Georgina · East Gwillimbury · King  .
 
Bradford West Gwillimbury · Innisfil  .

As Members of Parliament head back to their ridings for the summer, journalists like to pass judgment on how productive the past year has been.  In doing so, they are evaluating the job I have done - because a Government House Leader is responsible for getting business through the House of Commons.

Almost all journalists, including the many that are not sympathetic to the Conservative Party, admit that we got lots done on our agenda.  A quick review confirms that we are delivering results, doing what we said we would do, and most surprisingly, achieving it all despite the minority status of our Government.

With the Senate still looking at legislation we sent them, already 28 Bills have become law in the past 8 months or so.  More important than the number of Bills becoming law is what those laws do.  We are delivering on the promises we made to Canadians in priority areas.

Our Tackling Violent Crime Bill bundled five pieces of legislation that had been delayed and obstructed by the Liberals.  By putting them together, and risking an election if it didn't become law, we got it passed through both the House and the stubborn Liberal majority in the Senate - who mostly imitated their Liberal colleagues in the House of Commons by not voting on it.

As a result, we now have tough, mandatory prison sentences for those who commit crimes with guns.  Repeat violent criminals must prove why they shouldn't be declared dangerous offenders.  Children are better protected from adult sex offenders...all this and more are now law.

On the financial front, we cut taxes, delivered our third balanced budget, and paid another $10 billion down on the national debt - which is now $37 billion dollars lower since we formed government. 

Families are better off, as tax cuts became law, including another reduction in the GST, lower personal income tax rates, an increased basic personal exemption, and more.

Many were surprised to see a consensus arrived at to extend the mission in Afghanistan to 2011.  The vote in Parliament was a vote of confidence not just in our government, but in the extraordinary work of our armed forces in improving the lives of Afghans. 

The Indian Residential Schools Apology was a highlight for many, as was passage of the Specific Claims Bill which should speed up resolution of many claims by establishing a legal process with a finite end.

In reflecting on all these accomplishments and more, I take particular pride - as I had a very real role in making each accomplishment happen.  That is, of course, because as House Leader I steer the items through the House, negotiating with the Opposition, calling their bluffs on occasion, crafting approaches that will work, and when necessary, making our case through the media.

Some journalists prefer to focus on the theatre of Question Period, and are critical of the "tone" in Parliament.  But, of course, that is the part of what we do that "belongs to the Opposition, not the Government.  So, if you are unhappy with that negative tone, it's the Opposition who are responsible.

The Liberals - trapped by the fact that they have allowed almost all our substantial policies to pass - instead chose to focus on "scandals" in the daily Question Period.  However, the controversies they squawked about, repeatedly turn out to be false accusations.

The Liberals made false accusations that the Minister of the Environment interfered with the Ottawa Mayoral election.  When the OPP cleared the Minister, they falsely accused the police of inappropriate behaviour.  When the Police Complaints Commissioner found this Liberal accusation to be false too, OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino took the extraordinary step of saying the only interference was on the part of a Liberal MP.

On the Mulroney-Schreiber affair, the Ethics Commissioner rejected false Liberal accusations against Conservative MP's - but did find a Liberal guilty of conflict of interest.

The Cadman Affair? The RCMP cleared the Prime Minister.

NAFTA?  The Clerk of the Privy Council cleared the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff.

Other amazing Liberal false accusations included a government contract never given (again cleared by the Ethics Commissioner) and a patronage appointment that was never made (only Liberals would consider it a "scandal" when a patronage job isn't handed out).

In every case, the Liberals leveled false accusations in Question Period for weeks, where the rules of Parliament provide "privilege" - meaning that they can't be sued for false libel and slander.  Every time the truth finally demonstrated the accusations were false, the Liberals never showed the decency to apologize - sometimes even ignoring the findings, and continuing their smears.

My most high profile role in the government is to defend my colleagues against such baseless attacks.  Since the Liberals prefer this to serious questions and debate on policy, I have had quite a workout.  The Ottawa Citizen dubbed me "The Answer Man" and MacLean’s preferred "The Man Who Ate Question Period."

While that part of the job doesn't achieve much, I did it well enough that we were able to use the rest of our time in the House to get our priority bills passed.  That may not get as much attention on the news - but lower taxes, less debt, and tackling crime are the things you told me you wanted from us in government.

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Contact Information:

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