commission and, as such, he will be able to do that and those allegations will be considered along with other testimony in the coming weeks and months by Justice Gomery. He will analyze those statements, will consider contradictory testimony in many cases and, at the end of the day, provide Canadians with a reasoned, rational approach and the truth, which is what our Prime Minister stands for, getting the truth for Canadians.

[Sponsorship Program, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been very clear on this. In fact, his statements have been entirely consistent on this and not inconsistent with the spirit or the specifics of the statements from Madame Deslauriers and Mr. Boulay.

What they are doing is trying to find a scintilla of fault or problem with testimony when in fact they know they are drawing the wrong conclusions. They are doing anything they can to smear the reputation of the Prime Minister because they know our Prime Minister stands tall as the leader who has the best reputation of any federal leader in Canada.

[Sponsorship Program, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, when will that party apologize for comparing the Prime Minister of Canada to a mass murderer and a terrorist? When will that party apologize for saying that the Prime Minister of Canada supports child pornography?

The harder members opposite try to smear the reputation of the Prime Minister, the more they smear their own because Canadians know that our Prime Minister is a man of integrity, decency and honesty. Canadians know that they can trust our Prime Minister to get to the truth and they cannot trust that party over there.

[Sponsorship Program, April 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians--