Public Works Minister Scott Brison repeated the Liberals' new "dangerous game" mantra after a sponsorship-related attack on the government by the separatist Bloc Quebecois.

"This is an attempt to destroy Canada and the reputation of the government," he said Tuesday in question period.

"It is very difficult to understand why the Conservative Party is supporting the Bloc, because this is a very dangerous game."

Prior to that, Brison said: "If it's good for the separatists, it's not good for Canada."

He was responding to Bloc MP Michel Duimond, who was after the government about remarks made Monday by Transport Minister Jean Lapierre, who said there was a "parallel" operation within the Liberal Party that was responsible for alleged misdeeds.

The Bloc was silent on Gomery on Monday, while the Conservatives only asked one sponsorship-related question. Tuesday, the Tories asked one sponsorship question, but mainly concentrated on the Atlantic Accord.

Tuesday, Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe expanded on a theme he addressed on the weekend -- having the Liberals start a trust fund to repay any money that wrongly made its way to the party.

"The Liberal Party is at the heart of the sponsorship scandal," he said. "Will the Liberal Party refund this dirty money?"

Prime Minister Paul Martin said the majority of Liberal Party members are honest.

Duceppe shot back that if the Liberals are so honest, why did they ask the RCMP to investigate.

"This party was not taken over by a small group," he said.

Liberal strategy

CTV's Mike Duffy said Brison is trying to build a defence against a possible non-confidence motion by the Bloc on April 14.

If that motion is supported by the Conservatives, the Liberal minority government would fall.

In his appearance on Canada AM Tuesday morning, Brison said the Conservative party is playing a dangerous game of "Russian roulette'' with national unity.

He was referring to questions about the apparently devastating new testimony at the sponsorship inquiry headed by Justice John Gomery.

While details of the testimony can't be revealed due to a temporary publication ban, a leaked report already has many Conservatives threatening to bring down the minority Liberals and trigger an election.

Brison said the Tories "had better be very careful" -- that they would be catering to Quebec separatists by helping force a snap election.

"What's good for the separatists is not good for Canada," he said.

Duffy said the Conservative response is that the Liberals are trying to portray themselves as the saviours of Canada.

"The Conservatives say that's just plain political demagoguery," he said.

But that "helping the separatists, hurting Canada" theme is one the Liberals are likely to push in the next few weeks, Duffy said.

Brison did tell Canada AM that it's important Canadians wait for the Gomery Commission's final report before the next federal election.

"The only way we can get to the facts is for Justice Gomery to complete his work, to review all the testimony and to draw his conclusions," he said.

But he says the separatists would rather send Canadians to the polls based on unproven allegations, because that would hurt Quebec federalists.

"We are committed to getting to the bottom of this to defend our own reputation. But more importantly defend the reputations of Quebec federalists. It's important they be on the ground, strong to defend national unity in Quebec."

In apparent response to testimony heard last week at the inquiry, the Liberal Party was granted full standing by Gomery so it can now cross-examine witnesses.

With files from The Canadian Press