QUESTION PERIOD — Foreign Affairs
Cost of Delegation to the Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
November 2, 2022
Senator Gold, once again my question concerns the infamous $6,000 River Suite listed on the invoice from the Corinthia Hotel in London for Canada’s delegation to the Queen’s funeral.
As it turns out, leader, the hotel room billed on the invoice at £4,800 may in fact be costing Canadians more than the original presumed $6,000. As Chris Selley points out in his article, the value of the room with the conversion on the actual day of the funeral comes out to C$7,300.
Leader, it was too much to ask of Canadians at $6,000, and it is certainly too much to ask of them at $7,300. Your government still remains silent on whom the occupant of the luxury room was.
Leader, we now definitely know that it was not the Governor General, nor was it former prime minister Stephen Harper. Can you tell us who stayed in the room?
Thank you for repeating your question from yesterday. Unfortunately, in the interests of those who have other questions to ask, no doubt of insignificant importance compared to your question, I have nothing further to add to my answer.
That is the most offensive thing I have heard you say, that some questions are not important enough for you to answer — a question taxpayers want to hear, and you say it is not important, you would rather listen to other questions.
Senator Gold, you have avoided answering the question now for the umpteenth time. Answer the question and we’ll stop asking.
Leader, you often thank senators for giving you advance notice of questions they are going to ask. So Senator Gold, I am giving you notice that tomorrow I will ask you again. Hopefully, with this advance, you will be able to get us information and not belittle questions that taxpayers have the right to know.
Leader, Canadians deserve answers, and they are owed the transparency and accountability they were promised by this Prime Minister. We will continue to persist and ask questions on this matter until we get clarity and an answer. Senator Gold, with this advance notice, can you commit to not have contempt for this chamber and to come prepared to this chamber tomorrow with the information I have asked for?
I was not belittling the question at all, nor do I have contempt for this chamber, as all colleagues know. It is the case, however, that I do not have the answer to your question. You can ask it tomorrow. If I have the answer tomorrow, I will be happy to provide it.
I do not have the answer and my previous answer, which you have mischaracterized — and if I was misunderstood, my apologies — was simply that —
If you were misunderstood. Either you apologize or you don’t.
Order, please.
I see no purpose in repeating the same answer that I gave yesterday. That was the thrust of my response. I look forward to your questions tomorrow.
