Scott Brison

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is again that the Prime Minister has said in the House he was aware of the unity reserve. This is not a big secret. In fact, it is part of the overall accounting practices of the Government of Canada that was made as part of a transparent budgetary process.

I do not know what the hon. member is talking about. The fact is, he does not know what he is talking about because he is commenting on daily testimony before a judicial inquiry. I know the Cons do not understand the independence of the judiciary, but I hope the Bloc really does.

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already said that the fund dates back to the early 1990s, that it was set up by the previous government, and that, when the Liberals took over, there were funds all over Canada, most of which have since been eliminated.

The reserve was in keeping with the established budgetary practice of setting aside policy reserves for specific contingent purposes. Our government has chosen a different approach and, as such, the reserve no longer exists.

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. member is commenting on daily testimony. Why does he not wait for Justice Gomery to finish his work and to report back to Canadians with his recommendations? That is what he ought to be doing, because he and others in the opposition demanded a judicial inquiry. They got their judicial inquiry. Why are they trying to subvert the work of that same judicial inquiry today?

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, all members of cabinet certainly stood up to defend Canada at a time when it was in crisis, at a time when unity was threatened.

Yes, the Government of Canada stood up to defend unity in Canada and we will continue to defend unity in this great multicultural masterpiece of Canada.

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, once again the Prime Minister has acted decisively, as has the government. We have appointed Justice Gomery to do his work. We have the special counsel on financial recovery who has made his recommendations. We are moving forward on that front. We have introduced whistleblower legislation.

In fact, we are making a real difference here, while on the other side of the House those members attack the positive changes we are making here in our government, based on the courage and the leadership of our Prime Minister, to defend taxpayers' interests at all times in the Government of Canada. That is the right thing to do and I am proud we are doing it.

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. In 1994, I was a member of a moderate, centrist, progressive party. I still am a member of a moderate, centrist, progressive party. The hon. member is not.

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised that the member can even stand in the House and utter the word unity when in 1994, when Canada was teetering on the edge of the abyss before the referendum in Quebec, we had the Leader of the Opposition, at that time as a private citizen, giving a speech saying that he did not care whether Canada ended up with one national capital, two national capitals or three national capitals. He did not care about national unity then, and he does not care about national unity today.

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has said previously, he was aware of the unity fund. In fact the unity fund existed going back to the early 1990s. It was created by the former Progressive Conservative government. When the Liberals came to power, there were reserves across the government, most of which have in fact been eliminated. The reserve was maintained in keeping with established accounting principles and budgetary practice. Our government has chosen a different approach, and consequently the unity reserve was eliminated in the last budget.

[Sponsorship Program, February 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Mr. Chrétien appeared before the Gomery commission as an individual. As an individual, he has rights to defend himself before a judicial inquiry. I am appalled that the Leader of the Opposition does not understand the rights of individuals to defend themselves before a judicial inquiry.

Last week the hon. member asked the Prime Minister to involve himself in witness tampering, to tell Mr. Chrétien what to do in front of a judicial inquiry. It was inappropriate then. It is inappropriate today. We believe in the independence of the Gomery commission.

[The Environment, February 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his very valuable work on this file.

Today we launched public consultations on the proposed clean-up for the Sydney tar ponds. Moving ahead on this important project is a priority for our government. Once the 30 day consultation period is complete, we will conduct an environmental assessment that meets all legal requirements, that is thorough in terms of its scope and that will be completed in a timely manner.

This spring work will begin on the removal of the cooling ponds, the realignment of the coke ovens and the relocation of the Whitney Pier's waterline.

We are proud as a government to work to clean up the Sydney tar ponds.