Stephen Harper

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, March 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, as the hon. member knows, this government dealt with the Maher Arar affair that had not been dealt with before.

At the same time, we obviously want to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible. That is why we have structured a full independent investigation. I can assure the hon. member that will reach a report rapidly. I can also assure the hon. member, as the Minister of Public Safety just did, that if in any way that investigation is not heeded, its powers will be increased.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, March 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this is why we chose an independent and complete process. At the same time, this process can provide us with a report very quickly. It is essential that we receive all the details as soon as possible.

This government is interested in the truth, obviously, the truth concerning what happened when the former Liberal government was in power.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, March 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the commissioner has taken action. The Minister of Public Safety has taken action by launching a full and independent investigation, which he will report on as soon as possible. These are events that occurred from 2000 to 2003, under the former Liberal government.

We are very concerned about this information and the commissioner will have all the necessary power to reveal the truth to Canadians and to get this truth from the former Liberal government.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, March 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we all agree that the revelations yesterday are shocking and quite disturbing. That is why the acting commissioner of the RCMP has acted. It is why the Minister of Public Safety has announced today that the government will proceed with a full independent investigation which will report back very quickly and publicly.

As we know, these events occurred between 2000 and 2003, so I hope that the hon. leader of the Liberal Party and his colleagues will cooperate fully with whatever they know.

[Foreign Affairs, March 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I was not aware until yesterday that the president of Liberia was here. I am certainly prepared to check with my office, and if there is a request for a meeting, I would be delighted to have a meeting.

[Budget, March 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the member talks about division. I can say that this government has succeeded in uniting the people of Quebec in favour of our budget and against the centralist philosophy of the Liberal Party of Canada.

[Federal-Provincial Relations, March 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, that of course is also not true, but in any case, I note that Premier Danny Williams of Newfoundland is today saying there is a cap on the Atlantic accord. That is not true. Under the budget, Newfoundland and Labrador is getting 100% of what it was promised in the Atlantic accord without a cap.

What we are seeing is confrontation for the sake of confrontation. I agree with opposition leader Reid in Newfoundland and Labrador who says that this kind of confrontation is damaging the business investment climate in Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Equalization Formula, March 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we have not broken promises on that matter. There is full exclusion in the calculation of natural resources in the new equalization formula. As for the Federal Accountability Act reforms and the tax fairness package that included the changes on income trusts, they were supported by the New Democratic Party.

[Manufacturing Industry, March 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the loss of jobs is always a sad story. However, our economy is continuing to create many new jobs. In the budget, there is new investment and there are new measures to reduce the cost of capital investments for the manufacturing sector. A great many other measures will help workers and this sector.

Once again, I thank the Bloc Québécois for having supported this budget.

[Government Accountability, March 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, there is nothing to that story. It is seven years old.

Far be it for me to quote the polls, but it appears the only institution Canadians are losing confidence in is the Liberal Party of Canada.