Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2019-03-22 10:25:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. David Sweet (Flamborough\u2014Glanbrook, CPC)",
        "fr": "M. David Sweet (Flamborough\u2014Glanbrook, PCC)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"5833678\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, following my notice to you, I am rising on a question of privilege concerning a leak from Wednesday's meeting of the Ontario Liberal caucus. The leaks were reported in an online article posted on cbc.ca Wednesday evening, entitled \u201c[Member for Markham\u2014Stouffville] faced 'tough' questions from Liberal MPs in [today's] regional caucus meeting\u201d. The first two paragraphs of the article make the following disclosures:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833679\" data-originallang=\"en\"> [The member for Markham\u2014Stouffville], who resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet earlier this month over the SNC-Lavalin affair, faced a barrage of tough questions from her Liberal colleagues [today] during a closed-door session of the Ontario caucus, sources told CBC News. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833680\" data-originallang=\"en\"> [The member for Markham\u2014Stouffville] addressed the group at the beginning of the meeting, which lasted 30 minutes longer than scheduled and was described by people in the room as \u201crough\u201d and \u201cuncomfortable.\u201d </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833681\" data-originallang=\"en\">The sixth paragraph of the article states:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833682\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Today, some of her fellow Liberal MPs reminded her that others in the caucus had made compromises on sensitive issues such as medical assistance in dying \u2014 one of the key pieces of legislation [the member for Markham\u2014Stouffville] fronted as health minister, along with then-justice minister [the hon. member for Vancouver Granville]. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833683\" data-originallang=\"en\">Meanwhile, this online article was expanded upon by CBC reporter Katie Simpson, who appeared on Wednesday's edition of <em>Power &amp; Politics</em>. I will quote from a transcript of her presentation, which states, \u201cWhat CBC News can confirm through multiple sources is that when Ontario Liberal MPs met for their weekly meeting this morning, [the hon. member for Markham\u2014Stouffville], who was there, was really the focus of attention at the meeting, and she faced a series of difficult questions about her actions. She, of course, very publicly quit and criticized the Prime Minister, but did not leave caucus when she decided to quit. What we are also told is that while these questions were being asked, the member was also reminded by some of her colleagues of some of the sacrifices and compromises they made to help her with some of her projects like getting the assisted dying legislation passed.... So the meeting went 30 minutes longer than it normally would go. It is described by sources as 'rough' and 'uncomfortable' and rocky', but we do know that Liberals that we were speaking with today, while these concerns may exist privately, this is a group of Liberal Ontario MPs that held this meeting.\u201d</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833684\" data-originallang=\"en\">In a Canadian Press article entitled \u201cConservatives plan filibuster after Liberals shut down...motion\u201d, also published Wednesday evening, it was reported:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833685\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Despite the efforts to unite and put the affair behind them, one source said [the hon. member for Markham\u2014Stouffville] faced a \u201cfrank and emotional\u201d session with her Ontario caucus colleagues prior to the national caucus meeting she did not attend.... </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833686\" data-originallang=\"en\"> The source spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss confidential caucus matters. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833687\" data-originallang=\"en\">Every single one of us in this House was elected as a member of a party. We sit or have sat in caucuses. Caucus confidentiality is the cornerstone of parliamentary life. That is something we understand clearly, and that is very valuable to me as the national Conservative caucus chairman. It is not because we want to be furtive or secretive; it is because we need to be able to have frank and candid conversations among colleagues without the embarrassment or opprobrium that these exchanges are at risk of producing.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833688\" data-originallang=\"en\"> I generally sympathize with the hon. member for <a data-HoCid=\"214288\" href=\"/politicians/jane-philpott/\" title=\"Jane Philpott\">Markham\u2014Stouffville</a>. She did something extraordinary on the strength of her principles and convictions by resigning her ministerial commission. She does not deserve the treatment she has received, nor the embarrassment and scorn heaped upon her by her colleagues, including through this caucus leak. The same goes for the treatment that she received after being hidden from, and deterred or intimidated from attending this week's votes, as we heard from the hon. member for <a data-HoCid=\"213994\" href=\"/politicians/michelle-rempel/\" title=\"Michelle Rempel\">Calgary Nose Hill</a> in another question of privilege.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833689\" data-originallang=\"en\">Caucus proceedings are discussed on page 34 of the <em>House of Commons Procedure and Practice</em>, Third Edition. It states: </p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833690\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Although each caucus operates differently, most limit attendance to parliamentarians. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833691\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Because they are held in camera, caucus meetings allow Members to express their views and opinions freely on any matter which concerns them. Policy positions are elaborated, along with, in the case of the government party, the government's legislative proposals. Caucus provides a forum in which Members can debate their policy differences among themselves without compromising\u2014 </p>\n</blockquote>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"5833678\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, \u00e0 la suite du pr\u00e9avis que je vous ai donn\u00e9, je soul\u00e8ve une question de privil\u00e8ge relativement aux fuites qu'il y a eues \u00e0 propos de ce qui s'est dit lors de la r\u00e9union du caucus lib\u00e9ral ontarien, mercredi. Ces indiscr\u00e9tions ont \u00e9t\u00e9 publi\u00e9es dans un article soumis en ligne sur le site cbc.ca mercredi soir, sous le titre \u00ab La d\u00e9put\u00e9e de Markham\u2014Stouffville se fait poser des questions difficiles par des d\u00e9put\u00e9s lib\u00e9raux lors de la r\u00e9union du caucus r\u00e9gional [d'aujourd'hui] \u00bb. Les deux premiers paragraphes de l'article disaient ce qui suit:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833679\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Selon des sources ayant parl\u00e9 \u00e0 des journalistes de CBC News, [la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de Markham\u2014Stouffville], qui a quitt\u00e9 son poste au Cabinet du premier ministre Justin Trudeau un peu plus t\u00f4t ce mois-ci \u00e0 cause de l'affaire SNC-Lavalin a subi un barrage de questions difficiles [aujourd'hui], pendant une r\u00e9union \u00e0 huis clos du caucus ontarien. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833680\" data-originallang=\"en\"> [La d\u00e9put\u00e9e de Markham\u2014Stouffville] s'est adress\u00e9e au groupe au d\u00e9but de la r\u00e9union, qui a dur\u00e9 30 minutes de plus que pr\u00e9vu et a \u00e9t\u00e9 d\u00e9crite par les gens qui y assistaient comme \u00ab difficile \u00bb et \u00ab malaisante \u00bb. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833681\" data-originallang=\"en\">Voici ce qu'on peut lire au sixi\u00e8me paragraphe de l'article:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833682\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Aujourd'hui, certains de ses coll\u00e8gues lib\u00e9raux lui ont rappel\u00e9 que d'autres membres du caucus avaient accept\u00e9 de faire des compromis dans des dossiers \u00e9pineux comme celui de l'assistance m\u00e9dicale \u00e0 mourir, une des mesures l\u00e9gislatives majeures que [la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de Markham\u2014Stouffville] a port\u00e9e en tant que ministre de la Sant\u00e9, de pair avec la ministre de la Justice d'alors, [la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de Vancouver Granville]. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833683\" data-originallang=\"en\">Parall\u00e8lement, la journaliste de la CBC Katie Simpson commentait l'article en ligne \u00e0 l'\u00e9mission <em>Power &amp; Politics</em> de mercredi dernier. Elle disait notamment: \u00ab Il y a une chose que la CBC peut confirmer \u00e0 partir de sources multiples, c'est que, lorsque les d\u00e9put\u00e9s lib\u00e9raux de l'Ontario ont tenu leur r\u00e9union hebdomadaire, [la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de Markham\u2014Stouffville] y a \u00e9t\u00e9 vraiment le centre de l'attention. On lui a pos\u00e9 toute une s\u00e9rie de questions difficiles sur les gestes qu'elle a pos\u00e9s. En effet, elle a ouvertement d\u00e9missionn\u00e9 de son poste et critiqu\u00e9 le premier ministre, mais elle n'est pas partie du caucus au moment o\u00f9 elle a d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de le faire. On nous a dit \u00e9galement que, lors de cette r\u00e9union, on lui a rappel\u00e9 les sacrifices et les compromis que ses coll\u00e8gues avaient faits pour l'aider \u00e0 faire adopter l'un de ses projets comme la loi sur l'aide m\u00e9dicale \u00e0 mourir\u2026 La r\u00e9union a dur\u00e9 30 minutes de plus que pr\u00e9vu et nos sources ont rapport\u00e9 qu'elle avait \u00e9t\u00e9 \u201cdifficile\u201d, \u201cp\u00e9nible\u201d et \u201chouleuse\u201d, mais nous savons, par les lib\u00e9raux avec lesquels nous avons parl\u00e9 aujourd'hui, que, m\u00eame si ces pr\u00e9occupations existent peut-\u00eatre \u00e0 titre personnel, c'est un groupe de d\u00e9put\u00e9s lib\u00e9raux ontariens qui ont organis\u00e9 la rencontre. \u00bb</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833684\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dans un article de la Presse canadienne intitul\u00e9: \u00ab Les conservateurs se pr\u00e9parent \u00e0 faire de l'obstruction apr\u00e8s que les lib\u00e9raux aient rejet\u00e9 [\u2026] la motion \u00bb qui a aussi \u00e9t\u00e9 publi\u00e9 mercredi soir, on rapporte que:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833685\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Selon une source, en d\u00e9pit des efforts visant \u00e0 unir le parti et \u00e0 tourner la page, [la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de Markham-Stouffville] a d\u00fb faire face \u00e0 ses coll\u00e8gues du caucus de l'Ontario dans une r\u00e9union o\u00f9 les gens se sont exprim\u00e9s avec franchise et \u00e9motivit\u00e9, avant la r\u00e9union du caucus national \u00e0 laquelle elle n'a pas particip\u00e9 [...] </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833686\" data-originallang=\"en\"> La source a parl\u00e9 sous le couvert de l'anonymat parce qu'elle n'est pas autoris\u00e9e \u00e0 d\u00e9voiler des questions confidentielles concernant le caucus. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833687\" data-originallang=\"en\">Tous les d\u00e9put\u00e9s ont \u00e9t\u00e9 \u00e9lus comme membres d'un parti. Nous participons ou avons d\u00e9j\u00e0 particip\u00e9 aux d\u00e9lib\u00e9rations d'un caucus. La confidentialit\u00e9 de ces d\u00e9lib\u00e9rations est un aspect essentiel de la vie parlementaire. Nous le comprenons bien. En tant que pr\u00e9sident du caucus conservateur national, je trouve que c'est d'une importance capitale. Ce n'est pas parce que nous voulons faire les choses de fa\u00e7on furtive ou secr\u00e8te, mais parce que nous devons \u00eatre en mesure de parler avec franchise et honn\u00eatet\u00e9 avec nos coll\u00e8gues sans craindre de subir l'embarras ou l'opprobre que ce genre d'\u00e9changes risquent de nous attirer.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833688\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je peux g\u00e9n\u00e9ralement compatir avec la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de <a data-HoCid=\"214288\" href=\"/politicians/jane-philpott/\" title=\"Jane Philpott\">Markham\u2014Stouffville</a>. La force de ses principes et de ses convictions l'a amen\u00e9e \u00e0 prendre la d\u00e9cision exceptionnelle de d\u00e9missionner de son poste de ministre. Elle ne m\u00e9rite ni le traitement qu'on lui a fait subir, ni l'embarras et le m\u00e9pris que lui ont inflig\u00e9 ses coll\u00e8gues, notamment avec cette fuite d'information sur les d\u00e9lib\u00e9rations du caucus. Il en va de m\u00eame du traitement qu'elle a subi lorsqu'on a voulu la cacher ou l'intimider pour la d\u00e9courager de participer aux votes de cette semaine, comme l'a r\u00e9v\u00e9l\u00e9 la d\u00e9put\u00e9e de <a data-HoCid=\"213994\" href=\"/politicians/michelle-rempel/\" title=\"Michelle Rempel\">Calgary Nose Hill</a> lorsqu'elle a soulev\u00e9 une autre question de privil\u00e8ge.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833689\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Il est question du fonctionnement des caucus dans la troisi\u00e8me \u00e9dition de <em>La proc\u00e9dure et les usages de la Chambre des communes</em>, \u00e0 la page 34: </p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"5833690\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Chaque caucus fonctionne diff\u00e9remment, mais la plupart restreignent la participation aux parlementaires. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5833691\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Les r\u00e9unions de caucus se tiennent \u00e0 huis clos afin de permettre aux d\u00e9put\u00e9s de s\u2019exprimer librement et franchement sur ce qui les pr\u00e9occupe. Les positions du parti y sont d\u00e9finies ainsi que, dans le cas du parti au pouvoir, les propositions l\u00e9gislatives du gouvernement. Le caucus donne aux d\u00e9put\u00e9s l\u2019occasion de d\u00e9battre entre eux de leurs divergences sans nuire... </p>\n</blockquote>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2019/3/22/david-sweet-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/david-sweet/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4255/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "10541291",
    "h2": {
        "en": "Privilege",
        "fr": "Privil\u00e8ge"
    },
    "h3": {
        "en": "Alleged Breach of Caucus Confidentiality",
        "fr": "La violation pr\u00e9sum\u00e9e du caract\u00e8re confidentiel des affaires du caucus"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2019/3/22/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2019%2F3%2F22%2F"
    }
}