Stephen Owen

[Sponsorship Program, March 10th, 2004]

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 Program, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure, but I think I may have heard the hon. member make an accusation of perhaps criminal conduct against a member from the other place.

If he has any evidence of such misconduct, he should bring it forward to the RCMP who are investigating anything to do with these matters. That is what we are doing. That is what the Auditor General has done. That is what the hon. member should do.

[Sponsorship Program, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, I have suggested to the chair of the Bluenose trust that information of misappropriated funds should be brought to the attention of the RCMP, to the inquiry that has been set up, and to us as well. We are awaiting those details. This issue has just arisen.

[Sponsorship Program, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, far from looking the other way, I phoned the president of the Bluenose trust this morning to discuss with him the concerns that he has raised. We are looking into it. We are not hiding anything.

In fact, nothing could be more open than this ministry in terms of dealing with these types of problems. So, if anyone has information which suggests impropriety or allocated funds that were not received they should bring it forward and we will deal with it.

[Sponsorship Program, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the government became aware from the Bluenose foundation over these past few days that there was money apparently allocated for it that it did not receive.

I have spoken with the chairman of the Bluenose trust this morning and requested that he bring all information forward, both to the RCMP and to the public inquiry, and to us, so we can follow through on the concerns that have been raised.

That is true of every other situation where money allocated for some reason did not seem to have been fully received. So I put it to all people who are in this situation, bring the information forward.

[Sponsorship Program, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member is not suggesting that good governance can take place with throwing the doors open to cabinet documents without properly defining them on this issue.

On this issue, the public accounts committee passed a motion asking for specific documents and they have been tabled; ask for other documents related to the Auditor General's report on these subjects and they will be made available. If there is a request from the public inquiry for any documents, the Prime Minister has said they will be made available.

[Sponsorship Program, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I can hardly imagine how anyone could suggest that anyone on this side of the House is hiding anything when we have the most extraordinary list of processes to bring light to this subject: the public inquiry, public accounts, RCMP investigations, and a special counsel to recover funds. Nothing could be more open. There is also the tabling of cabinet documents. If the public inquiry wants any confidential cabinet documents related to this issue, the Prime Minister has said that we will produce them. Nothing could be more open.

[Sponsorship Program, March 8th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, first, we have hired a special counsel for the recovery of finances. Second, we have a public and judicial inquiry which is looking into such allegations. Third, we are referring cases to the RCMP whenever there is any evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Fourth, we are participating in the public accounts committee to get to the bottom of these issues.

We are doing everything possible in as open and transparent a way as possible.

[Sponsorship Program, March 8th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, we as well want to know how much money has gone astray, which is why we have a public inquiry, which is why we have a special counsel for financial recovery, which is why we have referred 18 matters to the RCMP and which is why we have the public accounts committee, in which all members of the government are participating and cooperating.

[Sponsorship Program, March 8th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what the member's reference to 1998 is, but with respect to today, the $2.3 million contract through Lafleur Communications to the Bluenose foundation is now being investigated. We have heard that the services were not provided. We have withheld funds from Lafleur Communications and we are suing it in court to recover the funds. This is not a criminal investigation. We do not conduct those in government, but we do conduct litigation and we do withhold funds until we get to the bottom of this.