Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): 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?

Senator Plett: If you were misunderstood. Either you apologize or you don’t.

Senator Plett: 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?