Jean Dubé

[Human Resources Development, February 14th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I had another question, but I am going to go back to this one.

The minister was advised that there were problems with the TJF in August 1999. Why did she not put a stop payment then and not six months later on January 29, 2000?

[Human Resources Development, February 14th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources Development acknowledges having been aware in August 1999 of serious administrative problems in the management of programs.

In view of the scope of the situation, why did she not order a stop to payments immediately and not six months later, that is, on January 29, 2000?

[Leukemia Awareness Month, February 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to enter the debate on what is a great motion moved by the member for St. Paul's who is a physician and is probably very aware of this troublesome disease.

Approximately 3,300 people will be diagnosed this year with leukemia and 2,100 will die from it. This is a sad reality but it certainly hits home in a lot of families in Canada. Many families are probably saying goodbye to loved ones who are leaving us because of this disease.

We must continue working together in partnership to develop cures for diseases such as this one. It is not the only one. Before my life in politics I was very involved in the community. I started the Alzheimer's society in my region, another disease that is hitting a lot of people.

Leukemia also hits young people as well. The cure rate for young people today is 65% but 35% do not make it. This is very difficult especially for parents. It is important to make sure Canadians are aware of what is going on here and to make sure that everything possible is being done.

It is therefore important to raise the awareness of this disease, which takes lives every single day across Canada, from coast to coast. Indeed, 35% of children with leukemia will not make it. They will die.

As parents, it is very hard to see these sick children on television or when visiting a hospital.

I want to thank the member for St. Paul's for taking the initiative of raising this very important issue in the House. I would also like to thank all the volunteers who work day and night from coast to coast and who, as such, are not paid of course. In my riding, in the Campbellton area, I went to visit a prison with them to help raise money for cancer. These people are always there, without fail. A knock on the door and they are ready to help fight this disease.

Shortly before Christmas, our family was stricken, not by cancer, but by heart disease. My father died in October 1999; it has been extremely hard on all of us. But I am thinking about a family in the Dalhousie area, in Restigouche, the Perry family, whose 18 year old son has leukemia.

There is no warning. It can hit very quickly. That was exactly what happened to the Perry family, a young family in Dalhousie, New Brunswick. One of the children was diagnosed with leukemia just before Christmas. He is 18 years old and is receiving treatment as we speak. If he is listening today I want to tell him, on behalf of the House, not to lose faith. There is always hope. Sixty-five per cent of people make it through. We are all thinking of him and his family. Hopefully, he will get through as well.

Once again, I would like to thank the hon. member for St. Paul's and all the volunteers. We are still asking the government for its partnership and effort to develop the drugs we need.

Last week, health ministers and premiers met in Quebec City and asked for more money for health care. We need money for development, but we also need money to care for the sick. We really need to put the emphasis on health. I think this is a consensus throughout Canada.

The ball is in the government's court. We need to put pressure on the finance minister and the Prime Minister to put more money in health care, because we know health is a priority in Canada.

I congratulate once more the member opposite. We will gladly support this motion.

[Human Resources Development, February 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let me try the question in English. I will try to ask it slowly and I will try to be specific, if I can.

We are looking for an answer, not for when the minister found out about the report. We want to know when she found out that there were problems with the transitional jobs fund.

[Human Resources Development, February 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the minister continued to say that she had not been informed of the problems at HRDC until November 17.

This morning, in committee, an official chose his words very carefully and said that she had not been informed of the report until November 17.

When was the minister informed that there were problems with the transitional jobs creation fund?

[Human Resources Development, February 9th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, according to documents from public accounts there are eight numbered companies that received $3.9 million, yet these companies do not even appear to exist.

Can the minister please tell us who owns these companies and where the money went?

[Human Resources Development, February 9th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, at press conferences held last week, senior officials from the department told us that the minister had been apprised of the problems at HRDC in August, during the transition period.

I personally received a document dated October 5. That document had been completed before the report. Today, the minister is telling us that she was notified only on November 17. There is a great deal of confusion. Who is telling the truth?

[Supply, February 8th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, my region of Canada has suffered quite a bit. We have been fortunate enough to qualify for these grants and we have received some too.

The reason that the TJF was put in place was the reform of employment insurance. It was put in place to help regions throughout the country like mine. We realize today that money has gone to other areas which did not qualify. The minister talks about pockets but it is the first time that I have heard about pockets.

I cite the example of the $16,000 given out of the TJF fund in Tobique—Mactaquac and the $7,500 given to the Liberal campaign. There is something wrong with that.

The minister speaks about the six point plan. I have a serious question. When TJF was brought in by the government was there not a plan in place to monitor the moneys that were handed out throughout the country? Was there not a plan then?

[Supply, February 8th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The minister is here. As you probably know, many opposition members would like to ask her questions. You said there would be four questions and there are four opposition parties. I would appreciate it if our party had the opportunity to ask a question.

[Human Resources Development, February 8th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, a spot check of 70 grants found $27 million made its way to donors of the governing party. In the riding of Tobique—Mactaquac, Barrette Diversified Corporation received a TJF grant of over $16,000 and gave back half that grant to the governing party in donations.

Was this what the government intended to do when it set up this slush fund in the first place?