Debates of May 8th, 2000

Human Resources Development

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

Mr. Speaker, in this particular regard the hon. member is making reference to an audit of the Business Advisory Centre of Hamilton-Wentworth.

It was the Department of Human Resources Canada, along with its provincial and municipal partners, that decided to do the audit of this sponsor. It is the department that discovered an overpayment. It is also the department that got the money repaid to the government. What more does the hon. member want?

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is yet another case in the long list of scandals at the Department of Human Resources Development.

A grant of over $700,000 was paid to a business, Modes Conili, to create 160 jobs. However, it appears that most of the jobs were simply transferred from an existing business to Modes Conili.

How can the minister justify the payment of a grant of over $700,000 from the transitional jobs fund, when jobs were merely transferred from one company to another?

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

Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that as a result of the undertakings of the internal audit the department is looking at all its grants and contributions.

It is clear that this department is taking very seriously our role in ensuring that Canadians get the benefit of Canadian tax dollars to make new jobs and to ensure that Canadians who need help with literacy and young people to find employment get it. In this particular case, if the hon. member wants to bring forward details I will look at them.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, here are some details for the minister.

The contract signed between the department and Modes Conili provides that no payment will be made for employees recruited from another company for an equivalent position.

Can the minister explain why the contract was not respected?

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

Again, Mr. Speaker, I would be glad to look into the details of the particular case.

Cida

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, according to a May 3 CSIS report the Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils is one of the more active umbrella fronts for the Sri Lankan terrorist group, the Tamil Tigers. Just three days after that report was released, the finance minister and the minister for CIDA sat down for dinner with this group.

Could the minister explain why she and the finance minister attended a dinner last weekend for an organization which both the U.S. state department and her own security agency have labelled a terrorist front?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the ministers attended a cultural event to celebrate the Tamil new year and to celebrate the contributions of Canadians of Tamil origin to Canadian life, and there are over 150,000 Canadians of Tamil origin.

Also attending that dinner were cabinet ministers from the Harris government, Toronto city councillors, the mayor of Mississauga and the managing editor of the Toronto Sun .

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is nice but it is irrelevant. The point is that the Prime Minister is on record as saying that those people who—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said on record that those who raise funds for these terrorist groups are just as guilty as the terrorists themselves.

CSIS claims that Tamil Tigers are funded in part by supporters in Canada who collect money by fundraising drives, front businesses and criminal activity like extortion, drug smuggling, and immigration and passport fraud. CSIS says that this federation is a front for the Tamil Tigers. Why were the finance minister and the minister for CIDA breaking bread—

[The Speaker]

The hon. minister responsible for CIDA.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, I find this very offensive. I had dinner with 600 law-abiding citizens and residents of Toronto. In my speech that evening I said that I supported the Government of Sri Lanka in negotiating a peaceful resolution to the conflict. I said that I supported the Norway attempt at finding a peaceful resolution, and I got a standing ovation.

The people who were in that room want peace to be negotiated in their homeland. They were not there for any other reason.

Human Resources Development

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the Modes Conili file, Human Resources Development Canada continues to collapse under its poor administration.

We are a long way from the few files and the $500 the Prime Minister referred to in summarizing the scandal at Human Resources Development Canada.

I ask the minister: since she is carrying out audits in her department on the Modes Conili file, would she not like to tell us at the same time why her department paid out two grants, one in 1997 and one in 1998, knowing full well that jobs were being transferred from one company to another and not created?

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

In fact, Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that is not the case. I am pleased to say that there were an expected 160 employees that were to be able to find work as a result of this transitional jobs fund, and there are actually 162.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister got off to a better start earlier, was a bit more cautious, saying “I will look into the details”. I would not want her to answer today because she would put her foot in it again.

I would ask her simply is she could not at the same time check in her department whether the person serving as intermediary between her department and Modes Conili was not the same person serving as intermediary in the file in which a business was transferred from the riding of Rosemont to the riding of the Prime Minister, a man working for a business called Golf and Grants, in French, Golf et—

[The Speaker]

Minister of Human Resources Development.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have been advised in this case that indeed there was a third party representation and jobs may have been moved. An internal investigation was undertaken and this was not confirmed. As such, the project has continued, and I say again that 162 men and women are employed.

I would also remind the hon. member, as I always do, that in this project it is not just the federal government that is a partner but also the province of Quebec which supported this project.

Justice

[John Reynolds, Reform, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 20 year old David Trott, described by his stepfather as a dangerous loose cannon, a drug user with a history of violent rampages including guns, stabbings, stealing cars, police chases, assault and uttering threats, was released on probation by Judge Susan Antifaev.

Pratt is now the prime suspect in the slaying of nine year old Jessica Russell just two days after his irresponsible release from jail.

Given the judge was made aware of Trott's psychological and psychiatric background, will the Minister of Justice intercede with the Attorney General of British Columbia and have Judge Antifaev suspended pending an investigation of the judge's irresponsible decision?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this is obviously a very tragic and sad situation. It is also a matter that I think is better taken up by the Attorney General of British Columbia. If the Attorney General of British Columbia wishes to speak to me about this or any other matter, I am happy to do so.

[John Reynolds, Reform, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Attorney General of British Columbia would like to see some leadership from the Minister of Justice for Canada.

This is a very serious issue. Nothing will bring Jessica Russell back, but the minister should show leadership by speaking to the Attorney General of British Columbia and letting him know that people in the Parliament of Canada are very upset with this terrible crime. We cannot have judges treating criminals as more important than common people in society. This judge messed up and the provincial government—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Justice.

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt whatsoever that the Attorney General of British Columbia is as concerned about this matter as all Canadians.

As I have said already, I think that if the Attorney General of British Columbia for any reason wants to speak to me about this situation or any other I will be happy to speak to him.

Human Resources Development

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the Placeteco affair, the minister's entire defence relies on the existence of the supposed invoices.

My question is a very simple one. Where are the invoices? We want to see them.

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

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Bloc has made an access to information request in this regard. I think we would all agree that the responsible approach when we are dealing with individual information on Canadians or Canadian companies is to use that process.

I am glad to see that they have made the request, and I am sure all information that can be made public will be made public.