QUESTION PERIOD — Public Health Agency
National Microbiology Laboratory
June 17, 2021
Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.
Leader, last Wednesday when Senator Ngo and I asked you questions about the firing of two scientists at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, you said twice that you could not answer, referring to privacy concerns. Yesterday in response to Senator Ngo, your position had changed somewhat, and you referred to national security concerns as the basis for hiding the documents requested through an order at the other place. Last week, leader, you also referred to MPs making excessive demands for documents.
The Speaker of the House of Commons clearly disagrees; he ruled yesterday that the Trudeau government has breached parliamentary privilege.
Will the Trudeau government do what it should have done from the beginning and provide the uncensored documents, or will you and your government continue to hide the truth, leader?
Thank you for your question. I’m pleased to answer it, although I cannot accept the premise that the government is hiding documents. The government provided the requested documents to the Special Committee on Canada-China Relations in the other place, with protections in place for privacy and national security.
The government then went further and provided unredacted documents to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, which, as I mentioned in this chamber, has security clearance and adequate safety protocols. The government has faith in the hard-working members of NSICOP, which has a number of senators and two Conservative members.
I am confident that the government will respect the will of the other place once they vote on the relevant motion.
Leader, this is the Liberal government that said:
For Parliament to work best, its members must be free to do what they have been elected to do — represent their communities in Parliament and hold the government to account.
This is the Liberal government that said information should be open by default, that sunshine is the best disinfectant and that better is always possible.
Leader, the Trudeau government has given lip service to these principles but only until it’s inconvenient for them to do so. They are just words on paper, leader. How much further will your government go to keep these documents hidden? Will you defy yet another order from the House?
Thank you. I appreciate that there was a question at the end of your comments, so I will simply repeat that I am confident and assured that the government will respect the will of the other place when they vote on the relevant motion.
