Mr. Speaker, we know that the government is caught in the past, but can the Minister of HRDC please explain why four companies, owned or partly owned by three members of the executive of the Ministry of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, received $385,000 in HRDC grants for job creations in 1997?
Many of the companies which received over $2.5 million in Kenora—Rainy River, courtesy of the overtaxed Canadian, funnelled $16,000 back to the government member in political donations.
If this is not blatant patronage, what is it?