Debates of June 13th, 2007

Bonnie Brown Oakville, ON

Mr. Speaker, I think it was more like “advantage Whitby” than “Advantage Canada”.

Thanks to the Liberals' solid fiscal record, the government inherited a great deal to work with. Funding for the environment and for research and development suffered billions in budget cuts from Mike Harris's hatchet man in his first budget. Today the Conference Board reported the impact of that.

Why should Canadians have any confidence in a finance minister who is disingenuous about the promises he breaks and incompetent in the delivery of the promises he keeps?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite refers to the Conference Board report and the data that is in that report. I must point out to the member opposite that all of that data is from 2005 and before, the result of the poor productivity performance under the previous Liberal government.

Claude Bachand Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, in light—

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Order, please. The hon. member for Saint-Jean has the floor. He does not need help posing his question.

Claude Bachand Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, thank you for your confidence.

In light of the report, released this week, condemning the fact that 40% of contracts awarded by National Defence were awarded without tender, we have to wonder whether a truly competitive process is being used for the major contracts that are currently being negotiated, including the contract with Lockheed Martin. This is far from the transparency the Prime Minister promised during the last election campaign.

To ensure that officials are not simply engaging in industrial profiling to benefit certain suppliers over others, will the government hold a real tendering process and allow Airbus to submit a proposal?

James Moore Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, my colleague used the figure of 41%, which he also used a few days ago, but it is not at all correct. The fact is that our government is making good on its commitment to rebuild the Canadian Forces. In the past year, this government has met the military's needs for new equipment and has made the most significant investment in the Canadian Forces in a decade. The figures my friend is using are not at all correct. We are giving our Canadian Forces all the equipment they need.

Claude Bachand Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, I ask the government whether it is going to repeat what it did last year. In response to a question I asked the Minister of National Defence a few days before the end of the session, the government said that nothing had been decided. The following week, the government announced contracts worth $20 billion.

Is the government waiting until the House of Commons rises to announce the signing of lucrative contracts, presenting the members of the House with a done deal? This would be unacceptable.

James Moore Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, I will say again what I said yesterday. Our government is keeping all its promises to our armed forces. We are going to provide them with all the equipment they need. We are going to follow all the Treasury Board processes and respect taxpayers. Our armed forces need new equipment, and we are going to give it to them in a way that respects taxpayers.

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in this House I had the opportunity to state that abuse is not only unacceptable, but it is also inexcusable. The government is committed to getting to the bottom of this and to being transparent.

This is why, in January, we asked the Auditor General to investigate. We will ask the RCMP to conduct an appropriate investigation, given the Auditor General's findings.

Vivian Barbot Papineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, finally a real answer.

According to Ms. Thibault, it is common practice for lieutenant-governors to not submit receipts for some expenses, given that she considered this supplementary pay.

In light of this statement, does the government plan on modifying the auditing procedure to enable the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to require all lieutenant-governors and the Governor General to justify their spending?

Bev Oda Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, as we have indicated, we take this very seriously. We have reviewed the Auditor General's report and the recommendations she has made. We will be implementing all the recommendations regarding the management of the expenditure process. We have spoken to Minister Pelletier. We will be working closely with the Quebec government.

We will take action. This is not acceptable. This is misuse of taxpayers' dollars and we will get to the bottom of it.

Ruby Dhalla Brampton—Springdale, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has a track record of broken promises, of deception, of cancellation and ripped up contracts. The Atlantic accord, Kyoto, Kelowna were all ripped up. Summer jobs programs were cancelled. Early learning and child care agreements were destroyed, and the result is the children of Canada have been left without quality, universal, accessible and affordable child care.

Will the children of Canada be forced to take the Prime Minister to court to get him to honour his word and deliver child care spaces for Canada's kids?