Scott Brison

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, clearly public interest in the activities of the commission must be balanced with the right of applicants to a fair trial. If Justice Gomery decides there ought to be a publication ban, we would argue that it should be limited in scope, so that at most the public's access to the testimony would only be delayed.

The fact is there are basic charter rights that guarantee the rights of individuals to a fair trial. This party is clear. We stand up for the charter of rights. At its convention that party wore pins that said “Its the stupid charter”. That is what those members think of the charter of rights.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the government has been clear that when we have all the facts, when Justice Gomery has concluded his work, and when legal action has been concluded, it will act. Any funds that were retrieved for partisan purposes from any firms or individuals implicated will be returned. We are a government, not a judge and jury. We are just the government. However, we respect the independence of a judicial inquiry and we want it to complete its work.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government, in the very beginning of this whole issue, established that Mr. Gauthier would do the work on cost recovery. That would operate as a parallel process alongside the establishment of Justice Gomery's work. This is not a surprise. We have been clear, open and transparent in this process. We will continue to be because we are standing up for the taxpayer. We are doing the right thing on behalf of all Canadians by going after the truth and by going after these funds.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the government has launched action to go after $41 million of funds. That action has not concluded. Until we allow the justice system to do its work, and for the due court system to be concluded appropriately, we will not have the evidence required to move forward on further actions.

Let me be clear. The government has been totally up front on this. We will act appropriately when we have all the facts. However, we cannot act without the facts. We cannot act on the shifting sands of daily testimony, as the hon. member and the members opposite are doing.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister, the transport minister and the government have been completely clear that if partisan funds were received from firms or individuals implicated in these affairs, that those funds will be returned to the Canadian taxpayer.

The only reason that hon. member or others can comment on daily testimony at the Gomery inquiry is that our Prime Minister had the guts to do the right thing and to take a real risk to get to the bottom of this issue for the benefit of all Canadians. They should be commending our Prime Minister and not attacking him for that.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government has launched legal action. That legal action has commenced but has not concluded. Until it goes through the full course of the law we will not have the result. We will not know the result until the courts make their final decisions.

We cannot act unilaterally without respecting the independence of the judicial system.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government has made itself clear. If party funds are found to have been given to individuals or agencies involved in activities of this type, the government will be reimbursed without fail.

It will not be possible for us to take that kind of action unless we allow Justice Gomery to complete his work and unless we allow the current legal actions to conclude appropriately, such that we can act knowing full well the truth and can act based on that solid evidence of the truth, instead of acting on the shifting sands of daily testimony as the opposition is wont to do.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government and the Prime Minister have already demonstrated guts by establishing the Gomery commission, by cooperating fully with Justice Gomery's work, by providing the information required so that Justice Gomery can continue his work and by providing adequate funding so that Justice Gomery can do his work.

We are not afraid of the truth. In fact, we are working with Justice Gomery and supporting Justice Gomery in his work because we do have the guts to do the right thing. However we will not be able to take the kind of action to which the hon. member is referring until Justice Gomery has completed his work.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, with questions like that I am surprised that his leader does not kick the chair right out from under him.

The transport minister, the Prime Minister and the government have been absolutely clear that if any funds are found to have been partisan funds that were reached through ill-gotten activities we will be returning those funds to the government.

However we must allow Justice Gomery to do his work. Beyond that, we also must ensure that current legal actions are concluded appropriately so that we act with the facts fully in hand.

[Sponsorship Program, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that 10 days ago the government launched action seeking recovery of funds for $41 million.

When we did that, let us be clear, the Leader of the Opposition attacked the government. The leader of the Conservative Party pretends to stand up for justice and for the taxpayer but when the government launches action to stand up for justice and for the taxpayer, the leader of the Conservative Party attacks the government.

He cannot have it both ways. Unless he is the patron saint of hypocrisy, he should support the government's efforts to seek cost recovery and to do the right thing on behalf of Canadians.