House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 64% of the vote.
Ethics November 7th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office is not being investigated by the RCMP.
Let me be very clear because I know the NDP has stated the contrary on a number of occasion.
The Prime Minister's Office is not the target of an investigation by the RCMP. On the contrary, we know that it is Mr. Duffy and others. Of course, the Prime Minister's Office is assisting in any and all ways possible with those investigations.
Democratic Reform November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, of course, this government has proposed, since the beginning, reforms to the Senate. In fact, it is the NDP that has opposed any reforms to the Senate. In fact, the NDP governments are actually right now before the court arguing that we should make Senate abolition virtually impossible to achieve.
When it comes to the status quo in the Senate, the NDP is not the solution; it is part of the problem.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Wright accepted responsibility for the actions he took with his own resources, under his own authority and on his own initiative.
Mr. Wright's actions were clearly not acceptable and he admitted it. He took responsibility and he is being held accountable for his actions by the authorities.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I am starting to really have trouble figuring out what any of this has to do with government business.
As I just said, if anybody breaks rules, they are held accountable. We do not accept that in this party. We hold people accountable when they take actions that they should not have taken.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, from time to time the Prime Minister's Office provides advice to members and senators about talking to the media. However, members and senators are constitutionally responsible for their actions and their words.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of what that discussion would be. I understand this particular member is no longer a member of the Senate.
Although this is Senate business, it is my understanding that the Senate is examining, during this Parliament, the expenditures of all senators, past and present.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the Senate has been very clear; it is looking at the expenditures of all senators. The Leader of the Opposition once again makes broad-brush allegations against all kinds of employees and senators.
I have no information that would corroborate what he said, but obviously we will see what the final findings of the audit of the Senate will be.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, as you well know, the decision to provide legal assistance to MPs and senators is made by the political parties. As far as spending taxpayers' money is concerned, that is up to the boards of internal economy of both houses. It is not up to the government.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Of course, Mr. Speaker, that is a matter of party business, not government business.
The facts have been made very clear on that. Political parties do provide legal support to their members of Parliament, of both Houses, from time to time.
The leader of the NDP should be no stranger to this. He not only has claimed legal expenses from his party, he even succeeded in getting his party to pay court damages against him for a court case, when he lost. I know of no parallel to that in our party.
Ethics November 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, once again, the decision to repay Mr. Duffy's inappropriate expenses was Mr. Wright's decision. That is a decision he took himself and that he has taken responsibility for. Obviously, his actions and those of Mr. Duffy were not accurately communicated to me or to the Canadian people. That is where the responsibility lies. That is where it does lie, and they are being held accountable.