Jean Dubé

[Human Resources Development, February 18th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we have an interesting scenario before us. The minister tells Canadians that her officials are in the dark ages but then appoints them to fix the problem a day after Canadians witnessed the minister's lack of accountability and inept performance.

When will the Prime Minister abandon his legacy building efforts, act in the best interest of Canadians and remove this minister?

[Human Resources Development, February 18th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the cost to move Duchess Foods to the minister's riding was just over $20,000 per mile. It cost Canadian taxpayers an additional $2 million to move the minister's riding to the Niagara economic region.

The minister is clearly lost in her portfolio. Will she now admit that her riding did not qualify?

[Human Resources Development, February 18th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources Development seems to have problems with geography in her own riding. She reminds me of the Fisheries and Oceans official who did not even know where Newfoundland was. Just imagine.

Can the minister now confirm that her riding is part of economic region 5-50, which is called Hamilton—Niagara?

[Human Resources Development, February 17th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, according to Statistics Canada the riding of Brant did not qualify for TJF funding. It did not qualify using the economic region criteria. It did not qualify according to data for the city of Brantford. It did not qualify according to the county of Brant statistics that the minister selectively used on Monday.

I am willing to table my statistics. Is the minister willing to table hers?

[Human Resources Development, February 17th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources Development likes to use the term pockets of unemployment. There is no mention of pockets of unemployment in the criteria for HRDC. I assume she was referring to the ridings of Sarnia and Hamilton Mountain which saw two companies pull out and move to the minister's riding. Her riding received close to $2 million in TJF funds, yet the minister's riding did not qualify for TJF.

Did the minister use her cabinet clout as a minister to have her riding qualify?

[Human Resources Development, February 16th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, on Monday the minister responsible for HRDC used selective data for Brant to justify HRDC grants.

Let me tell the House the rest of the story for five months: August, 11.8%; September, 11.8%; October, 10.8%; and December, 11.4% With these numbers she does not qualify.

[Human Resources Development, February 16th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, why was her riding given special consideration? Why the favouritism?

[Human Resources Development, February 16th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of HRDC keeps referring to her riding as having pockets of unemployment which qualify for the TJF.

I called the HRDC offices in New Brunswick and when I said “pockets” they asked “What are you talking about?” They do not seem to exist in all provinces—

[Human Resources Development, February 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister referred to pockets of unemployment in her riding. Therefore her department must have prepared documentation for her.

Do these same pockets of unemployment apply to determining the hours one needs to qualify for employment insurance? Do these same pockets apply?

[Human Resources Development, February 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Human Resources Development quoted figures from 1995 to justify spending by her department in her riding.

Why did her department rely on data from 1995 for 1998 and 1999 projects? How many years must one go back to justify spending in ridings represented by ministers?