Mr. Speaker, when the aboriginal affairs minister took over the management of Manitoba's Dakota Tipi First Nation, he paid off all the public sector accounts but he left over a quarter of a million dollars owing. Like thousands of other private sector businesses negatively impacted by the government's policies, my constituents are very saddened by the unfairness of this approach and it is hurting people.
A local hardware store has laid off two people and it will not fill a third position. A local plumber is owed $10,000; a grocery store $3,500.
Jocelyne Durand, who owns a local dry cleaning firm, wrote to me:
I am a widow running a business on my own since my husband's death in February of 2001. I have six employees and I am responsible for paying their wage. I don't want to let them down.
This heartless approach the government is taking hurts local businesses and it hurts band members too, because it threatens the relationship between them.
Christmas is approaching. My constituents and other small businesses affected by the government's policies are not asking for the minister to continue to be a grinch. Nor are they asking him to be Santa Claus. They are simply asking him to pay what these people are owed.