Lucienne Robillard

[Supply, December 5th, 2002]

moved:

That Vote 1a, in the amount of $62,621,757, under JUSTICE—Department—Operating expenditures, in the Supplementary Estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2003, be concurred in.

[Public Service of Canada, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, a policy against harassment is currently in place. It is quite clear that all departments must enforce it. Unfortunately, the results of our last survey have shown that improvements are slow in coming.

I will say that we are very concerned with this situation. We have decided to sit down with union representatives and with managers to try to come up with solutions to this problem together.

[Finance, December 2nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, first I want to thank the hon. member for Ottawa Centre for his interest in having better information for Canadians and parliamentarians.

The government has already announced its intention to implement full accrual accounting in the upcoming budget, provided that the accrual accounts have been verified and audited by the Auditor General. I have to say that most of the changes associated with this implementation have been verified and validated. We are still working with departments and the Office of the Auditor General to resolve the remaining issues. I am confident that we will do it.

[Canada's Performance 2002, November 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, to provide an overview of government activities to Canadians and parliamentarians on the government's performance, I have the honour to table in the House, in both official languages, the report entitled “Canada's Performance 2002”.

[Taxation, November 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at the level of public satisfaction with our government.

Let us look at the figures. We can toss numbers around. We can always interpret figures the way we want and use the approach we want.

Based on the gross domestic product, spending went from 17% at the time, in 1993, to 11.6% now, which is unprecedented. We also reduced public expenditures.

More importantly, we have provided good government to the citizens of this country, and Quebeckers recognize that.

[Taxation, November 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, never before have I heard such a thing: a government being accused of good management.

Look at what we have done since 1993, at the fact that we have eliminated the deficit, reduced the debt and lowered taxes, and cut program spending. Then, they blame us for having managed the country's finances well.

The proof is in the pudding: the people of Canada voted for us again last time, and I think they will do so again next time around.

[Taxation, November 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, at present, in the public service per se, there are still fewer public servants today than before the program review.

That having been said, we are asked on a daily basis to invest more in certain areas and to provide our fellow citizens with higher quality services. It follows that we have an appropriate size public service to deliver these programs and quality services to all the people of Canada, including in Quebec.

[Public Service, November 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the number of public servants is not a yardstick for determining whether or not the government has lost control of its spending. Contrary to what the hon. member says, this government has kept its spending under very tight control since 1993. As a percentage of gross domestic product, spending has even dropped.

Moreover, the government has a duty to deliver programs and services to the people of Canada. It does so with a competent public service, as it has done for many years now.

[Government of Canada, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, at the present time, an examination of the way public expenditures have evolved will indicate that our government has been in control since at least 1993, and there has not been any excessive increase.

I would also point out that the figures given today in the newspaper in question represent not only the public service per se but also all the hirings by agencies, crown corporations and distinct employers. They also include seasonal and contract workers, indeed all those who are there to deliver services to the people of Canada.

[Public Service, November 7th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this is the second amazing question from the same member. The last one was about visible minorities in the public service. This time it is about linguistic duality in the public service. The member should perhaps look at the values of Canadians and for what Canadians are ready to fight. Diversity and bilingualism in the public service are among them.