Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, as the justice minister knows, names are never to be released until the deposition and discovery stages of an investigation are complete. Does the justice minister not agree that the names of accusers should never be released until the accused has actually been charged?

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice was called on to give legal advice to my colleague, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. I can tell the House that the advice we gave was entirely in accordance with the law. Beyond that we are satisfied that the minister acted in accordance with the advice we gave.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, intimidation knows no bounds. I ask the justice minister again, exactly what legal advice did his department give to the minister of immigration, and why did they sanction this contravention of section 29 of the Privacy Act?

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. Considering the problems the Minister of Canadian Heritage has had recently and considering these new problems of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, it would appear the Prime Minister needs to assure Canadians that these serious allegations against his ministers are unfounded.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has given a full and complete answer. It is very clear the hon. member has forgotten one of the basic principles of Canadian and British justice, that someone who has been accused has a right to know his accusers and what they say in order to make an answer to those charges.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, it appears this minister has contravened the Privacy Act and he has also contravened the conflict of interest code. He claims now that he was advised to break the law by the justice department. We need some clarification. Canadians need clarification. Will the Prime Minister direct both the privacy commissioner and the ethics counsellor to conduct independent, full investigations into the action of this minister and make those findings public immediately?

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the hon. member there is nothing in the allegations or in his question that justifies the course of action he mentions. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has given a complete explanation for his actions and they show there has been no illegality, contrary to the insinuation of the hon. member.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, I responded to his colleague in the first round of questioning. I repeat once again that there was caution throughout the process of not releasing or disclosing any such names to the point where I chose not to write those names to the chair in asking quite appropriately for her to review the allegations that were made by these individuals.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, my supplemental is also for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. When the Al Mashat affair took place three years ago, it was clearly stated by the current Minister of Human Resources Development in the House on June 12, 1991 that a government minister is required to protect the anonymity of individuals and to decline to publicly identify them.

Immigration And Refugee Board  My colleagues, I would ask if you both could make the questions and answers a little shorter. I ask the hon. member to please put his question forthwith.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, will the minister now concede that he is responsible for this gross injustice and for further compromising the integrity of his department? Will he take charge to remedy the serious damage that he has caused within his department?

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, I repeat once again that no one is undermining any process. In fact I was given the names by a media outlet. I have not made any names public. It was on the advice of the Department of Justice counsel that for the deputy chair to appropriately and fairly respond to those allegations contained in the report that his counsel disclose the names of those individuals who made those allegations.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, I reject that completely out of hand. I repeat for the hon. member that the names were disclosed to the counsel of Mr. Schelew on the advice of the justice department in response to my request for the deputy chair to respond to the report of the chair and the appropriateness of the recommendation and that the IRB members in question were advised immediately by the IRB.

Immigration And Refugee Board  I would ask the hon. member to put his question now, please.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, will this minister admit that he has made a gross and inexcusable violation similar to those ministers in Ontario who had to resign and consider doing the same?