Vic Toews

[Safer Witnesses Act, May 30th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, let me just summarize the facts that relate to the procedural aspects of this particular bill, as I understand them.

The NDP and the Liberals have supported the legislation at all stages. More important, no amendments were proposed. It was studied at five public safety committee meetings. This is the fourth day of debate. There are no amendments to debate. There has been support at all stages.

I think it is very clear to Canadians what is happening here. The opposition is simply being obstructive.

[Safer Witnesses Act, May 30th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of the amendments the member is talking about, which she is concerned have not been brought forward.

[Fair Rail Freight Service Act, May 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the member for Brandon—Souris for the very good work he is doing as the chair of the committee that is examining the bill. He has done a lot of great work over the years. He has worked with both shippers and the railway companies to find a suitable legislative resolution for what are sometimes very difficult problems.

With the demise of the Wheat Board monopoly, which has been quite good for western Canada, producers now have the opportunity to grow more wheat and send out more product.

We are seeing a tremendous resurgence in some of the crops that were not being grown because of the stifling effect of the Wheat Board monopoly, but I am concerned about the smaller shippers mentioned by the member across the way, small grain farmers and others who want to ship their products around the world.

Does the member see a solution for some of the concerns people have raised when it comes to smaller producers and smaller shippers against larger rail companies?

[Government Expenditures, May 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats opposed our measures to cut these conferences in half, in 2012. Because of the action taken by our Conservative government, spending on hospitality is down 25.5%. The opposition members have consistently opposed us in taking strong action to protect taxpayer dollars. In fact, when I indicate that there should be a measure of control over expenditures, the opposition members say I am interfering.

[Government Appointments, May 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question. If the member has any information that security forces behaved contrary to Canada's interests, I would encourage him to immediately refer it to the Security Intelligence Review Committee.

Let us talk about hiding information. Let us talk about the Leader of the Opposition, who for 17 years, hid attempts by the mayor to bribe him. These matters are now being disclosed in a public enquiry.

Why did the Leader of the Opposition not do his duty?

[Government Appointments, May 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, if the member has any information that any member of our security forces behaved contrary to Canada's interests, I would encourage her to immediately refer to SIRC.

Let us talk about sharing information. What we do know is that it is very clear that the Leader of the Opposition failed to share information that was pertinent to a bribery attempt, which is now what we are hearing about in the province of Quebec.

Why did that particular member fail to disclose pertinent information and fail to share it with the authorities?

[Government Appointments, May 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the member says that someone was protected. What we do know is that the Leader of the Opposition denied a specific bribery attempt, and then less than three years later, came clean on this. For 17 years, the Leader of the Opposition knew about a bribery attempt, denied it and has finally had to come clean.

Who is protecting whom?

[Government Appointments, May 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as a matter of clarification, Mr. Porter was appointed to SIRC with the support of the NDP and the Liberal leadership.

I would like to congratulate the authorities for a successful arrest.

While I cannot comment on a specific case, anyone involved in corruption must face the full force of the law, unlike the leader of the NDP who knew about corruption, who knew about a bribe attempt, who denied it years later, and has now had to come clean.

[Government Appointments, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I would thank the member for the question and for pointing out that the members of the opposition, in fact, did support that appointment.

I would like to congratulate the authorities for a successful arrest. While I cannot comment on the specific case, I can say that anyone involved in corruption must face the full force of the law. Arthur Porter resigned nearly two years ago, and the allegations that he was arrested on have no connection with his role with the federal government.

[Government Appointments, May 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, I have answered those questions, but let us talk about the issue of accountability and the failure of the Leader of the Opposition to demand accountability from two of his members who are, in fact, not paying their income tax. He has taken no steps at all in that respect.