Stephen Harper

[Sponsorship Program, November 2nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, now that the Gomery report has confirmed the corruption in the Liberal Party, Canadians wonder why responsibility has not been assigned. Justice Gomery wrote in black and white that the Liberal Party as an institution cannot escape responsibility for the misconduct of its officers and representatives.

The Prime Minister says that he accepts without hesitation all the commission's findings. Why, then, does the government not launch legal proceedings against the Liberal Party of Canada? Why the hesitation?

[Sponsorship Program, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the truth is if this party were in office, we would not have to clean up the mess in the first place.

I am asking the Prime Minister a simple question. Justice Gomery has identified that the entire cabinet is responsible for the creation of this program. Will the Prime Minister simply stand and admit that is what Justice Gomery says and accept his share of the blame, yes or no?

[Sponsorship Program, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, one would think there would be some element of shame from the Liberal Party regarding today's report but there is none whatsoever.

I want to get past the bluster. The Prime Minister wants to take credit for the Gomery commission. Does he accept his part of the blame for the creation of the sponsorship program in the first place, yes or no?

[Sponsorship Program, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, let me zero in again on what Justice Gomery said. He said the program was dirty from the outset. Its sole objectives were to be partisan. This was illegitimate and inconsistent with democratic values. The Prime Minister was part of the cabinet that made that decision.

Does the Prime Minister accept the blame for that decision, here, on the floor of the House of Commons?

[Sponsorship Program, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I expected some expression of shame, but the Liberal Party knows no shame.

Justice Gomery clearly lays the blame at the feet of the entire cabinet for the creation of the sponsorship program. He said a decision in principle reached at the February 1996 cabinet retreat was to pursue an improper partisan strategy that was inconsistent with democratic values.

In light of this conclusion, does the Prime Minister accept his part of the blame for the creation of the sponsorship program?

[Sponsorship Program, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, today Justice Gomery confirmed that the Liberal Party of Canada master-minded the worst scandal in this country's history for its own benefit. It was not so long ago that the Prime Minister said here, and I quote, “I am very proud of what the last government did and I am very proud that I was part of it”.

In light of the findings of the Gomery inquiry, is the Prime Minister still just as proud?

[Points of Order, October 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period I made reference to a letter which Justice John H. Gomery wrote to me and the leaders of the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party today. I seek consent to table this letter.

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister made a promise to do things differently from Mr. Chrétien. But here he is, behaving the same way.

I have a supplementary on a different question. I want to return to our national embarrassment, the failure of the government to provide aboriginal Canadians with clean drinking water, despite spending $2.5 billion in 12 years.

In an article today, Senator Grafstein tells the world that the Liberal caucus has known about the extent of this problem since 2001. When did the Prime Minister find out?

[Sponsorship Program, October 31st, 2005]

In other words, Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister intends to act like Jean Chrétien, exactly.

The Prime Minister wrongly stated that the decision to provide him with a copy before the other leaders was made by Justice Gomery. Today the latter has said that it is clear that the Prime Minister has a choice.

Will the Prime Minister do what must be done and put an end to all the secrecy? Will he immediately hand over a copy of the report to each opposition party leader?

[Sponsorship Program, October 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister claimed that it was Justice Gomery who required him to have a copy of the report before the other opposition leaders. Today, Justice Gomery has written to the opposition leaders to deny this. In fact, he says that our request deserves consideration. I am willing to table that letter.

Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing, be open and transparent and give the other leaders a copy of the report as soon as he gets a copy?