Jacques Gourde

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will not be fooled, and the fact that the Prime Minister is treating them like idiots is an insult to their intelligence. The Prime Minister's illegal trip was carefully planned and intentionally paid for out of the pockets of Canadian taxpayers.When will the Prime Minister restore even a semblance of integrity by paying back the money he took from Canadian taxpayers so he could have a good time?

Mr. Speaker, how disgraceful and unfair.The Minister of Finance wants to tax small business investment income at a rate of 73%. As a result, the retirement plans of a pork producer in my riding, Mario, will be seriously jeopardized.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Mario to pay a tax rate of 73% that the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell do not have to pay? How is that fair? What a disgrace.

Madam Speaker, on October 22, 2014, a jihadi terrorist struck at the heart of our freedom and our democracy. Corporal Nathan Cirillo was brutally gunned down just steps from where we are now. That happened two days after Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent was murdered. Last year, our government honoured the men's sacrifice, but this year, the Liberals want Canadians to forget. There will be no commemorative ceremony.Why are the Liberals dishonouring these men who died in the line of duty by trying to pretend these jihadi attacks never happened?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised a dirty election campaign and has stooped to a new low. He is letting his friends, third parties like Unifor and Engage Canada, do his dirty work for him.The Liberals asked Unifor to distribute $600 million to the media, and now it is returning the favour by launching an unprecedented, unfair multi-million dollar attack ad campaign against the future prime minister of our country, a campaign that circumvents the Canada Elections Act.Why does the Prime Minister have such close ties with partisan interest groups? Is there a secret agreement? Canadians want to know the truth.

Mr. Speaker, asylum seekers are having to wait longer than ever for hearings.Yesterday, we learned that a refugee claimant in Montreal received his notice of hearing. Believe it or not, the date is set for January 1, 2030, a statutory holiday 12 years from now. The Liberal government's ridiculous management of asylum claims defies reason.When will these claims be processed in a timely manner?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has had no control over the issue of illegal migrants in Canada from the very beginning. The influx of illegal migrants at our borders is costing another $115 million. Why? This is the fault of the Prime Minister, who tweeted out a welcome to everyone in January 2017. When will the Prime Minister secure our borders and stop making Canadians pay for his mistakes?

Mr. Speaker, whether the Liberals like it or not, if we had not asked the tough questions, the sponsorship scandal would never have been exposed.It is time that the Liberals took responsibility. The close ties between a Liberal minister and some real estate developers in Brampton East clearly do exist. All those fine folks went on that trip to India, all on the taxpayers' dime, yet no one seems to have invited them.Why do the Liberals take Canadians for fools? Who invited that real estate developer on the Prime Minister's trip to India?

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals, you get more than you bargained for. When Canadians send their money to Ottawa, they expect it to be managed carefully. They do not want the brush-off. The Prime Minister's friends feigned ignorance, but now that we know they were well aware of all the expenses they claimed, Canadians have every reason to wonder if there is anything else the Prime Minister is hiding.Canadians deserve their government's respect, so will it come right out and tell us what other unreasonable expenses it is hiding from Canadians in the hope of not getting caught?

Madam Speaker, Canadians want to know. The Prime Minister has problems with his exes. His ex-attorney general wants to tell “her” truth. His ex-senior adviser does not want to talk. Pressure exerted by the PMO on the ex-attorney general violates section 139 of the Criminal Code.When will the Liberals realize that this is obstruction of justice? This is a crime. This is a scandal.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Justice said she went to Toronto to attend a fundraising activity simply as the member for Vancouver-Granville. The minister would therefore have us believe that the people she met at this cocktail party in Toronto wanted to talk to her about matters that are important to her riding in Vancouver. Let us be real. If I go to Toronto, no one is going to talk to me about what is going on in Lévis—Lotbinière.Will the minister stop taking us for fools and admit that she was there as the Minister of Justice?

Madam Speaker, one reaps what one sows. Having sown incompetently, the Liberals are reaping economic disaster. A trade war with our biggest trading partner is not good for our economy. Canadians need a real plan to fix this problem. They do not need retaliation. Our steel and aluminum workers need this government's support now more than ever.What is the government's plan for workers in places like Saguenay?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has lost control over the illegal migrant file in Canada. Support organizations no longer know where to turn to house this influx of people. Now we learn that the Liberal government is paying to put up irregular migrants in hotels. How long will illegal migrants stay in hotels? How much will this cost Canadian taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, the new political adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jocelyn Coulon, once said that NATO was amplifying the Russian threat to Ukraine and Europe simply because it wanted member states to increase their military budgets. He wrote, “They use any argument, even the stupidest, to advance their rearmament agenda.”Does the minister agree with his political adviser that the Russian threat to Ukraine, among other countries, is not all that serious and is just a pretext for boosting NATO military budgets?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal honeymoon is over. Following the shameful diplomatic incident between Canada and India, a Liberal MP was punished for inviting a friend of the Prime Minister, Jaspar Atwal. As a result, India has once again raised the tariff from 40% to 60%. This is the price Canada will have to pay for this diplomatic disaster. It is going to take a lot more than a little dance in the sun to fix this mess.What does the Prime Minister plan to do to address this diplomatic disaster, for which he is solely responsible?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's dairy producers are totally distraught because the Liberal government is dragging its feet on the issue of diafiltered milk. Canadian dairy producers are losing millions of dollars every week because of an injustice, a scheme orchestrated by processing industries that do not care about behaving ethically toward their business partners.Our dairy producers have been tormented long enough. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food must act immediately in the collective interest of the entire dairy industry. Will he take action now, or is he going to put it off indefinitely?

Mr. Speaker, there is every indication that the endless delays apply to all types of immigration files.We now know that illegal migrants will be living in hotels indefinitely at the taxpayer's expense, but the Liberals are not even batting an eye.Will the Liberals make Canadians pay for hotel rooms for 12 years before they do something about the illegal migrant situation?How much will this cost to the deep dismay of Canadian taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, the sole purpose of the sexist carbon tax is to pay for the deficits accumulated by the Liberals because of their poor management. The most disadvantaged in our society will be the most affected. On this side of the House, we respect Canadians' money. Why does the Liberal government believe that it is entitled to Canadians' money by imposing new taxes in order to pay for their excessive expenditures?

Mr. Speaker, once again, this is another example of the Liberal government's mismanagement. Canada cannot be governed through selfies, and it especially cannot be governed without a firm grasp of the diplomatic issues.Why does this government refuse to admit that the massacres perpetrated by ISIS against the Christian, Yazidi, and Shia Muslim minorities can only be called one thing: genocide?

Mr. Speaker, after missing the deadline set by his own department, the President of the Treasury Board finally reported his travel expenses. However, the same cannot be said of some of his colleagues who are late in doing so or have provided incomplete information. Canadians deserve better than this pseudo-transparency.When will we have proactive disclosure? Are they going to disclose information only when they get caught breaking the rules?

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the Prime Minister, we cannot get by on love, fresh water, and selfies.All governments are responsible for making sure that Canadians have bread and butter on the table every day. Unfortunately, the Liberal government is completely incompetent on economic matters, and its only talent is making the deficit grow right before our eyes.When will the government show some economic leadership and support projects like the energy east project?

Mr. Speaker, a person of real integrity and transparency does not get caught with his hand in the cookie jar over and over again, as is the case with the Prime Minister. There are many examples of his lack of judgment. I am thinking of his $1,500 cash for access parties for the rich, or his helicopter trips that violate the rules.The more we get to know this Prime Minister, the more we see that he thinks he is above the law. Could the Prime Minister set aside his elastic conscience and demonstrate transparency and integrity in the important decisions he must make in the interest of all Canadians?

Madam Speaker, Canadian police officers have worked hard and served the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee well. It is an insult to terminate their membership in the committee. Why would the Minister of Justice show such disrespect to people who risk their lives day after day to serve and protect Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, after giving Loblaws $12 million, this Liberal government is in hot water again for showering $50 million on a handful of Canadian venture capital funds.However, two of the three winning funds that applied to the program said they were not in particularly dire need of Ottawa's money. That is totally backwards. This is a gross injustice to those who really need this money.Why does the Liberal government not just mind its own business? Why is it giving money to investment funds that do not even need it?

Mr. Speaker, when I fill up my tank every week, I am supporting social programs in some foreign countries, or I am enriching dictators who are torturing their people. Oil transportation is very important to Canada. Why does the Prime Minister agree to the safe transportation of foreign oil but refuses to do the same with Canadian oil?

Mr. Speaker, while this Prime Minister is being paid to dig us deeper into debt and to go sunbathing with his family on the taxpayers’ dime, the Minister of Canadian Heritage is out in the cold launching the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Like the Prime Minister, she is favouring her Liberal cronies.Can the Prime Minister, who has once again increased the tax burden of Canadians, justify spending $127,000 on a vacation paid for by taxpayers, who will be paying back his deficit for decades to come?

Mr. Speaker, why is the Prime Minister defending the indefensible? We are talking about potential ties to organized crime. It is outrageous.The Liberal government's integrity and reputation are at stake. Canadians are concerned and deserve answers.Did the actions of the Liberal member for Brampton East jeopardize our national security?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's confession about lobbying during $1,500 fundraisers blackens the honour of all Canadians. Our democratic system is now an international laughingstock. This brings shame to us all.Will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and obey his own ethics rules?

Mr. Speaker, on Monday evening, after a moving speech about the opioid crisis, the member for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte told us that 38 people had died in Barrie, leaving their families and loved ones mourning their futile deaths due to the opioid crisis.The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons then said, oh, is that all? That is not so bad, is it?That is outrageous. I would go so far as to say that remark was totally unacceptable.Could the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons explain to us why she said that?

Mr. Speaker, another outrageous expense by the Liberals has come to light. Recently, the media are reporting that the Liberal government spent $2.5 million in the last year in order to find out what to do.Can this Prime Minister tell us why, in just 16 months, he spent more on polling Canadians than the Conservative government did in the previous decade?

Mr. Speaker, it seems we are not yet out of the woods with the Liberal SNC-Lavalin scandal.We have moved on to the next chapter and Canadians have lost all confidence in this Liberal government. What is very disturbing is that the former president of the Treasury Board claims that there is much more to the story that needs to be told.Will the Prime Minister maintain his gag order or will he let the former president of the Treasury Board put an end to this cover-up?

Mr. Speaker, ethics problems are all too common with the Liberals. This time, the problem with with the member for Brampton East, who was hired by a construction company after becoming a member of Parliament. It just so happens that the owner of this company was invited on the Prime Minister's disastrous trip to India. It is impossible to know who invited the man in question, since the member and the Prime Minister's Office are pointing the finger at each other. Who is telling the truth? Why all the mystery?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's saga of corruption and political interference continues. After pulling out all the stops to kill the story and hide the truth from Canadians, the Prime Minister is now resorting to intimidation tactics in a bid to silence the Leader of the Opposition.Will the Prime Minister make good on his threat as soon as possible? Canadians want the truth.

Madam Speaker, if I drive 150 kilometres an hour through a school zone, I will lose my licence and my car.A charitable donation is not going to minimize my crime and give me my privileges back. Under the Conflict of Interest Act, I am required to declare my assets within 60 days of my appointment. The Minister of Finance has yet to do that after 760 days. I sympathize with the parliamentary secretary who is stuck having to defend the indefensible.When will the Minister of Finance disclose his holdings in his other numbered companies and why is he untouchable?

Mr. Speaker, concerns regarding the Liberal government's questionable ethics are piling up as fast as the deficit is rising. We have learned that the Minister of International Trade spent nearly $20,000 to appear on a Hollywood talk show. What nonsense.Since she was not in Los Angeles to negotiate a free trade agreement with the Hollywood stars, can she explain why Canadians should have to foot the bill for her expensive side trip to California?

Mr. Speaker, we are wondering which Liberal Party friend will get the largest catch in the saga surrounding the fisheries minister's fish tale. Patronage, a breach of contract, and deception were all part of the strategy used to obtain lucrative fishing quotas for Liberal cronies.Why does the Minister of Fisheries not admit he was wrong and start over with a clear, fair, equitable, and transparent bidding process?

Mr. Speaker, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Canadian taxpayers pay for their family vacations down south with their own money. It is inconceivable that we have to pay for the illegal travel expenses of the Prime Minister, his family and his friends. This is an inappropriate and illegal gift, and it must be paid back.When will the Prime Minister finally reimburse Canadian taxpayers for the cost of his illegal vacation?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberal Party is not throwing money out the window on useless renovations or giving subsidies to Canada 2020, it is doing what it has always done: rewarding its cronies.We recently learned that the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Agriculture were only too happy to appoint friends of the Liberals, namely a former chief of staff and a defeated Liberal candidate, to important positions.When will this government stop putting the Liberal Party's interests first and finally look out for the best interests of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, six staffers from the Prime Minister's office apparently needed a lot of help waking up for a convention in London, Ontario, seeing as they spent nearly $600 on coffee. I am sure you will agree that the Liberal Party spending taxpayer money like water is nothing new, but Canadians deserve an explanation.How could the government possibly spend $600 on coffee for six people?

Madam Speaker, the Liberals are welcome to sing, take selfies, and make public appearances, but they need to respect Canadians' interests.Why is a committee stacked with Liberals going to destroy democracy when a referendum on electoral reform is the way to go?

Mr. Speaker, as if it was not enough that she spent $8 million of taxpayers' money to sharpen her skating skills, now we learn that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is spending recklessly again. She refused to listen to her officials during a stop in Seoul last April, which was unrelated to the objectives of the trade mission to China.What did it cost us this time to indulge the Minister of Canadian Heritage's whim when she stopped in Seoul for her own personal pleasure to have us dance to K-pop?

Mr. Speaker, the report by the former commissioner of conflict of interest and ethics was very clear: the Prime Minister violated the Conflict of Interest Act twice. He violated amendments to the act that he himself introduced in the House. It would be totally irresponsible to ignore the Prime Minister's inappropriate conduct.Does the government believe taxpayers want to aid and abet the Prime Minister in his inappropriate conduct?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister spends as much time explaining his rash decisions to the Canadian public and the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner as a disobedient child spends in time out thinking about what he has done. It is high time that the Prime Minister demonstrate some consistency and integrity and give the House some clear answers.How many times has the Prime Minister met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss his loose ethics?

Mr. Speaker, one of the key players in the SNC-Lavalin scandal was a minister's chief of staff who also did everything he could to get the attorney general of Canada and her employees to bend the law. He was even brazen enough to threaten them. The more crooked one is, the better chance they have of moving up in the Liberal Party. Why does the Liberal government reward those who interfere in the judicial process?

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister continues to downplay the scandal related to his breaking the law and violating the ethics rules of the House, we continue to believe that no one is exempt, including our princely current Prime Minister. I would like him to admit that he deliberately tried to exempt himself from a federal law, and that he abused the system and the trust of Canadians by making taxpayers pay for his family vacation. Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he will pay back the cost of his family vacation, which was paid for by Canadian taxpayers?

Madam Speaker, the Liberals are making good use of parliamentary immunity to avoid answering simple, legitimate questions. Canadians expect government members and ministers to be immune to attempts of corruption.How are the trip to India, the real estate company, the minister and the member for Brampton East connected, and is the Prime Minister's Office at the centre of it all?

Mr. Speaker, a spade is a spade. Political interference is political interference. When the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons contacted the judges at the Immigration and Refugee Board, he knew that he was directly interfering in their work.In the past, this type of conduct forced ministers to resign.Just how low do the Liberals plan to go when interpreting the ethics rules?

Mr. Speaker, the government has a never-ending supply of excuses to defend the Prime Minister's friend and his chief of staff.Yesterday, they told the House that the moving company lied. However, that is not true. My father always used to say that when you constantly change your story, it is most certainly because you have something to hide.Why is the Prime Minister unable to simply say to Canadians that his staff and his government have the bad habit of abusing taxpayers' money?

Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government has a serious problem with transparency.Not only did it hide the tax hikes that Canadians will face to cover its out-of-control spending, but it is also refusing to release the list of people invited to a questionable fundraiser with the Minister of Justice.The Prime Minister is now the one showing a lack of transparency, as he refuses to answer questions on his numbered companies.Will this government finally be transparent on all of its files, or was transparency nothing more than a meaningless campaign slogan?

Mr. Speaker, as a result of the Prime Minister's tweets, our country has become a destination for illegal migrants.Today, our leader is there to observe the scope of the situation. From January to April of this year alone, 9,615 people entered Quebec illegally, and our customs officers are expecting up to 400 illegal entries a day this summer. Just imagine. It is scandalous.Why did the Prime Minister refuse to put the issue of illegal immigrants on the G7 agenda?

Mr. Speaker, we already knew that this government was on a spending spree and had no respect for taxpayers' money. Here is yet another in a long line of examples. Two PMO staffers racked up outrageous relocation expenses. One claimed over $125,000 and the other $80,000.Some Canadians have a hard time putting money aside. Will the government tell them who exercised poor judgment in approving these expenses? Which two staffers did the Liberal regime treat so generously?

Madam Speaker, on October 22, 2014, a jihadi terrorist struck at the heart of our freedom and our democracy. Corporal Nathan Cirillo was brutally gunned down just steps from where we are now. That happened two days after Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent was murdered. Last year, our government honoured the men's sacrifice, but this year, the Liberals want Canadians to forget. There will be no commemorative ceremony.Why are the Liberals dishonouring these men who died in the line of duty by trying to pretend these jihadi attacks never happened?

Mr. Speaker, asylum seekers are having to wait longer than ever for hearings.Yesterday, we learned that a refugee claimant in Montreal received his notice of hearing. Believe it or not, the date is set for January 1, 2030, a statutory holiday 12 years from now. The Liberal government's ridiculous management of asylum claims defies reason.When will these claims be processed in a timely manner?

Mr. Speaker, while this Prime Minister is being paid to dig us deeper into debt and to go sunbathing with his family on the taxpayers’ dime, the Minister of Canadian Heritage is out in the cold launching the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Like the Prime Minister, she is favouring her Liberal cronies.Can the Prime Minister, who has once again increased the tax burden of Canadians, justify spending $127,000 on a vacation paid for by taxpayers, who will be paying back his deficit for decades to come?

Mr. Speaker, even one death is one too many. The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons is completely lacking in compassion. The opioid crisis is serious, but does she realize just how serious it is? Does she have an inkling of the devastating effects of those 38 deaths on the families of the deceased?Will the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons repeat what she said and explain why she thinks 38 deaths are not so bad?

Mr. Speaker, as if the Prime Minister accepting an illegal gift were not enough, the Prime Minister's family also solicited illegal gifts of illegal vacations from someone who does business with the federal government. The Prime Minister is in a blatant conflict of interest, both for accepting the gift and for soliciting another, and I am sure that Canadians do not want to be complicit in illegal actions.When will the Prime Minister take responsibility for his actions?

Mr. Speaker, ethics problems are all too common with the Liberals. This time, the problem with with the member for Brampton East, who was hired by a construction company after becoming a member of Parliament. It just so happens that the owner of this company was invited on the Prime Minister's disastrous trip to India. It is impossible to know who invited the man in question, since the member and the Prime Minister's Office are pointing the finger at each other. Who is telling the truth? Why all the mystery?

Madam Speaker, information about the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada was leaked, and the Liberal government is not taking it seriously.We all have a duty to safeguard trust in the appointment process as something precious to us. The government is playing a dangerous game and making a mockery of our justice system and our democracy.The guilty party is in a very small circle of people. Who is it?

Mr. Speaker, unlike millions of Canadians, our Prime Minister has never had to work very hard to make ends meet. Although he promised to stimulate the economy, this morning we heard that the unemployment rate has gone up and thousands of Canadians are looking for work.Is this government planning to do anything other than increase taxes to stimulate employment?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister refused to appear before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to explain his actions concerning two trips to a private island.Why does the Prime Minister think there is no need for him to appear before the committee and explain to all Canadians why taxpayers should pay for his illegal vacations?

Mr. Speaker, according to the report from the former ethics commissioner, both of the Prime Minister's family vacations were solicited by the Prime Minister himself through email exchanges with the Aga Khan's family. This is a blatant conflict of interest. The Prime Minister and his family asked for a benefit from individuals who had dealings with the Government of Canada.When will the Prime Minister pay back this illegal expense?

Mr. Speaker, an investigation by the Information Commissioner of Canada revealed that a Shared Services Canada employee deleted 398 pages of emails after receiving an access to information request. Access to information is one of our fundamental rights in this country. It is disturbing to learn that a request concerning the Liberal Party was handled this way.When will the Liberal Minister of Justice recuse herself, and when will the file be referred to the director of public prosecutions?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has lost control over the illegal migrant file in Canada. Support organizations no longer know where to turn to house this influx of people. Now we learn that the Liberal government is paying to put up irregular migrants in hotels. How long will illegal migrants stay in hotels? How much will this cost Canadian taxpayers?

Madam Speaker, this has been a tough week for Canadian taxpayers. The decision to finance the Trans Mountain project with our money and a trade war with the Americans will end up costing us dearly. The Prime Minister has led Canadians to the edge of an abyss, and now he is asking them to blindly follow him forward.When will he do the right thing and come up with a plan for steel and aluminum workers in communities like Saguenay?

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Minister of International Trade does not have a monopoly on questionable trips.Yesterday we learned that when the Prime Minister goes to the White House, he brings along Liberal Party employees, his in-laws, and his nanny.Can this government, which claims to be obsessed with transparency, explain to Canadians why it was necessary to bring 44 people to Washington and what their official roles were?

Mr. Speaker, there is every indication that the endless delays apply to all types of immigration files.We now know that illegal migrants will be living in hotels indefinitely at the taxpayer's expense, but the Liberals are not even batting an eye.Will the Liberals make Canadians pay for hotel rooms for 12 years before they do something about the illegal migrant situation?How much will this cost to the deep dismay of Canadian taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Canadian taxpayers pay for their family vacations down south with their own money. It is inconceivable that we have to pay for the illegal travel expenses of the Prime Minister, his family and his friends. This is an inappropriate and illegal gift, and it must be paid back.When will the Prime Minister finally reimburse Canadian taxpayers for the cost of his illegal vacation?

Mr. Speaker, on Monday evening, after a moving speech about the opioid crisis, the member for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte told us that 38 people had died in Barrie, leaving their families and loved ones mourning their futile deaths due to the opioid crisis.The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons then said, oh, is that all? That is not so bad, is it?That is outrageous. I would go so far as to say that remark was totally unacceptable.Could the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons explain to us why she said that?

Madam Speaker, Canadian police officers have worked hard and served the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee well. It is an insult to terminate their membership in the committee. Why would the Minister of Justice show such disrespect to people who risk their lives day after day to serve and protect Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, by 2022, the Canadian economy will have taken a $10-billion hit because of the carbon tax. This new sexist carbon tax's sole purpose is to pay down the Liberal deficit.How much extra money will Canadian families have to shell out every year because of the Prime Minister's bad management?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will not be fooled, and the fact that the Prime Minister is treating them like idiots is an insult to their intelligence. The Prime Minister's illegal trip was carefully planned and intentionally paid for out of the pockets of Canadian taxpayers.When will the Prime Minister restore even a semblance of integrity by paying back the money he took from Canadian taxpayers so he could have a good time?

Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government has a serious problem with transparency.Not only did it hide the tax hikes that Canadians will face to cover its out-of-control spending, but it is also refusing to release the list of people invited to a questionable fundraiser with the Minister of Justice.The Prime Minister is now the one showing a lack of transparency, as he refuses to answer questions on his numbered companies.Will this government finally be transparent on all of its files, or was transparency nothing more than a meaningless campaign slogan?

Mr. Speaker, a new conflict of interest and ethics commissioner will be appointed in July, which leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Transferring responsibility for this appointment from the Prime Minister's Office to the government House leader's office is a thinly veiled sham.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether the selection criteria for the next conflict of interest and ethics commissioner will be the same as the criteria used to choose the new commissioner of official languages, that is, being in the Liberal family and being a generous Liberal supporter?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised a dirty election campaign and has stooped to a new low. He is letting his friends, third parties like Unifor and Engage Canada, do his dirty work for him.The Liberals asked Unifor to distribute $600 million to the media, and now it is returning the favour by launching an unprecedented, unfair multi-million dollar attack ad campaign against the future prime minister of our country, a campaign that circumvents the Canada Elections Act.Why does the Prime Minister have such close ties with partisan interest groups? Is there a secret agreement? Canadians want to know the truth.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have never been so badly served as they are by this Prime Minister, who thinks he is totally above the law.He is undermining Canadians' confidence in our democracy, and we are all outraged by the investigations into ethical issues, because the common thread in them all is that the Liberal Party of Canada put its own interests first. When will the Prime Minister finally admit his lapse in judgment in using the Aga Khan's helicopter, and get to work for the benefit of all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister agreed to spend his family vacation on a private island, he put himself in a blatant conflict of interest. Canadians rightly expect the Prime Minister of Canada to abide by all of our country's laws.Will the Prime Minister clear up any confusion about the legality of this decision and tell us the value of the gift he received? Will he reimburse taxpayers for the total amount of the gift he illegally received?

Mr. Speaker, at a time when thousands of Canadians are looking for work because the Prime Minister is not committed to the economy and job creation, we know someone who will never be unemployed. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has not been this busy since the sponsorship scandal. What both scandals coincidentally have in common is that they took place while the Liberal Party of Canada was in power.If the Prime Minister will not put a stop to this government's elastic ethics, then who will?

Mr. Speaker, the government has a never-ending supply of excuses to defend the Prime Minister's friend and his chief of staff.Yesterday, they told the House that the moving company lied. However, that is not true. My father always used to say that when you constantly change your story, it is most certainly because you have something to hide.Why is the Prime Minister unable to simply say to Canadians that his staff and his government have the bad habit of abusing taxpayers' money?

Mr. Speaker, out of 36 million Canadians, only the members opposite think this extravagance is normal. To mere mortals, it makes no sense to bring Liberal Party employees on an official trip. They have nothing to do with the administration of government.Can the government explain to Canadians what official role the Liberal Party's chief revenue officer, Stephen Bronfman, played within the Canadian delegation?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's shares in Morneau Shepell put him in conflict of interest with the position he holds. We also know that he has shares in a number of other holding companies.When will the Minister of Finance meet with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner as promised, and will he finally disclose all of his other investments to the House so Canadians will know if he is still in conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, there is no lack of examples with this spendthrift government. We also learned that renovations to the offices of the minister and deputy minister of infrastructure cost almost $1 million.How can this government justify cutting family and small business tax credits when it spends money hand over fist to renovate its own offices?

Mr. Speaker, a spade is a spade. Political interference is political interference. When the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons contacted the judges at the Immigration and Refugee Board, he knew that he was directly interfering in their work.In the past, this type of conduct forced ministers to resign.Just how low do the Liberals plan to go when interpreting the ethics rules?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's tax reform will have a serious impact on the future of family farms right across the country.The minister promised to call every farmer in Canada who tried to contact him. We have heard grumbling from every region of the country, so it is not surprising that his voice mail is full. Will the Minister of Finance extend the consultation period until he has spoken with all the farmers who wish to speak with him, or is that just another broken Liberal promise?

Madam Speaker, the Liberal saga continues.Here are the facts. On September 4, the office of the director of public prosecutions informed SNC-Lavalin that it would be moving forward with the case. On September 17, the former attorney general told the Prime Minister she would not interfere in the criminal trial. Yesterday, the Clerk of the Privy Council admitted that the Prime Minister tried to interfere in the process several times. That is a crime.When will the Liberals admit it?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's motto seems to be “do as I say, not as I do”. He is piling tax upon tax on Canadian small businesses, while at the same time stashing the profits from his family fortune in the tax haven of Barbados. He has some nerve.To quote the Minister of National Revenue, the net is tightening on Morneau Shepell's actions.Can the Minister of National Revenue confirm whether an investigation has been opened into the Minister of Finance's personal stake in tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, as if legalizing marijuana was not already scandalous, the media are reporting other troubling facts this morning that suggest that the work of the task force on marijuana legalization may have been leaked. It seems that the only person who has yet to see the report is the minister herself. It is a Liberal task force with liberal recommendations for legalizing Liberal-friendly companies.Will the Minister of Justice wake up, put on her minister's hat, and assure us that a formal investigation has been launched into this discredited task force?

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows about the Liberal Party's questionable practice of holding $1,500 fundraisers that give guests the opportunity for private discussions about specific projects with ministers and the Prime Minister.We just learned that the government has approved agreements with a Chinese company to buy a major retirement home chain in British Columbia.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether executives or representatives of Chinese insurance company Anbang paid $1,500 for privileged access to the Liberals, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, this past Friday, Quebec's National Assembly unanimously called for the Davie shipyard to get a contract to build the supply ship Obelix. The Prime Minister's failure to understand that our women and men in uniform need a second interim supply ship is unacceptable.The Davie shipyard in Lévis knows how to build these ships on time and on budget.The Liberal government's handling of this file has been a complete and utter failure. Will the Prime Minister make the only logical decision and award the Obelix contract to Davie as soon as possible?

Mr. Speaker, the new political adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jocelyn Coulon, once said that NATO was amplifying the Russian threat to Ukraine and Europe simply because it wanted member states to increase their military budgets. He wrote, “They use any argument, even the stupidest, to advance their rearmament agenda.”Does the minister agree with his political adviser that the Russian threat to Ukraine, among other countries, is not all that serious and is just a pretext for boosting NATO military budgets?

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister's claim that he was not aware of any RCMP investigation into one of his Liberal MPs regarding drug-money laundering and terrorist financing simply does not hold up.Since the Prime Minister says he had been informed of the imminent arrest of Huawei executives, when was he informed of the investigation into the member for Brampton East?

Mr. Speaker, at a time when thousands of Canadians are looking for work, the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Justice are giving patronage jobs to their cronies.As if finding jobs for their friends were not enough, the Liberals are also giving them money. They are also giving truckloads of it to Canada 2020, an organization made up of well-known friends of the Liberal family.Rather than constantly rewarding his friends, will the Prime Minister take his job seriously and stop with this poor show of elastic ethics?

Mr. Speaker, another outrageous expense by the Liberals has come to light. Recently, the media are reporting that the Liberal government spent $2.5 million in the last year in order to find out what to do.Can this Prime Minister tell us why, in just 16 months, he spent more on polling Canadians than the Conservative government did in the previous decade?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's dairy producers are totally distraught because the Liberal government is dragging its feet on the issue of diafiltered milk. Canadian dairy producers are losing millions of dollars every week because of an injustice, a scheme orchestrated by processing industries that do not care about behaving ethically toward their business partners.Our dairy producers have been tormented long enough. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food must act immediately in the collective interest of the entire dairy industry. Will he take action now, or is he going to put it off indefinitely?

Mr. Speaker, concerns regarding the Liberal government's questionable ethics are piling up as fast as the deficit is rising. We have learned that the Minister of International Trade spent nearly $20,000 to appear on a Hollywood talk show. What nonsense.Since she was not in Los Angeles to negotiate a free trade agreement with the Hollywood stars, can she explain why Canadians should have to foot the bill for her expensive side trip to California?

Mr. Speaker, when this government claimed that it would be open and transparent, Canadians families did not expect it to openly waste their money.With all due respect to the Liberal Party, giving over $200,000 to an employee and a friend of the Prime Minister is completely unacceptable. It was unacceptable in the time of the sponsorships and it is still unacceptable.When will the Prime Minister understand that Canadian families' money is not his money?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government reminds us every chance it gets of just how little respect it has for Canadian farmers. There was not a single reference to agriculture in the throne speech. The Liberals have done absolutely nothing about the diafiltered milk issue, and now a completely botched transition program is failing dairy farmers.All farmers will be affected by the importation of European products, but only a fraction of them will be eligible for the program the Liberals have introduced. It is unacceptable.Where is this blatant lack of respect for Canadian dairy farmers coming from?

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP's investigation into the member for Brampton East has put the Liberal government in hot water. The question is no longer whether or not he will resign, but why the Liberal Party has not shown him the door.The question is simple. What is the truth behind this murky business, and why is the Prime Minister defending the member for Brampton East?

Mr. Speaker, we have a duty here in the House to follow the Conflict of Interest Act. No one is above this legislation, not even the Prime Minister.In light of the scathing report of the former ethics commissioner, we can say in no uncertain terms that the Prime Minister deliberately tried to be exempt from a federal statute and he abused the system by getting Canadian taxpayers to pay for his family vacation.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he will reimburse his family trip that was paid for out of Canadians' pockets?

Mr. Speaker, quite a few ministers have not yet disclosed travel expenses they incurred before March 1, 2016, even though Treasury Board has clear rules about that. The ministers of transport, finance, public safety, and national revenue are all behind in their disclosures. Even the President of the Treasury Board is behind. He is breaking his own department's rules.Why are these ministers hiding their information? When will the Liberals follow the rules?

Madam Speaker, the provinces are in the best position to spend health care dollars. We on this side of the House understand that.Today I am calling on the Minister of Health to remove all conditions on the transfer of funding intended for Canadians' health care. The minister needs to mind her own business and respect provincial jurisdictions for the well-being of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, again, this Prime Minister is focused more on image and superficial things than on the economy and jobs. Canadians deserve better. They want a Prime Minister who works in their best interest, as the hon. Stephen Harper did. As my mother always said, good looks do not put food on the table. Instead of spending $200,000 on pseudo-experts, could the Prime Minister for once act in the best interest of all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, we knew that the Liberal Party of Canada put its own interests ahead of Canadians'.Again, the composition of the delegation that accompanied the Prime Minister to Washington is problematic.Why was the president of the Liberal Party of Canada on that trip? Has she become a representative of this government?

Madam Speaker, the government is once again showing its arrogance by proposing that a committee stacked with Liberals analyze the electoral reform.Why does the government want to control our democracy when a referendum on this topic is the most transparent approach?

Mr. Speaker, we are far from the Liberals' supposedly sunny ways. Choosing our new voting system is up to Canadians, not a partisan Liberal committee.Why is the government proposing a rigged parliamentary process when the best solution in this case is a referendum?

Mr. Speaker, the media is saying that the Liberal Party's chief bagman is sheltering money in tax havens. The Liberal government continues to add to Canadians' tax burden while its powerful friends get a free ride in those tax havens.In light of these new revelations, is the Prime Minister still happy with his situation? Is he still protecting his billionaire Liberal friend?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is making Canadians pay more and more taxes to cover his reckless spending. Meanwhile, Liberal Party cronies are putting money in tax havens and weaseling out of their tax obligations here at home. Unlike middle-class families, they are not paying their fair share. Why are the Liberals going after people with disabilities, people with diabetes, people with mental health issues, and people with autism? Why are they treating them like tax cheats instead of going after Liberal Party friends who are hiding money in tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, the election reform proposed by the Minister of Democratic Institutions is nothing but an attempt to manipulate the public.Why does the Liberal government not trust the 26 million registered voters in Canada to vote freely on this issue in a referendum?

Mr. Speaker, since his office refuses to say anything, will the Prime Minister stand up in this House and be honest with Canadians?Will he finally tell us how many times he has been called to appear before the commissioner to explain his lack of judgment regarding his trip to the Aga Khan's private island?Canadians expect their Prime Minister to reply honestly to this question, without fudging, unlike his Minister of National Defence, who distorts some facts and fabricates others.How many times did the Prime Minister meet with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss this issue?

Mr. Speaker, we now know that the exorbitant moving expenses for two employees in the Prime Minister's Office were for the chief of staff and the Prime Minister's best friend. Knowing how much was spent does not make it more acceptable. Having the right to claim something does not give anyone the right to abuse taxpayers' dollars and spend recklessly.How can the Prime Minister justify these expenses to Canadian families?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?

Mr. Speaker, a person of real integrity and transparency does not get caught with his hand in the cookie jar over and over again, as is the case with the Prime Minister. There are many examples of his lack of judgment. I am thinking of his $1,500 cash for access parties for the rich, or his helicopter trips that violate the rules.The more we get to know this Prime Minister, the more we see that he thinks he is above the law. Could the Prime Minister set aside his elastic conscience and demonstrate transparency and integrity in the important decisions he must make in the interest of all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians should have fair and equal access to the finance minister. The fact that the Liberals are putting a $1,500 price tag on that access in the form of a contribution to the Liberal Party is a problem.Which classes of Canadian society is this privileged access to the Minister of Finance reserved for and why?

Mr. Speaker, any government appointments to senior positions must be impartial, based on competence and merit. However, the appointments that this prime minister has made since coming to office are proving otherwise. Can the Prime Minister assure us that he will not, once again, appoint Liberal cronies who have paid into the party’s campaign fund? Will he fill commissioners’ positions responsible for overseeing elections, official languages, lobbying and, ironically, ethics—a file he has not mastered—with competent individuals without any ties to the Liberal Party of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, again, the government's lack of vision is undermining our democracy. True to Liberal form, the government is proposing a rigged parliamentary process.Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?

Mr. Speaker, the investigation into the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard is part of the time-honoured Liberal ways where the more things change, the more they stay the same. There is favouritism for everyone, from the Liberal extended family to the Liberal uncle, the Liberal cousin, and the Liberal cronies. Nothing is off limits for that crowd. It is scandalous.When did the Prime Minister find out that every Liberal partisan and the minister's family would benefit from this lucrative contract?

Mr. Speaker, a friend is a friend, but being a Liberal friend gets you an untendered contract.The Minister of Justice pulled some strings to make sure that a lawyer with ties to the Liberal Party of Canada would be awarded a consultation contract worth $711 an hour. This lawyer just happens to be a dedicated Liberal Party fundraiser.Is the government hiding a new scandal from Canadians with these paybacks?

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics is an excellent place to disclose new information on the Prime Minister's political interference, especially when that information will help the Ethics Commissioner in his upcoming investigation.Will the Prime Minister waive any restrictions that might prevent witnesses from appearing and speaking freely before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics? Canadians still want to know the truth.

Madam Speaker, the Liberals are making good use of parliamentary immunity to avoid answering simple, legitimate questions. Canadians expect government members and ministers to be immune to attempts of corruption.How are the trip to India, the real estate company, the minister and the member for Brampton East connected, and is the Prime Minister's Office at the centre of it all?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's confession about lobbying during $1,500 fundraisers blackens the honour of all Canadians. Our democratic system is now an international laughingstock. This brings shame to us all.Will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and obey his own ethics rules?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government wants Canadians to believe that deficits are good for the economy.Obviously, the Prime Minister has never had trouble making ends meet like thousands of Canadian families do. Canadian families know that, if the government borrows money that it does not have, they will end up having to pay more taxes.What taxes will be raised as a result of this Liberal government's incompetence?

Mr. Speaker, may the wind blow and may the sun shine; this is the Liberal Party's vision for agriculture. In light of the budget speech, Canadian farmers are very worried, considering the scant attention that the Liberal government is paying to the agricultural sector.The importance of agriculture to the Liberal caucus seems to be reflected in the minister's lack of influence.Why did the budget not include any commitments regarding the compensation promised to farmers as a result of the trade agreement with the EU and the trans-Pacific partnership?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government amended the Elections Act to impose its vision of the electoral process. It is forcing Elections Canada to jump on to the new social media trend of recruiting influencers that the government itself chose. Now that these influencers know that they have been chosen and that they will be paid by Elections Canada, we have doubts about whether they will be able to remain impartial.The Liberal government has a duty to guarantee more transparency in the electoral process.Will it share the names of these mystery influencers?

Mr. Speaker, every day, more than 40,000 residents of Lévis—Lotbinière cross the Quebec Bridge or the Pierre Laporte Bridge and lose many precious hours of their lives in traffic.A majority of residents in the greater Quebec City metropolitan area think it is time for a third bridge. On this side of the house, we build bridges.Why do the Liberals refuse to admit that a third bridge is needed between Lévis and Quebec City?

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, November 23, we learned that the President of the Treasury Board provided contradictory information. He told the House that he had been involved in the ship procurement contracts, but he told the RCMP that it was not Treasury Board's role to interfere in that file. Canadians have a right to know what role the Treasury Board president played in this unclear process.To whom did he tell the truth?

Mr. Speaker, before the summer of 2016, the Canada 150 fund supported activities that encouraged participants to give back to Canada through gifts of time and energy, in ways that leave a legacy for the future.It supported activities that provided Canadians with opportunities to actively participate and celebrate together, promoting and building a deeper understanding of Canada, its people, and what it means to be Canadian.It supported activities that recognized and promoted exceptional Canadian people, places, achievements, and events that continue to shape our country.Why did the Minister of Canadian Heritage reject all of the proposals with these noble objectives?

Mr. Speaker, the example set by this Prime Minister, who does not follow any rules of ethics, is now rubbing off on his parliamentary secretaries.Two parliamentary secretaries were bribed, just like in the good old days, with trips paid for by outside groups in violation of the rules that were put in place by the Prime Minister himself in his guide entitled “Open and Accountable Government”.Whether the money comes from a lobbyist or the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, all parliamentary secretaries who follow the rules know that they are not allowed to accept this type of trip.Will the Prime Minister set an example for the members of his party and explain why he does not follow his own rules?

Mr. Speaker, the new version of Canada's food guide that was introduced by the Liberal government seems to be based on ideology rather than science.We are concerned about the impact that the lack of consultation and the refusal to consult with Canada's agriculture and agrifood partners will have on Canadians' health.Will the government reconsider its narrow-minded and ill-advised approach and finally hold broader consultations on the food guide with all agriculture and agrifood stakeholders for the good of all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government concluded the trans-Pacific partnership, and we know that many businesses in the regions of Quebec will benefit from the economic spinoffs of this trade agreement.Can the current government provide some reassurance to the Quebec regions by confirming that it will not tamper with any of the measures that are of significant importance to Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, it is clear from the Minister of International Trade's actions that she was not in Los Angeles to negotiate trade agreements in the interest of Canadians.That said, can her government confirm that it will support the trans-Pacific partnership which, let us recall, is good for beef, pork, maple syrup and blueberry producers?

Mr. Speaker, we now know that the government was withholding information when it claimed that the price tag for the state visit to Washington was $25,000, because we have learned that it was 10 times greater, $257,000. Even worse, the Prime Minister was accompanied by 21 of his office staff. Twenty-one. Even his director of advertising was there. How can this government claim that it is a good manager of taxpayers' money when it spends money hand over fist on a trip abroad?

Mr. Speaker, after watching the Liberals' pals get pot permits to grow a small fortune, now we are seeing the Liberals' fishing buddies get a free pass, once again making a laughingstock of the principle of ethics. If court documents confirm interference on the part of the Minister of Fisheries regarding a highly valued shellfish, the Liberals will once again have cheated in an allocation process, this time at the expense of first nations.Why is the minister granting millions of dollars' worth of quotas to his Liberal buddies at the expense of a fair process and the much-desired reconciliation?

Mr. Speaker, what we saw yesterday has nothing to do with transparency. This is just another example of the Liberals getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Since this government took office, it has been helping itself to taxpayers' money to pay for limousines, vacations with the in-laws, office renovations, a personal photographer, and now the relocation expenses of friends of the Prime Minister.Will Canadians ever be able to trust the judgment of the Prime Minister, who does not know the value of their money?

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister is once again selling Canadians down the river, and that is no fish tale.Everyone knows that the Liberal Party always favours its friends over clear, fair, transparent, and equitable processes. The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard likely meddled in the granting of fishing licences for popular and lucrative shellfish. Why did he once again favour his friends, rather than keeping the much-desired peace with the first nations?

Mr. Speaker, today is Canada's Agriculture Day. On this side of the House, we are proud of what the previous Conservative government accomplished by signing free trade agreements all around the world. These agreements are vital to Canada's economy.Will the government commit to defending every sector of Canadian agriculture and not sacrificing some of them for the sake of signing future free trade agreements?

Mr. Speaker, after giving Loblaws $12 million, this Liberal government is in hot water again for showering $50 million on a handful of Canadian venture capital funds.However, two of the three winning funds that applied to the program said they were not in particularly dire need of Ottawa's money. That is totally backwards. This is a gross injustice to those who really need this money.Why does the Liberal government not just mind its own business? Why is it giving money to investment funds that do not even need it?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberal Party is not throwing money out the window on useless renovations or giving subsidies to Canada 2020, it is doing what it has always done: rewarding its cronies.We recently learned that the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Agriculture were only too happy to appoint friends of the Liberals, namely a former chief of staff and a defeated Liberal candidate, to important positions.When will this government stop putting the Liberal Party's interests first and finally look out for the best interests of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, on September 8, 2015, someone said, “We have to know that a large percentage of small businesses are actually just ways for wealthier Canadians to save on their taxes.” Who said that? It was our very own Prime Minister.Small business owners are honest Canadians who work hard. Everyone on this side of the House knows that.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he was perhaps talking about his own finances on September 8? When will we get the truth?

Mr. Speaker, the law is the law, but the finance minister's motto seems to be, “do as I say, not as I do”. The purpose of the Conflict of Interest Act is to prevent any abuse by people who may have something to hide in numbered companies, for example. In this case, the Minister of Finance really seems to believe that he is above the law, as though the law does not apply to people like him and the Prime Minister.How many other numbered companies does the Minister of Finance own, and what is he hiding in them?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's saga of corruption and political interference continues. After pulling out all the stops to kill the story and hide the truth from Canadians, the Prime Minister is now resorting to intimidation tactics in a bid to silence the Leader of the Opposition.Will the Prime Minister make good on his threat as soon as possible? Canadians want the truth.

Mr. Speaker, Françoise and Gordon are the owners of a company that provides agricultural services. They have worked hard all their lives, 10 hours a day, every day, and employed some 30 people in that time. Why should they have to pay higher taxes once they reach their well-earned retirement? Why has the Minister of Finance designed a system that will force Françoise and Gordon to pay a lot more taxes, while the Prime Minister's family fortune and the Minister of Finance's family business are left untouched? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, in the SNC-Lavalin corruption scandal, we saw how two former Liberal ministers were treated when they tried to ensure respect for the rule of law.A Liberal minister's chief of staff did his best to intervene in the process. He was promoted even though he, too, tried to direct the former attorney general in the SNC-Lavalin case and even threatened his staff.Can the Prime Minister explain why all someone has to do to get a promotion in the Liberal government is to obstruct justice?

Mr. Speaker, now that the story is out in the open, the Prime Minister's Office denies having invited that particular company director, as does the member for Brampton East. However, all those people most certainly went on the Prime Minister's trip to India.Enough ping-ponging. Canadians have the right to know who invited that real estate director to join the Prime Minister's VIP trip to India.

Mr. Speaker, it is a very simple question, but mainly it is a question of trust.What Canadians are hearing is that there are laws that apply to them but that do not apply to the Prime Minister.I will repeat my question. How many times has the Prime Minister met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner?

Mr. Speaker, after saddling taxpayers and future generations with debt as only Liberal governments have always had the nerve to do, the Prime Minister and his ministers are now censoring their spending. Canadians deserve better and are entitled to clear answers about every penny the Prime Minister spends. They deserve to know when the government will balance the budget.Why should MPs give the government more power and carte blanche to spend taxpayers' money without telling Canadians where their money is going?

Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, the SNC-Lavalin saga is turning into an outright corruption scandal, the likes of which have never been seen in Canada. A prime minister who refuses to accept the decision of his own country's attorney general and even refuses to allow her to immediately explain why no longer deserves to govern.We have even learned that the Prime Minister has hired outside lawyers to prepare his defence. Why is the Prime Minister preparing his defence? Will he stop hiding the truth from Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, now that we know that the Minister of Finance is participating in partisan fundraising events that cost $1,500 per person, we believe that safeguards to protect personal donations and group donations are becoming hazy for Canadians. The safety line around ministerial conflicts of interest appears to be very thin.Does the minister have any reassurances to offer the House on this matter?

Mr. Speaker, in order for the Prime Minister's travel to the Aga Khan's private island to be justified by exceptional circumstances, he would have to show that he took that trip in the national interests of our country. In his defence, the Prime Minister indicated that he and the Aga Khan did not discuss Government of Canada business. Why do Canadians have to pay for the Prime Minister's private family vacations and when will he pay that money back to Canadian taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to a decision by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, the Leader of the Government in the House cannot have professional relations with the Irvings.Since the Irving shipyard is one of the Coast Guard's largest suppliers, his appointment as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard is very surprising.Under the circumstances, how will the new minister be able to claim that he is able to do his job effectively when his hands are tied behind his back?

Mr. Speaker, the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada is very strict and, more importantly, confidential. People involved in the process adhere to very strict confidentiality agreements not to disclose any information about the process or the potential candidates. The reputation of eminent jurists in Canada is at stake. The leak of confidential information about the potential appointment of Justice Joyal is completely unacceptable.We want to know who disclosed the information.