House of Commons Hansard #23 of the 37th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

Topics

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

The Speaker

It is Wednesday and I realize there is a lot of enthusiasm but the hon. member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, I think, was trying to ask a question. I was unable to hear a word he said despite a loud voice.

Perhaps we could have a little order and hear the hon. member pose a question.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS

Let us go over the chronology again, Mr. Speaker.

As a member of the Treasury Board cabinet committee in 1996, the Deputy Prime Minister approved the cancellation of contract reporting requirements. In 1998 she was at the Groupaction meeting. In 1998 to 2003, she sat on the communications committee. The deputy chef was in the kitchen and helped cook this poison.

Was the Prime Minister's plan to keep his--

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

The Speaker

The right hon. Prime Minister.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the opposition members are getting pretty desperate when all they do is simply ask if a minister went to a meeting and as a result from that draw all kinds of innuendo that cannot be justified.

If there is any member in the House who ought not to talk about poison, it is this member and what he did to his party.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, in an interview on RDI, Alfonso Gagliano explained that the funding for the entire sponsorship scandal came from the national unity envelope in the Prime Minister's budget.

Since the national unity fund comes under the Prime Minister's responsibility, will the present Prime Minister admit that what led to the worst abuses in the sponsorship scandal—and I am asking this of the Prime Minister because those are his words—the political direction came directly from—

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

The Speaker

The Hon. Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Vancouver Quadra B.C.

Liberal

Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, we have established in the House as well as in other places that many of the activities funded from the unity fund, through the sponsorship program, were extremely important community events.

We have also established that many members, from all sides of the House, recommended festivities, festivals and activities in their constituencies which were important and required funding.

What went wrong is what our various inquiries are looking into, including the special counsel whose terms of reference I have released in a news release just before the House met.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, in response to an access to information request, the Department of Finance informs us that it is not responsible for the national unity fund. The former Treasury Board secretary just told the Standing Committee on Public Accounts that it is not his responsibility either. But Alfonso Gagliano states categorically that the money came from the national unity envelope, and that is under the control of the Prime Minister.

Will the Prime Minister, who is always talking about transparency, stand up and clearly admit that the person dishing out public funds in the sponsorship scandal was Jean Chrétien?

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Vancouver Quadra B.C.

Liberal

Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, all I can repeat is that there were worthwhile activities that were funded across the country in all of our constituencies or most of them. We also know that members from all sides of the House made representations on behalf of activities in their communities for these funds.

What we do know as well is that money went missing, is unaccounted for, when it was being transmitted from the government to these activities. That is what the special counsel is looking into. All 721 files are being investigated to find out whether money went astray and if so, to recover it.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Mr. Speaker, his predecessor, Alfonso Gagliano, admitted that the Prime Minister's fund is completely out of his hands; that is his excuse. The same must be true for this minister.

The Prime Minister's national unity fund still exists and, with a nod from the Prime Minister, could be used again for similar purposes and in the same way.

Will the Prime Minister tell this House what use he has made of the national unity fund since he took office?

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, first, the answer to the question is: none. I have not used it.

In terms of the other issue, I am very proud to say that Jean Chrétien always worked for Canadian unity.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Mr. Speaker, those listening and the members of this House will note the shift in the Prime Minister's position. A few weeks ago, he condemned what happened; now, he condones it.

The Prime Minister said he was prepared to make public any document that could shed light on this sinister affair.

Will the Prime Minister agree to make public the documents that track the use of the Prime Minister's national unity fund since 1993? Therein lies the key to solving the mystery.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Vancouver Quadra B.C.

Liberal

Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made clear and in fact the activities of government have followed through producing documents requested by specific resolution of the public accounts committee.

The Prime Minister has said again that any documents related to the Auditor General's report requested by the public accounts committee or requested by the public inquiry would be made available to those processes in a due process that does not simply open the books of the Privy Council to any question that might come from the media or any member of the opposition.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the House would be less preoccupied with this issue if the public inquiry that the Prime Minister called was up and running, but it is not. It is now over a month and there is still no public inquiry underway.

My question is for the Prime Minister. We have been told that Judge Gomery has been on vacation for the last three or four weeks. Is this true? And if so, why did the government not pick somebody who could get down to business right away?

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, Judge Gomery has set in motion all of the work. The hon. member will understand that an enormous amount of work has to be done by investigative counsel in preparing the investigation. All of that is ongoing.

In fact, I would suspect that this particular inquiry will be up and running faster than almost any others we have seen.

Public ServiceOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, the House will note that there was no denial of the issue that I raised. It beats me why the government could not have found somebody else who was ready to take this on right away.

One of the other things that is being delayed, which if it was forthcoming we might be able to deal with in a more confident manner, is the whole issue of whistleblower legislation. There is still no whistleblower legislation being laid on the table by the government so that people who do want to come forward can come forward with some confidence knowing that the government is committed to the concept.

When will we see that?

Public ServiceOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bourassa Québec

Liberal

Denis Coderre LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada

Mr. Speaker, not only is our government committed to the whistleblower legislation, but we are currently at the cabinet stage of the process. We expect to be putting it forward as soon as possible. We have already pledged to have it tabled by March 31.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has broken his promise to Canadians to disband Communications Canada, the home of the corrupt sponsorship program. Instead of scrapping it, he has moved it. He has gone behind their backs and moved it to the Privy Council, even closer under his nose. The Prime Minister has betrayed the trust of Canadians.

Why has he broken his promise to dissolve and disband Communications Canada?

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Vancouver Quadra B.C.

Liberal

Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's and the government's resolution was to disband Communications Canada by March 31. In that process, the sponsorship program, which was a large part of Communications Canada, was cancelled immediately.

What is in place now is a plan to take the various aspects of Communications Canada which are important to Canadians, such as 1-800 O-Canada, which is greatly used; the Canada website, which is respected around the world; and the regional operations of Communications Canada--

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Lakeland.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB

No, Mr. Speaker. The facts are that the Prime Minister told Canadians the sponsorship program was gone and then he moved it to Heritage Canada. Then he told Canadians that Communications Canada was being scrapped and he moved it into the Privy Council Office. How underhanded.

The Prime Minister has said one thing and done another. Why has the Prime Minister moved the money from the sponsorship program into the Privy Council?

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Vancouver Quadra B.C.

Liberal

Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is being preciously economical with the truth. The fact is that the Prime Minister said that Communications Canada would be shut down and dismantled by March 31, and that will happen.

The Prime Minister said on December 13 that the sponsorship program would be cancelled immediately, and it was. The responsibility to fund local community activities, which rested previously in Heritage Canada, will continue that role with the same budget.

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Diane Ablonczy Canadian Alliance Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, cabinet documents show that the President of the Privy Council tried to get advertising money with no contract, no paperwork, just based on “I told these guys they would get money, so give it to them”. The minister knew that broke the rules to protect the public purse. Now the Prime Minister has gone behind the backs of Canadians and moved the advertising program into the Privy Council Office.

Why has the Prime Minister given control of all this money to someone who the documents show is a rule breaker?

Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Vancouver Quadra B.C.

Liberal

Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is incorrect.

The advertising function stays with Public Works and Government Services. We now have a new agency of record competition, which will be concluded within weeks, to chose a new agency of record to handle advertising through Public Works, not through Communications Canada but directly through Public Works. That is not being shut down.

Surely hon. members would all understand that government projects for the benefit of Canadians should be properly brought to the attention of Canadians. That is what advertising is for.