40:2 Hansard - 112 (2009/11/18)
Mrs. Bonnie Crombie (Mississauga—Streetsville, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the government has claimed many times that it takes the allegations surrounding the Minister of Natural Resources' sorry tenure of the Toronto Port Authority seriously. However, its definition of serious seems to condone violations of ethic codes, breaking rules against conflicts of interest and using taxpayer money to advertise Conservative fundraisers.
How can Canadians take the government seriously when it refuses to discipline its ethically challenged minister?
Mrs. Bonnie Crombie (Mississauga—Streetsville, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the government is willing to take the Toronto Port Authority at its word when it suits its interests. Signing off on unauthorized expenses is not a problem. Hospitality policies violated but we need not worry because the board says that it is fine.
However, when the Port Authority asks for an audit by the Auditor General to shed light on the truth, the government covers up.
What do the Conservatives have to hide? Why are they afraid of what the Auditor General will find?