Debates of May 24th, 2002

Government Contracts

[Scott Reid, Canadian Alliance, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister tried to wrap his government's advertising contracts in the mantle of national unity. He presented a list of seven initiatives his government has taken since the referendum of 1995 to promote national unity. The final item on this list was his government's unity advertising campaign, in which Liberal Party donors were given untendered contracts.

I think we can all recognize that this item has nothing to do with national unity and everything to do with rewards for Liberal contributors, but I would love to hear the Prime Minister set me straight.

What exactly is it about cronyism, favouritism and overspending that promotes national unity?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Crown Corporations]

Mr. Speaker, I think the point the Prime Minister made yesterday was a very clear one. That is we had experienced for quite a number of years, including years in government by a party that was very closely in line with the hon. member, a disappearance of the federal presence in the province of Quebec.

When we saw the results of the referendum, of course there was concern that in districts and regions around the province the federal government's contributions were unknown and its presence was unknown.

If the hon. member wants to get up and say he does not think the federal government should have a visible presence in that province or others let him say so.

[Scott Reid, Canadian Alliance, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I guess we are going to be really well served now because the government's latest bid to foster national unity through advertising involved spending $2.1 million to run the names of 15 federal agencies in the credits for a TV mini-series. Even the intergovernmental affairs minister admits that this kind of advertising does nothing to promote Canada in Quebec.

Here is a thought. On the theory that Quebecers might find it more enticing to belong to a federation in which government is open and transparent than one in which it rewards its friends and hides the evidence, why would the government not cease all sponsorship spending pending the outcome of the auditor general's investigation?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Crown Corporations]

Mr. Speaker, this is actually a little more interesting area of debate. Should there be sponsorship spending?

On the one hand we have members of the opposition writing letters asking for money under the sponsorship program for events in their constituencies. Why? I assume they want to raise the profile of the federal government, but more fundamentally, many of these events and programs occur only when some public money is there to help them happen. Is that good or is that bad?

The hon. member wants it all stopped, but that would mean that we will have to say no to his House leader who--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Scarborough--Rouge River.

Justice

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.

In a recent study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health it was noted that children who were victims of bullying stopped regarding school as a place of learning but instead associated it with mental, emotional and physical abuse. Other studies have shown that bullying is a marker for future criminal behaviour and that it can have serious long term negative effects on the self-esteem of its victims.

I want to know what the government is doing to respond to concerns about this issue.

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for raising this very important question about bullying. It is a concern not only in Canada but in many countries around the world.

Through our national crime prevention strategy, we as a government are involved in a bit more than 100 projects across Canada in order to deal with the question of bullying. It is not normal behaviour. We have to make sure that we will succeed in fighting back at the behaviour of bullying.

Yesterday morning I launched an ad campaign in regard to bullying. As well, with stakeholders, we have developed information kits.

Social Housing

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the National Housing and Homelessness Network report card graphically shows that the government's supposed housing program is in a complete mess. In fact, only Quebec has met its commitment.

The government has failed to respond to the ongoing crisis in Toronto by opening up the Fort York armoury, and in Vancouver today aboriginal groups are protesting the withholding of funds for desperately needed shelters.

I ask the minister responsible for housing, will he put some guts into the housing agreement, get the armoury open and deliver on the promise for affordable housing in every part of Canada?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Crown Corporations]

Mr. Speaker, I know that nobody notices but I also have responsibility for CMHC. I am very pleased that we did have in last December's budget $680 million made available for housing across Canada.

I am also very optimistic that we will see in the very near future the ability to enter into an agreement with the province of Ontario, which will see that money begin to flow in Ontario as well and address the very critical shortage of adequate, affordable housing in the province of Ontario.

National Defence

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the defence minister. The government has demonstrated a questionable track record when it comes to managing contracts on behalf of all Canadians.

Last week Colonel De Blois, national defence privatization guru, admitted that contracting out of the military supply chain is a very risky business. DND's own documents showed that there will be no savings or improvement in service as a result of the contract to Tibbett's of England.

Will the defence minister now stop the ultimate service delivery of the supply chain before he does even more damage to the men and women of our military?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, a business case was prepared. In fact, the auditor general said it was a good, strong business case for going this route. There will be savings. Savings are estimated to be some $74 million a year.

The people who are involved in the service now can be transferred to the company that will carry out the contract, fully 100% of them, at the same or better pay and benefits than they already have, guaranteed for a period of seven years.

It seems to me that the department wins. We get a better, stronger service, we save money and the employees are going to win in this as well.

Government Contracts

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago the Deputy Prime Minister said that the new goal of the government is an atmosphere of transparency and openness and even challenged the opposition to meet the test. I have a test for the government.

VIA Rail refuses to provide any information on questionable untendered advertising contracts and says it will only respond to and answer to the government. Under this new veil of transparency and openness, will the government provide all the information on those questionable untendered advertising documents?

[André Harvey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member may inquire directly to VIA Rail to find out how they operate.

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the government clearly has failed the test. It said it has a new atmosphere of openness and transparency and yet would not answer the most simple question.

What we want to know is who ordered this disturbing clampdown on information by VIA Rail. Was it the Prime Minister's former chief of staff or was it the Prime Minister himself? Have other clampdown orders been applied to other government agencies and foundations?

[André Harvey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that the last thing the hon. member wants is a new excessive nationalization process for all crown corporations.

Again, it is always possible to ask VIA Rail about its administrative procedures. I am convinced that they can be transparent.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Canadian Alliance, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, government rules require that construction contracts in excess of $40,000 must be tendered. Agriculture Canada, in awarding two contracts to Nordic Industries of Saskatoon, clearly violated these rules.

Could anyone in the government explain why the agriculture department broke these rules in awarding these contracts?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to take the question under advisement on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. I am not aware of this matter but I will make sure that I bring it to his attention.

All contracts are mostly contracted through public works. I am not aware of these particular contracts, but I will certainly take the matter under advisement.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Canadian Alliance, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, breaking the rules seems to be a regular routine with the government. Canadians deserve better.

The government is now covering its backside by terminating one of the contracts with Nordic Industries, replacing the management team at Agriculture Canada in Saskatoon, and negotiating a settlement.

Why is the government giving Nordic Industries settlement moneys for termination of an illegal contract?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the hon. member did not hear my answer or he was not able to change his question after my response, which was that I would take this question under advisement. I am not aware of those contracts. I can assure him that all contracts are required to follow Treasury Board guidelines within the limits.

The problem we often see is that the facts of the opposition are totally wrong when we get to them, and it is very selective in what it brings forward.

We will be happy to look at that question. I will pass it on and take it under advisement.

Securities Commissions

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week, speaking to businessmen in Toronto, the Minister of Finance criticized the provincial securities commissions, conveniently forgetting that this sector is exclusively a provincial one.

Is the Minister of Finance's attitude here a prelude to the creation of a Canadian securities commission, as he has made several attempts to do in recent years against Quebec's wishes?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, before asking questions, the member over there ought perhaps to at least read the speech.

What I said was that Canada has at least 30 different financial sector regulators. Moreover, some will say the number is even in excess of 40.

This imposes an enormous cost on Canada's financial system. If we are to be competitive with other countries, we will need far more discipline and a far more efficient system. That is what I said.

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance ought to admit that securities are none of his business. This is a provincial sector.

If improvements are required, this is the responsibility of the 13 provincial commissions, including that of Quebec. These have, moreover, worked together on improving their system in recent years and continue to do so.

Will he then admit, once and for all, that this is nothing to do with him, that he needs to mind his own business and let the 13 securities commissions improve the system among themselves? That is the way of the future.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the poor member seems to really have a weak grasp on what a functioning economy is all about.

Certainly, a functioning economy is my business. Job creation is my business. Investment in the Canadian economy is my business, and our government's business. This is where we and the Bloc Quebecois members over there differ.

Government Contracts

[Howard Hilstrom, Canadian Alliance, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Pierre Tremblay is the former chief of staff for Alfonso Gagliano. He was one of the senior staff members cited by the auditor general for not following the rules in awarding communications contracts. He is now the vice-president of propaganda for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He has already given contracts to this Liberal firm, this Groupe Everest, one of the advertising firms that the auditor general is looking at.

Why does the Prime Minister reward this appalling lack of regard for contract rules with a $140,000 job promotion?

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, Public Works Canada administers some 58,000 contracts each and every year. We have rules in place to ensure that the contracts are let on an open, fair and transparent basis and in accordance with Treasury Board guidelines.