Debates of May 28th, 2002

Government Grants

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to my responsibilities as solicitor general, I am also responsible for Prince Edward Island. It is my job.

In this case I was acting on behalf of my province, unlike my right hon. colleague from Calgary Centre who was acting on his own when he called the Prime Minister to ask to have his brother appointed a judge.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order. It is very difficult to hear the question from the hon. member for West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast who after all has the floor.

I know a lot of members have questions today. We will hear this one now because the hon. member has the floor.

[John Reynolds, Canadian Alliance, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a very short question for the solicitor general. Did he or did he not talk to the RCMP Commissioner with regard to grants to Holland College, yes or no?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated a number of times, the proposal was submitted to the AIF. I received the proposal as regional minister. As is done with all letters and proposals, it was submitted to the appropriate area which was the RCMP.

[John Reynolds, Canadian Alliance, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to repeat the question again for the solicitor general. Did the solicitor general talk directly with the commissioner of the RCMP, yes or no?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I made the facts of this case very clear. I acted as the minister responsible for Prince Edward Island. I acted as the responsible solicitor general.

The proposal was received by my office. It was submitted to the appropriate area, the RCMP. They made the decision.

Government Contracts

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of immigration did in fact deny having used the condo owned by his friend from Groupe Everest, Mr. Boulay. At the time of this denial, he was a member of cabinet. Should he not have told the whole truth?

Will the minister finally admit that both he and Claude Boulay initially denied the facts regarding the use of the condo because they were both fully aware that they were in conflict of interest and deliberately tried to keep journalists from getting wind of the whole affair?

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

Mr. Speaker, the minister already explained that he misunderstood the questions.

In any case, he was not even required to answer questions regarding his conduct when he was a backbencher.

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today, in defence of his minister of immigration, the Prime Minister gave as an excuse that members were entitled to personal privacy.

I agree with that. Of course members are entitled to personal privacy.

However, does the Deputy Prime Minister not find it completely unacceptable when a member's private life influences the first decisions he makes as a minister, causing him to return a favour to someone to whom he was indebted?

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

Mr. Speaker, I think the member is exaggerating.

In any case, I believe that a member's behaviour and the right to privacy allow us to avoid answering questions about his private life.

I believe that the contract in question followed the treasury board standards. This was a contract recommended by the Department of Public Works and Government Services. There is no need for more questions.

Government Grants

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I think the people of Canada missed the answer to the question directed at the solicitor general.

My colleague asked him if he talked to the commissioner of the RCMP regarding the $3.5 million proposal from his brother who is the head of the college. There may well have been other colleges as well, but did he talk to the RCMP commissioner about that proposal?

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

Mr. Speaker, I think we have had about enough of this particular drive-by smearing by the Alliance Party. The proposal was not made--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order. I know the minister is getting a lot of help with his answer but we have to be able to hear his answer rather than the comments that may be intended to assist, for all I know. The Deputy Prime Minister has the floor. We will hear the answer.

[John Manley, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there was not a proposal made on behalf of the brother of the solicitor general. There was a proposal made on behalf of Sheridan College, Holland College and the University of Moncton. It was not for the private or personal benefit of anyone related to the minister.

It is time we realized that ministers have a job to do that requires them to take a position in public life. The fact that he received a proposal and passed it on--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Provencher.

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister has raised all types of fog in trying to avoid the question. I have respect for the solicitor general. Why does the solicitor general not have the courage to stand in the House and state did he or did he not talk to the commissioner about this proposal? Regardless of whether it was his brother's college or somebody else's college, did he talk to the commissioner about this proposal?

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

Mr. Speaker, why does the member not have the courage to stand in this place and acknowledge that Holland College is not the solicitor general's brother's college? It is a public institution. Why does the member not have the courage to stand in this place and admit that he is trying to, without foundation, smear the reputation of an hon. member of the House, a minister who has served with distinction? Why does the member not admit that he has taken one step too many in this ongoing crusade to try to destroy people's reputations?

Government Contracts

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when a firm obtains a government contract, the public is entitled to expect it to be of a certain size, to have a structure allowing it to carry out its mandate satisfactorily.

How does the Deputy Prime Minister explain the fact that a check of the list of financial institutions shows that Communications Coffin claims to have no employees working for it?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of the allegation that the hon. member has just made.

With respect to the issue related to the Coffin firm, which was discussed in the House yesterday, my officials have been in touch with the firm, both yesterday and today. The examination is ongoing. We are obviously seeking satisfactory answers from the company. We expect to receive those answers. If we do not, the appropriate action will be taken.

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister think that it is right for the federal government to award substantial contracts to a communications firm which has no employees and which, in the end, serves only as a intermediary between the federal government and subcontractors, after helping itself to a generous commission? Is this good management?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, what is important is for any contractor that does business with the Government of Canada to be able to perform the services that are contracted for, to do so in a proper manner and according to the complete rules of transparency and accountability.

I would point out that my predecessor in the department took steps earlier this spring to launch an entire new process for securing standing offers for firms in this business.

[Gerry Ritz, Canadian Alliance, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, at least now we know why the Prime Minister went to Rome. It is going to take an affidavit from the Pope to help out the solicitor general on this one.

Did the solicitor general specifically speak to the RCMP commissioner in regard to a $3.5 million program? Yes or no.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as I said to the House a number of times, I speak to the commissioner of the RCMP on a regular basis. In the second last briefing we had, the commissioner of the RCMP just indicated to me that this proposal likely would not be accepted. He liked the proposal but it likely would not be accepted because he did not have the means to do it.