Yes, thank you, Chair. I will keep it very brief.
We are in the midst of an unprecedented national economic crisis. The government asked in March 2009 for this unprecedented amount of $3 billion. This is unprecedented because the government generally, when it asks for money, provides the listing of what the projects are, to provide accountability and transparency. Taking the government's own talking points on the stimulus package, that they believe in taxpayers' money always being spent in an accountable, ethical, and transparent manner, I brought this motion forward.
Given our mandate as the public accounts committee, which is to make the government accountable, we're asking, therefore, what the projects are that have been drawn down under vote 35 and the aggregate amount of money that has been drawn down, and what jobs it has created. When the stimulus package claimed that they would create jobs—and this is a very short timeframe, from March to June—and the money will be utilized.... If it's not utilized, it will go back to the consolidated revenue fund.
We've been studying chapters on accountability, etc., and have clearly stated that the government should not make assertions without delivering.
All of us in our ridings are facing people who are losing their jobs. In fact, two days ago I received an e-mail that was very distressing. People are jumping off balconies because they cannot find jobs. I think it is important for us to be mindful that in this economic crisis we, as a public accounts committee, be retrospective. It's a short timeframe, and we ask that the Comptroller General, whose job it is—we brought in the Comptroller General as an internal auditor—provide us with the necessary tools.
I am done, Mr. Chair.