Debates of March 2nd, 2000

Export Development Corporation

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we would have been happy to have given the government notice, except that we were very doubtful it would have been able to find the file the way things have been going lately.

Fugère and Champagne seem to be magnets for taxpayers' money, but especially so when the international trade minister is the one who is making the decisions. When he was at HRDC they were on the gravy train. Now he goes to international trade and who shows up? Fugère and Champagne.

What is it about the minister's relationship with these guys that causes him to open up the cheque book whenever they come calling?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I reject the allegations of the member. This is ridiculous. I have said that when he really wants an answer, instead of making cheap political shots as the opposition likes to do, he can serve notice on a particular file so we can look into it.

I will tell the member that I have every confidence the EDC serves Canadian companies well. It made $118 million last year helping Canadian companies do well in international markets.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, surely the minister does not expect us to believe that he has not heard of René Fugère lately. His name has been in the papers every day. We have talked about him every day in this place. He should have some sense that Mr. Fugère has been very involved with his department in the last little while; in fact, in both of the departments he has overseen in the last little while.

Given that this man has been involved in an RCMP investigation and that Champagne has been involved in an investigation about an illegal trust fund, why is it that these people can come to his department, no matter which department it is, and wring taxpayers' money of his pocket?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, let us make it clear. There is an arm's length relationship between the EDC and the Department of International Trade. We should be careful, this is not the minister.

I can tell that these people have never been in government and probably never will. If they think a minister just gets out the cheque book and writes a cheque, that is irresponsible. Canadians deserve better information than this.

Frankly, this was the first time I heard of the company called Earth Canada. How could I know that Mr. Fugère was the director of that company when it was the first time I heard about it?

Human Resources Development

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this morning before the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development, the deputy minister confirmed that she could not report the actual number of jobs created or the amounts actually spent for each project under the transitional jobs fund.

Can the minister say otherwise?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, as we have promised, there will be a review of the transitional jobs fund. First, an external corporation will look not only at the transitional jobs fund, but also at the Canada jobs fund. Second, the auditor general will look at all of the grants and contributions. Surely, as an officer of the House, the hon. member will accept him as having an unbiased view.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, really, the answers are incredible.

What is keeping the minister from initiating a public and independent inquiry, which would be the only investigation we would have any faith in?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, let us remember that there are transitional jobs funds and now Canada jobs fund dollars working in the ridings of Bloc members. It is those members who write in support of these programs and talk about how valuable they are to Quebecers.

Let us remember that the Government of Quebec approves and participates in the decisions for all of these projects. Surely they are not now saying that they did not want the money in their ridings.

Export Development Corporation

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it looks like the international trade minister is starting to do the HRD shuffle. He says he is going to look into the file, but his fingerprints are already all over this scandal. He goes to international trade and guess who shows up? René Fugère and Gilles Champagne. His fingerprints are all over this scandal.

Why is it that taxpayer dollars start to flow when these two friends of the Prime Minister show up at his doorstep?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I will look into that file very carefully. The innuendoes and the allegations of the opposition member seem to be completely wrong again, because on the first verifications that have just been made this company would not even be a client of the EDC.

We will look into it again, but they look completely wrong again. They are just trying to move dirt around. That is what they like to do. We lead them in the country, Mr. Speaker—

[The Speaker]

The rhetoric is starting to rank up a bit. Take it easy. The hon. member for Dewdney—Alouette.

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, likely the file is sitting right on top of his desk with his fingerprints all over it.

René Fugère is under RCMP investigation. He is an unpaid aide to the Prime Minister. He is a close personal friend of the Prime Minister. Gilles Champagne is a two-time political appointee. He set up an illegal trust fund. He is a Liberal Party fundraiser and he is a close friend to the Prime Minister.

These two show up at the international trade minister's doorstep and they get instant access to millions of dollars. How can he possibly explain this scandal?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, it is remarkable to see members of the official opposition line up for a question on a specific case which they did not even warn us about. The first information we have is that Earth Canada is not even a client of the EDC and that all of these allegations seem to be, again, completely wrong.

Human Resources Development

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a Globax statistical report released by Human Resources and Development Canada indicates that the number of jobs at Placeteco fell constantly between May 1997 and May 1998, when the bankrupt company was bought by Claude Gauthier.

However, that individual benefited from a $1.2 million grant, which was supposed to create 174 jobs. At this point, there are only 75 to 80 jobs left.

Could the minister tell us how the $1.2 million given to Claude Gauthier, in violation of Treasury Board rules, was used?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I have commented on this particular project a number of times. I would like to remind the House that Placeteco has just signed a three-year collective agreement with its employees and, as well, has signed a five-year contract of $8 million with a major aeronautical company. It will continue to create jobs in Shawinigan.

I find it passing strange that this member has time and again asked me about the importance of providing improved parental benefits to Canadians, and yet she has no interest in that now because with our budget we have clarified that we are doubling parental benefits for Canadians across Canada.

Agriculture

[Rey D. Pagtakhan, Liberal, Winnipeg North—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Admittedly, the Government of Canada has already provided an additional $1 billion in funding nationwide and a further $240 million for Manitoba and Saskatchewan farmers to help them through these trying times.

Can the government give its assurance that service fees to be levied by the Canadian Grain Commission would not pose a new financial burden to our farmers?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know this government is there as much as we possibly can be to assist Canadian farmers.

The Canadian Grain Commission has a world-renowned reputation for ensuring the quality and reputation of Canadian grains. Over the last number of years, the volume of grain has decreased and, in spite of efficiencies that have been put in place, a deficit has accumulated.

I am pleased to announce today that the Government of Canada is coming forward with $20 million to cover that debt and $63 million over the next four years to ensure that the mandatory fees are frozen for another four years on top of the ten years for which they have already been frozen.

International Trade

[Deepak Obhrai, Reform, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister for International Trade has been talking about the EDC and its good record. I would like to remind him that we are talking about a money-losing corporation with the Prime Minister's cronies on its board.

Why did the taxpayers get hooked for $10 million for the cronies of the Prime Minister?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the official opposition for its questions on a supposed EDC loan to a company called Earth Canada. It is a very specific case which I do not happen to have in my books right now. I will look into it very carefully.

I can tell the House that EDC is doing a very fine—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. The Hon. Minister for International Trade.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Papineau—Saint-Denis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. The EDC is doing a very constructive job helping Canadian companies export on international markets. It is doing that on a commercial basis and it is making money for the Government of Canada year after year. That is the reality.

[Deepak Obhrai, Reform, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we need the binder boy to move from over there to here.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. I would prefer that we address each other by titles.