(Editor's note:  This exchange took place on the floor of the House of Commons during question period in Ottawa this afternoon.)

Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP): Mr. Speaker, a fundraiser for the natural resources minister was organized from the president's office of the Toronto Port Authority, and the minister's former executive assistant sent out invitations and collected the names all on the taxpayer's dime.

    Using a public agency for a political fundraiser is an abuse of the public trust. Has Janet MacDonald performed other political activities in the past and does the minister know of this abuse, or is this a standard Conservative fundraising practice?

Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC)

 Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC): Mr. Speaker, government resources, those resources of taxpayers, of the agencies, boards and commissions of the government are not to be used for political fundraising. Such practices are totally inappropriate and are totally unacceptable.

 Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP)

  Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP): Mr. Speaker, recently the Minister of Transport appointed Robert Poirier to the Port Authority. Mr. Poirier is a generous Conservative donor who organized yet another fundraiser, this one for the industry minister, at $1,000 a plate.

    Other board members include Craig Rix and Jeremy Adams, both former staff of the Harris Conservative government. No wonder Torontonians call it the pork authority.

    When will the Prime Minister disband the board and return the port and the waterfront to the good people of Toronto?

 Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC)

Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the basis of the member's concern about the Toronto Port Authority is that it operates an airport. She does not want the airport to be there and the people of Toronto have shown overwhelmingly, the people of Canada have shown overwhelmingly, that they want the airport to be there.

    This government supports the airport being there. There is an honest difference of opinion on that.

    Let me tell members why it is a good thing that airport is there. Not only is it providing support to a lot of commuters in the city of Toronto and across the country, but the airline that operates out of there is buying good Bombardier technology, good Bombardier airplanes built right in the city of Toronto and that is creating a lot of jobs for Canadian auto workers.