Lost his last election, in 2006, with 41% of the vote.
Official Languages April 1st, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I often find the member's questions somewhat offensive and, frankly, this is no exception.
There are 100,000 students in western Canada in French immersion programs. Canada has embraced this policy and, frankly, a lot of kids are working hard to develop the skills that this program offers them.
Sponsorship Program March 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we also know that the chairman of the public accounts committee has already made up his mind as to the guilt and sentencing of people, as reported in today's
Hill Times.
I think it is an outrageous position for a committee that is supposed to be inquiring into the matter.
Public Service March 25th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I wish to apologize to the member. When he previously asked this question, I was musing on the fact that he was the only member of the House who has been asking questions on the public service, the only one who showed any interest at all in the 450,000 people who work for us.
My answer to his question is no.
Sponsorship Program March 25th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I have argued many times in the House that the opposition would profit from spending a little more time on the estimates. All of these funds are identified in the estimates. All the disbursements are identified in the public accounts.
If the opposition members would like me to walk them through the public accounts and show them where to find it, I would be more than willing to do it.
The Budget March 24th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, it was a fund that was identified in the departmental estimates. It was a fund that was distributed to departments to pay for things like Terry Fox, like the Forum of Federations, worthy public events like Canada Day. This is not a big secret.
The Budget March 24th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what they are afraid of.
It is interesting to hear that party complain about transparency and openness when we still do not know who has been financing the leadership campaigns of their leader.
When it comes now to the unity fund, all of the transactions have been reported. It has been funding things like Terry Fox, Canada Day. They have been reported through the departments and reported to public accounts. I am not sure what the concern is.
The Budget March 24th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, it is--
Canadian Wheat Board March 23rd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, thanks to the progressive actions by the current Minister of Finance, when he was minister responsible for the Wheat Board, management of the board has been given over entirely to farmers. Farmers are making these decisions on behalf of farmers. They are managing the board. They have just gone through quite a modernization of the management of the board.
Frankly, when I was talking to farmers across western Canada, they by and large were very pleased with the changes in the board. Why does he not trust farmers to manage their own business?
Canadian Wheat Board March 23rd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of being out across the prairies during the last break talking to farmers. I can tell the member that the farmer owned Wheat Board--10 of the 15 directors are directly elected by farmers--have control of the management of the board. They are doing an exceptionally good job, and they will make the decision on this issue in consultation with their brethren.
Public Service March 23rd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for what I believe is his fourth question on this topic since we took office, which is four more than the opposition.
Expenditure review is about one thing. It is about modernizing public management by going through every single line of expenditure, every program and every management system with the express goal of supporting the best public service in the world.