News / Brèves Back to previous selection / Retour à la sélection précédente ’Senate-gate’: Minister Baird becomes the government lightning rod during heated question period in the House of Commons 22 May 2013 May 22 (CRC)—Prime Minister Harper addressed his weekly MP Caucus on Tuesday morning (see video here) before departing for Ibero America to attend a scheduled Pacific Alliance Leaders Summit. The prime minister’s bilingual speech lasted only nine minutes and while, exceptionally, the press had been invited in the caucus room to hear the PM’s statement, they loudly protested when Harper left without answering their questions. (He is scheduled to give a press conference Wednesday afternoon, in Lima, Peru, with a press delegation from Canada attending). When the Members of Parliament returned to the House of Commons later in the day, after a 10-day break, Question Period immediately focused on the Senate spending scandal which had exploded during the Victoria Day holiday weekend. External Affairs Minister John Baird was delegated to give the official government reply to the Opposition’s fiery line of questioning on the ongoing scandal. The usually quite vocal Conservative minister strayed very little from his scripted briefing notes as he answered all of the NDP’s and Liberals questions and accusations. Here is how Thomas Mulcair and Justin Trudeau opened the Question Period: Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, when the going gets tough, the tough get going, to Peru apparently. The Prime Minister’s chief of staff gave Mike Duffy a $90,000 cheque. In exchange Duffy paid— Some hon. members: Oh! Oh! The Speaker: Order. The hon. Leader of the Opposition has the floor. Hon. Thomas Mulcair: Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff gave Mike Duffy a $90,000 cheque. In exchange, Duffy paid off illegal expenses, stopped co-operating with auditors, and the PMO said in writing that they would go easy on him. In his own words Senator Duffy “stayed silent on the orders of the Prime Minister’s Office”. A secret cash payment from the Prime Minister’s chief of staff negotiated by the Prime Minister’s own lawyer. Will the Prime Minister call in the RCMP and release all documents related to this secret backroom deal? Hon. John Baird (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been very clear that he was not aware of the payment until last week after it had been reported publicly in the media. The Prime Minister spoke very loudly and very clearly this morning. Furthermore, this matter has been referred to two independent bodies for review. We look forward to the results of these reviews. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, many questions remain unanswered about the secret deal made by the Prime Minister’s Office, the report that was doctored to clear a senator and the so-called gift of $90,000. When did the Prime Minister find out about the negotiations between his chief of staff, Nigel Wright, and Senator Duffy? Was the new chief of staff, Ray Novak, aware of this scheme? Hon. John Baird (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was not aware of the payment until last week after it was reported in the media and neither was his current chief of staff. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, Mike Duffy agreed to “stay silent on the orders of the PMO”. In exchange, the Prime Minister’s Office agreed to cover the cost of the senator’s fraudulent expenses. Why were taxpayer-funded lawyers used to negotiate this secret backroom deal between the Prime Minister’s chief of staff and Senator Duffy? Was taxpayers’ money used to bankroll Senate-gate, yes or no? Hon. John Baird (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, it will come as no surprise to the Leader of the Opposition that I reject much of the premise of his question. I have been very clear and the government has been very clear that the Prime Minister was not aware of this payment until media reports surfaced last week. Let me be very clear on that point Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is clear now that the Conservative government under the Prime Minister has lost its moral compass. The Prime Minister’s right-hand man secretly paid a parliamentarian $90,000 to obstruct an audit. Canadians deserve better. They deserve actual transparency and accountability. What precisely was the secret deal that the Prime Minister’s Office made with Senator Duffy? Show us the documents. Hon. John Baird (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I have said it before and I will say it again. The Prime Minister was not aware of the payment until last week when reports surfaced in the media. Our understanding is there is no document. Again, I am very happy to have responded to both questions the member asked. Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is in it up to his neck and the members opposite know it. It is now clear that the government has lost its moral compass under this Prime Minister. The Prime Minister’s right-hand man made a secret $90,000 deal with a parliamentarian in order to obstruct an audit. Canadians are demanding real transparency. I am going to repeat my question: what precisely was the secret deal that the Prime Minister’s Office made with Senator Duffy? Hon. John Baird (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister obviously not having known of the payment could not know about any alleged agreement to which the leader of the third party refers. This matter has been referred to two independent bodies that will review it. We look forward to hearing their comments following. Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Canadians work hard and play by the rules. They pay their own debts. Apparently, when the Conservatives break the rules, they get their debts secretly paid off by their friends in high places. It boggles the mind. Nobody over there even thinks anybody did anything wrong except get caught. When will the Conservatives release this secret document, allow for a full investigation and, while they are at it, apologize to Canadians? Hon. John Baird (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, with respect to a legal agreement to which the member opposite refers our understanding is there is no such agreement. This issue has been referred to two independent authorities that will look into the matter. We look forward to them reporting back to Parliament and to Canadians.[GG]