House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 64% of the vote.
Government Contracts April 20th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the documents obtained today show that this Prime Minister gave contracts to his political friends while he was Minister of Finance. The Prime Minister had the gall to tell Canadians that he saw nothing and knew nothing. Not only did he see everything and know everything, he was the one who created the precedent of breaking the rules.
How can this Prime Minister look Canadians in the eyes and imagine that they trust him?
Government Advertising April 19th, 2004
Of course, Mr. Speaker, this advertising, this information just happens to be the same as the government's own election platform.
This government now wants to waste another $120 billion on partisan advertising. The Privy Council plan targets several government priorities—as the minister has already said—the same priorities the Prime Minister mentioned in his speech on Friday.
Will the Prime Minister explain this curious coincidence?
Government Advertising April 19th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister did tell us that advertising would be cut and Communication Canada would be disbanded. What we are finding out through the PCO plan is it is just being moved to another department, one more under the direct central control of the Prime Minister.
Is this not just the beginning of another Liberal scheme that will funnel money to advertising firms?
Government Advertising April 19th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the last time the government had an advertising plan, $100 million was lost or stolen and Canadians are still trying to find out the truth. Yet this weekend we learned of a PCO plan to give the government another $120 million for an advertising program.
Why is the Prime Minister preparing to hand out another $120 million in advertising money when the investigation on the first scandal still is not over?
Sponsorship Program April 1st, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we all look forward to Mr. Guité's testimony. The question is whether we will ever get a chance to hear it. Let us be absolutely clear. Is the government guaranteeing to us there will not be an election call, and has said that we will be here and the press and the public will hear in person the testimony of Mr. Guité before a federal election is called? Yes or no?
Sponsorship Program April 1st, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I just want to clarify the answers of the Deputy Prime Minister on the public accounts committee. Is the government guaranteeing to the House that Chuck Guité will be heard and examined in public, full testimony, before a federal election is called?
The Prime Minister April 1st, 2004
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister could not name one single meaningful democratic reform that he had implemented.
Let us take Senate reform. The Prime Minister admits that the Senate is “undemocratic as hell”, but he has rejected any reform proposal. He will not even put Alberta's elected senators into the Senate.
Is the Prime Minister planning to avoid this issue as well by calling an election without filling Alberta's Senate vacancies?
The Prime Minister April 1st, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I would have a comeback to that if I understood what it meant.
The Prime Minister April 1st, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the House leader has just made my point for me. They are obviously not interested in ending the democratic deficit.
The Prime Minister said he was in favour of open nominations, but apparently, only when his enemies can be defeated. In Quebec, he even refused the candidacy of Jean Chrétien's former deputy press secretary.
Why is the Prime Minister breaking the promises he made in the Speech from the Throne to put an end to the democratic deficit?
The Prime Minister April 1st, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps breaking his promise to end the democratic deficit. In his first press conference as Liberal leader, he said, “I really do believe that open nomination meetings are the best way to go”. Apparently that is only if his enemies within the party can be defeated, because today he is in British Columbia appointing candidates, appointing friends as Liberal candidates, abandoning the democratic process, and taking away a democratic vote.
Why is the Prime Minister in British Columbia today adding to the country's democratic deficit?