39th Parliament, 1st Session
(April 3, 2006 - )

Edited Hansard • Number 031

Thursday, June 1, 2006

ORAL QUESTIONS

Firearms Registry

Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville, CPC): Mr. Speaker, first, the Liberals incorrectly claimed that the long gun registry would cost a mere $2 million. We now know that it is $1 billion in direct costs only. They tried to keep the escalating costs of the registry hidden from Canadian taxpayers. We have heard from the Auditor General and senior bureaucrats that the Liberals deliberately hid millions of dollars from Parliament. Can the Minister of Public Safety tell us how this government will do things differently?

Hon. Stockwell Day (Minister of Public Safety, CPC): Mr. Speaker, it is important to recall that just a few short years ago, while the member for Yorkton—Melville was raising the issue of overruns with the long gun registry he was being scorned and ridiculed by the Liberals as being out of touch with reality. Now the Auditor General has confirmed what the member for Yorkton--Melville has said and what we have said, that while he was raising these concerns, the federal Liberals in high places were conspiring to hide those overruns from Canadians and in contempt of Parliament. We will go after that. We do want to find out who is responsible. At the same time, we will take the savings from the long gun registry and create safer communities and protect us from gun crime.

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HANSARD PAGE: 1848

POINTS OF ORDER

Hon. Maria Minna (Beaches—East York, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the member for Yorkton—Melville during question period misled the House intentionally as far as I am concerned. He declared that the Liberals purposely hid money. This is totally unacceptable and not true.

There have been two standing committees. This is totally unacceptable. None of this was proven. The questions were put to the bureaucrats over and over. The information is absolutely not accurate and the member for Yorkton—Melville purposely misled the House. I demand an apology because there are facts on paper. I dare him to read the transcripts of the committee reports, the two of them, and read what the witnesses said.

(1510)

The Speaker: I am sure the hon. member for Beaches—East York has made her point and I am sure the hon. member for Yorkton—Melville, who I believe was the subject of her complaint, will have due regard to what she has said. If he feels it necessary, he will be back to the House in due course and in the interim of course the matter can be looked at.

However, it sounds to me like a matter of debate, but I will of course look at the hon. member's point of order and the comments to which she referred made by the other hon. member, and I am sure he will as well. I hope that we will get back on that one.

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