Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'd like to make a motion that we strike your comments from the permanent record of this committee.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  A Catholic Irish answer....

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's very helpful. Thank you.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  You used the term “breaking the bond of trust”. When you break faith with the Canadian people, does that in itself not undermine the position of trust given to cabinet ministers under their oath of office?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Well, we are splitting hairs and putting everything Minister Oda said under a microscope, as we should, given the gravity of the situation. There's something kind of Chrétienesque about Minister Oda's comments throughout, and it's hard to nail it down, but we do expect ministers

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I agree. You would think that might be the role of the Clerk of the Privy Council, but in this country their official title is the deputy minister to the Prime Minister.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Good. Misrepresenting the intent--

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Misrepresenting the intent of that letter had a political motivation, I believe. Can you speculate as to what advantage there may be to the government for the public to think that CIDA wanted to end Kairos' funding, not the Conservative Party?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Franks. Thank you for reminding us in your opening remarks of the gravity of this situation. It's not a matter to be taken lightly. In fact, it's the highest voice or opinion we can render on an issue: to find someone in contempt. Also,

Procedure and House Affairs committee  All we need to know....

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you for that. I think there's kind of dual function for this committee. One is to condemn the misrepresentation--what we believe is the deliberate misrepresentation by the minister--but the second is to come to the defence of the senior public servants who did their job, e

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's a good point.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you. Mr. Chairman, to bring it back down to earth, the government is asking our permission to spend $6 billion on corporate tax cuts, and that's the reality of it. They come to us asking us to buy a $6 billion pig in a poke and they won't even do us the courtesy of showing

Procedure and House Affairs committee  They'll be able to pass judgment on you very soon, Mr. Menzies.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, this really isn't beneficial to us. As interesting as it is, we have very little time. I was wondering if I could ask a question now.