Mr. Speaker, it is an accurate observation that the former minister also bears responsibility. This shocking mismanagement happened on his watch as well. Just a year ago, on February 4, he said in the House in response to one of my questions: “Mr. Speaker, I want things to be very very clear. Officials from my department reviewed these project applications as they do with much diligence. They review all projects the same way. They recommended them for approval after they met all standard eligibility criteria”.
Clearly this was not the case. The former minister knew or ought to have known this, misled the House and also handed over this huge mess to his successor. His successor unfortunately had the same course of dealings, denying the problem, covering up the problem, refusing to be candid when questions were asked in the House and letting the mess continue until the whistle was blown by the opposition.
Clearly there have been two inept ministers appointed by this Prime Minister. They have been in charge of the largest spending department of this government. This department spends $60 billion of our money every year. A billion dollars is a thousand million dollars. These are huge amounts of money. We have a right to expect competence, believability and trustworthiness in the ministers the Prime Minister puts forward. He has failed us on every count. They have failed us and they must be held to account for that.