Scott Brison

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the hon. member has been for the last several months, but the fact is that the party has been very clear and the government has been very clear. If partisan funds were received inappropriately, they will be returned to the Canadian taxpayer, but that cannot be done until we have all the facts. What the hon. member is referring to are allegations. They are not facts.

In fact, the reason we have Justice Gomery is for him to apply his considerable abilities to sifting through the facts, to analyzing the facts and to submitting to Canadians and to ourselves a report that will provide Canadians with the truth they deserve.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago the leader of the Conservative Party said he believed that witnesses were lying to the Gomery commission. On Sunday, the deputy leader of the Conservative Party said that some of the witnesses' testimony was in fact a sham. If witnesses' testimony, according to the Conservative Party deputy leader and leader, is lies and shams, then why should we not wait until Justice Gomery completes his work so that we can really rely on the facts, the analysis and all the testimony?

I believe Canadians trust Justice Gomery to get to the bottom of this issue, not those people sitting over there.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear on this. For decades there are good, federalist Quebec Liberals who work to keep the country united, and their reputations have been unfairly tarnished by these allegations.

That is one of the most important reasons why our Prime Minister and our government are firmly committed to getting to the bottom of this issue so we can move forward. We are defending the reputation of not just the Liberal Party. We are defending the reputations of all federalists. We are also getting to the bottom of this issue for the Canadian taxpayer because it is the right thing to do.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, these are serious allegations, but they are not facts. It is not wise for the government or the party to act on allegations. We must wait to have all the facts before responding. This promise was made and it will be kept.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, with new allegations against the PQ, if the Bloc wants to take allegations as fact, then it should change its slogan. Perhaps it is not appropriate to have a slogan that says, “Un parti propre au Québec”. Perhaps the Bloc will agree with us and wait for Justice Gomery's report. That would be the proper thing to do.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc mentions only allegations damaging to the Liberals or the federalists. There are allegations that the Parti Québécois also received inappropriate funds.

Why is the Bloc not asking questions about that? It is clear that the Bloc is only interested in tarnishing the reputation of federalists and in destroying Canada.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, now that there have been allegations that the Parti Québécois received improper funding, perhaps the Bloc will agree with us: it is not appropriate to consider these allegations facts; the truth is what we need. We must wait for Justice Gomery's report.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the party and the government have made it clear: we want to get to the bottom of this. If the party did receive funds from agencies or individuals found to be guilty, it will reimburse the taxpayers willingly.

It is, however, impossible to do anything without all the facts. We must wait for Justice Gomery's report.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, these are unproven allegations. These are not facts. We will not have the facts until Justice Gomery provides us with his report.

The Prime Minister and the government have been very clear that we will get to the bottom of this. Anyone who has taken part in malfeasance for personal gain will face the full extent of Canadian law. That will be done because the Prime Minister is committed to getting to the bottom of this issue.

[Sponsorship Program, April 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Conservative Party calls the witnesses liars. His deputy leader describes the testimony as hogwash. They are engaging in petty politics.

There is one politician who wants to get to the bottom of all this, our Prime Minister. He appointed Justice Gomery and fully supports what he is doing.