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Minister of National Defence

Hon. Bill Blair

  • Member of Parliament
  • Minister of National Defence
  • Liberal
  • Scarborough Southwest
  • Ontario
  • Voting Attendance: 65%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $115,019.32

  • Government Page
Context: House Hansard - 117 - Oct/25/22
Hon. Bill Blair (President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Lib.)
  • Oct/25/22 2:47:39 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, again, what is very clear is that the RCMP commissioner, in her testimony before the public safety committee and in front of the Mass Casualty Commission under oath, was very clear that there was no interference, and that I did not give her direction. In fact, she did clarify for the committee that I have always been meticulously careful in not providing her with direction. That is her testimony. My statement to the House and my testimony previously is that I did not give her any direction on any operational matter.
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Context: House Hansard - 117 - Oct/25/22
Hon. Bill Blair (President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Lib.)
  • Oct/25/22 2:46:29 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I have been clear, explicit and unequivocal that at no time did I give direction to the RCMP to interfere with operations. I will simply quote the commissioner's testimony before committee and the Mass Casualty Commission, in which she said, “I did not receive direction and I was not influenced by government officials regarding the public release of information [or] on the direction of the investigation.” That is the commissioner's testimony, and it coincides precisely with my statement that no direction was given.
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Context: House Hansard - 116 - Oct/24/22
Hon. Bill Blair (President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Lib.)
  • Oct/24/22 2:43:46 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, in these circumstances, it is apparent that the member opposite's reach exceeds his grasp. The simple truth is that at no time was any direction given by me. Under Canadian law, the RCMP Act, the only person authorized to give direction to the RCMP is the minister of public safety. I held that role at the time. I respected the principle underlying the rule of law that politics will not interfere with police operations. At no time did I give that direction. Those are the facts as I have testified and as the commissioner of the RCMP has confirmed.
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