Stephen Harper

[Member for Newton—Delta North, May 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I think the records will show that Mr. Kalia is no third party. He was speaking on behalf of the government.

It is quite clear from the records that the government was prepared to make offers to members in the House in exchange for their vote.

Is the Prime Minister denying that the voices on these tapes are those of his chief of staff and his health minister?

[Member for Newton—Delta North, May 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government keeps claiming it did not try to buy opposition support, but the records released today show that is not true.

How does the Prime Minister explain that his government's representative called the member for Newton—North Delta no less than 23 times in the 3 days preceding the vote?

[Member for Newton—Delta North, May 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he was unaware of negotiations between his office and opposition MPs. Yet the records show that his chief of staff and his health minister make it clear that the Prime Minister wanted to meet with the member for Newton—North Delta.

How can the Prime Minister say that he was unaware when he was prepared to meet with the member for Newton—North Delta the evening before the vote?

[Sponsorship Program, May 30th, 2005]

Let me ask a related question, Mr. Speaker. Before the break week, the government announced that it had set up a $750,000 trust fund for the Liberal Party to repay money to. Can the Prime Minister tell us how much money the government has directed into that fund since it was set up?

[Sponsorship Program, May 30th, 2005]

In fact, Mr. Speaker, the existence of this war room came to light because it was undermining the work of Justice Gomery in attacking the cost of his inquiry. That is how it was discovered by access to information.

We got the sponsorship scandal because the Liberal Party used public funds for partisan purposes. It was wrong then. It is wrong now. Will the Prime Minister direct the Liberal Party to repay this money to taxpayers?

[Sponsorship Program, May 30th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we have learned that the Prime Minister has set up a $1 million war room to deal with the fallout from the sponsorship inquiry. Now Canadians are on the hook for that money that is defending the Liberal Party.

This is a Liberal scandal, not a Canadian scandal. Canadian taxpayers have already paid enough. Will the Prime Minister direct the Liberal Party to repay this money to taxpayers?

[An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I believe it would be appropriate for me to respond to that. I would obviously observe as well that the House has been extremely divided tonight. I think that too is an understatement. It reflects some of the deep passions on these and a number of issues throughout this country.

I always assure the Prime Minister, the Speaker and the Canadian public that a great deal of effort has gone into creating an opposition here that is united, vigorous and determined at all times to provide Her Majesty with a loyal opposition and a potential replacement for the government. We, of course, continue and will continue to do that.

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is no one any longer cares what the Prime Minister says. They only watch what he does.

A month ago, the Liberal government denied that there was any dirty money, and now it admits there is. What is more, it has created a fake trust, and not one cent will be deposited into it before the election.

Is this not proof that the Prime Minister plans to run a fourth election campaign using money stolen from the taxpayers?

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I would have thought the government would love to answer a question like that about its truthfulness and determination to pay back this money. The Liberal Party received stolen public money, promised to pay it back, yet used it in three election campaigns.

Let me rephrase the question. Will the government today require the Liberal Party to pay the money back?

[Sponsorship Program, May 19th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government is once again trying to mislead Canadians. Yesterday it claimed to have created a $750,000 trust to pay back dirty sponsorship money; however, the trust is actually empty. Not one dollar of stolen money has been deposited.

Given that we could go into an election tomorrow, will the Prime Minister commit to putting money in that account today?