Art Eggleton

[Questions On The Order Paper, May 25th, 1994]

There is a table at the front of the 1993-94 main estimates (pages 1-54) which identifies all statutory items in the estimates for that year by program.

The individual items which exceed $250 million are:

-Payments under the Farm Income Protection Act in the agri-food program of the Department of Agriculture,

-Payments to international financial organizations in the financial and economic policies program of the Department of Finance,

-The public debt charge program of the Department of Finance,

-The fiscal transfer program of the Department of Finance,

-Military pensions in the Department of National Defence,

-Payments to provinces and territories for hospital and medical care in the health program of the Department of National Health and Welfare,

-Payments to the provinces and territories under the Canada assistance plan in the social program of the Department of National Health and Welfare,

-Old age security, guaranteed income supplement, and spouse's allowance payments in the social program of the Department of National Health and Welfare,

-Grants to municipalities and other taxing authorities under the real property program of the Department of Publics Works,

-Post-secondary education payments and interest and other payments under the Canada Student Loans Act by the Secretary of State, and

-Payments to railway companies by the National Transportation Agency under the Western Grain Transportation Act.

The above programs account for approximately 97 per cent of total statutory spending.

[Contracting Out, May 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, of course those are actions which were taken by the past government. This government is reviewing the contracting procedures.

Not all of the contracting out is for work that could be done by the public service. Where it could be done by the public service, we would want to examine that. We want to make sure the taxpayers' dollars are spent in the most efficient and effective way. If it can be done better in house, fine. In some cases however, it would be justified to contract out.

We are reviewing that matter. We will also ask the government operations committee to review that matter together with the Treasury Board.

[Health Care, May 12th, 1994]

That is absolutely not true, Mr. Speaker. The services we provide for our public service employees are in accordance with what is provided by most employers in the private sector. We want to be a good employer for the public service.

[Health Care, May 12th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the short answer is no.

If the member is referring to the fact that additional coverage is provided for members of our health plan, it is provided for all employees in the public service. There is an extra $10 charge for people who want supplementary service, the same as is done in the private sector. Therefore we do not believe in that two tier system the member is talking about.

[Infrastructure, May 11th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for giving me an opportunity to report more good news to the House.

This morning I was in Brampton where we unveiled some 19 projects of over $54 million as part of the program. Last week in Bradford more programs were announced and indeed also in Dryden, Sioux Lookout and places all over Ontario.

I can tell the member that by the end of June we expect to process some 700 applications in Ontario. I am sure some of them are going to be from Peterborough.

This also gives me an opportunity to note since I last rose in this House on this matter that we have gone from 200 projects with 3,000 jobs up to 364 projects creating almost 10,000 jobs. This government is living up to its commitment to get Canadians back to work.

[Publications, May 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the hon. member for bringing the matter to the attention of the House both in the question today and in the member's statement a few days ago.

Crown corporations operate independently. They make their own decisions about their annual reports. Indeed their annual reports are frequently used as sales tools in advertising and promotion of their products or services.

I appreciate the point the hon. member makes. Frugality is a style of the government. I will bring that to the attention of crown corporations and ask that they look at the cost factor in what they are putting together and look at the recyclable aspect of the paper they are using.

I invite the ministers to whom many of these crown corporations report to join me in bringing it to their attention and asking them to review it.

[Contracting, May 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the period of time we are referring to in the statistics is of the last government, not this current government.

This Liberal government is dedicated to cost efficiency, to spending the taxpayers' money wisely, doing so in a fair and open fashion, a transparent fashion, so that people can see how their money is being spent. We intend to bring about reforms and changes from what the last government did in terms of contracting.

[Contracting, May 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the information that the member refers to is part of the review of efficiency of programs that we are undertaking with the public sector employee representatives, the unions, in an effort to find savings in government spending so, as we said in the budget, we can help to shorten the period of the wage freeze. Information was provided to that extent.

We are still undergoing our review of contracting and contracting out. I might add that that $5 billion does not just include the kind of contracting out that the unions are concerned about but includes all contracting; everything from doctors for aboriginal communities in the north, for example, to the repairing of planes and ships for the Department of National Defence.

Certainly whatever information we can provide for the member and for other hon. members of the House we are quite willing to provide as part of the review of contracting out which will be dealt with not only by the Treasury Board but also by the government operations standing committee.

[Ministerial Staff, April 29th, 1994]

No, Mr. Speaker, I am sorry. It is good news and bad news. A provision has been made for summer students to be hired.

In the red book we said we were going to cut the budgets of ministers by some $10 million. We have not only done that but we have actually exceeded that amount.

I am pleased to be able to say that as part of the savings we are able to provide ministers with an opportunity to hire summer students and, most important, to create job opportunities for those students to help to prepare them for the job market when they are finished their education.

I would hope that all members would applaud that move.

[Tainted Blood, April 29th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the government has provided very substantial funds to the Krever commission. In fact it has asked for additional funds. That has taken some review but it is being done in an expeditious manner.

As I said a few moments ago, nobody is being denied an opportunity to have his or her views heard by the commission. We will continue to make sure that we advance this matter so that the commission can get on with its work and provide its report.