Mr. J.-A. Mongrain@Trois-Rivieres
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege. I beg your indulgence and I assure you that I shall be very brief.
On Tuesday, February 16, 1965, the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson made, in the house, a rather long statement, and I shall quote only one paragraph or two as follows:
In December of 1964, certain evidence was submitted to me regarding allegations involving the hon. member for St. Jean-Iberville-Napierville. These allegations were in connection with certain transactions in which it was alleged he was a participant during the year 1961. They were not related to his membership of this house or of the government. I saw the hon. member and advised him that the evidence submitted required an investigation. To this he agreed.
I spoke to the hon. member for St. Jean-Iberville-Napierville again on Wednesday, January 20, after I had been shown a preliminary report on the investigation into the matters in question. It appeared to me. as a result of having that preliminary report, that it would be best in all circumstances, and without prejudging the conclusion of the matter, for the hon. member to cease to be a member of the government. After discussing the matter with me, Mr. Dupuis submitted his resignation, which was accepted.
On the same day, the member of the Privy Council concerned stated as follows:
Mr. Speaker, if I have agreed to send my resignation to the right hon. Prime Minister, it is somewhat because I could foresee that some newspapers were ready to indulge in falsehoods about me, as I have mentioned earlier. I did not want those rumours and aspersions cast upon me to reflect on the cabinet, of which I was a member.
After a trial, the conclusions of which were not happy, the hon. Yvon Dupuis appealed the decision and the hon. Justice Montgomery ruled as follows:
Under the circumstances, I would maintain the appeal and acquit Appellant.
Hon. Justice Taschereau in turn said:
I agree with my colleagues and for the reasons they give, I would quash the verdict of guilty passed against the Appellant.
29180-4J
On the other hand, Mr. Justice Owen said-
Subtopic: MR. MONGRAIN-DISPOSITION OF CHARGE AGAINST FORMER MINISTER