2024 04 09 Sen Plett speaks on Trudeau Scandals

From Senator Don Plett

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Not many of us were here when Senator George Baker was a member of this august chamber. But Senator Baker would get up and say “I have just a few words to say” on a matter.

I have a few words to say today on the Speech from the Throne and, in particular, Justin Trudeau’s legacy — his legacy of scandals.

Colleagues, we are now in the ninth year of Justin Trudeau’s reign in power. While it will be up to historians to write — some years from now — what exactly should be remembered about him, I would like to take the opportunity to outline just a few highlights of the Prime Minister’s legacy.

In his 2015 report on senators’ expenses, former Supreme Court Justice Ian Binnie wrote:

. . . Senators also play a significant role in questioning, criticizing and holding to account the Government. In the traditional language of Sir Walter Bagehot, it falls to the Houses of Parliament to inform “the Nation of defects in the administration” and even of teaching the Nation – “altering it for the better…teaching the Nation what it does not know.” . . .

Colleagues, this is what this speech is about — teaching the nation, telling the nation what it may or may not know about Justin Trudeau or, rather, reminding Canadians what the last nine years have been all about.

I know some of you dream about a Senate that would be above partisanship. Of course, when a Liberal says that, it means that the Senate should never criticize the Liberals. Their definition of partisanship is this: Attacking Liberals is partisan, but attacking Conservatives is democratic debate. We will not fall into this trap, colleagues.

To quote the Prime Minister himself:

If the Senate serves a purpose at all, it is to act as a check on the extraordinary power of the prime minister and his office . . . .

That, colleagues, is what the Conservative opposition in the Senate has been doing since 2015. This is what we will continue to do as long as the Liberals manage to hold onto government.

The first aspect of Justin Trudeau’s legacy that I want to point out is his and his government’s record on ethics. The motion on the Speech from the Throne is the ideal venue for this, as I will cover a lot of general policy of the government.