Andy Scott

[Health, June 7th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.

I understand that the minister will be making an important announcement later today regarding the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Can the minister tell the House now how the CIHR will improve existing research in Canada and at the same time focus on new and emerging priority health research for all Canadians?

[Supply, June 6th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, absolutely I would support it because it exists now. The problem with members opposite is that when I call it is political interference, but when members opposite call they are making an inquiry.

It is not fair. We are elected by the people of Canada to represent the interests of our constituents, the same as members opposite, and we have every bit as much right to make those calls of inquiry that have been supported on the other side.

[Supply, June 6th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I welcome the reference to my high regard for the minister because, ultimately, as a partisan, he may not recognize my being less than biased.

I am sure the comments of the information commissioner or the privacy commissioner, and the comments that have been made by those people who are in the business of keeping an eye on the government, and the fact that the minister scores so high on both fronts, is worthy of comment and I appreciate the opportunity to repeat it.

I have great regard for the member who asked the question. One of the reasons I have that regard is because I know he is effective in his riding in getting things for his constituency. Are the programs that are represented by this department not so important as to be tainted, perhaps not by this member but by others, by what is obviously a politically motivated assault on the kinds of programs that members across the way simply do not believe in? It is that simple.

I know that is not the case with the member across the way. I believe he supports these programs. We sat on the committee together for a long time. We have made great progress, particularly since this minister became the minister responsible for this department, and the member knows that. The report that was written by the committee was an important report. The member has been talking about the kinds of things which are in that report for many years.

It is important to recognize when progress is made, and progress has been made. I would ask the member if he does not fear that by being party to this politically motivated assault may have the effect of jeopardizing programs which I know have been very generous to him. I would want him to think about that.

[Supply, June 6th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join in this debate as it gives me an opportunity to add my support to those who recognize that there is absolutely nothing to be gained from an independent, politically motivated commission of inquiry as proposed by the official opposition.

We have been over this ground before. The opposition is a one trick pony on this file. We tell opposition members about the benefits that individual Canadians derive from HRDC programs, and they call for an inquiry. We tell them about how important HRDC programs are to strengthening the social fabric of the nation, something of which I am sure they know little, and they call for an inquiry. We read to them the letters and comments from Canadians from every part of Canada who support the government's approach to human resources development, and they call for an inquiry. Now we give them an opposition day to discuss the nation's business, and they call for an inquiry. That is the only line that party has.

The rest of us have moved on. Those of us on the government side have gone past inquiring. We are working on this issue. We have already agreed that problems were identified with the administration of HRDC grants and contributions. We have accepted that. We have already agreed that corrective action needed to be taken to address the problem. We are moving forward with the kinds of action that are needed to do just that. In fact, the government is taking this issue extremely seriously, as can be seen in the six point plan announced by the Minister of Human Resources Development in the House.

Let me quickly remind the House what the minister committed to do. The minister committed to ensure that the payments meet financial and program requirements; to check and correct the program files; to equip and support the staff, who are working tirelessly I might add; to ensure accountability; to get the best advice available; and to report on progress.

This is a comprehensive, responsible plan. It is a plan of action that has been endorsed by the auditor general, who is only quoted from the other side with criticism, but remember the quote “This action plan is a very thorough plan for corrective action”. “A very thorough plan for corrective action” is what the auditor general said. That should be good enough to move forward.

The real question should be: What is being done to carry out this plan? We do not need an inquiry to answer that. We need to look at what is being done to address the deficiencies that have been identified.

Canadians want to know that they can continue to depend on these programs and they want their accounts to be properly administered. That is why the appearance of the minister before the standing committee was so important.

The minister used the occasion to bring committee members up to date on the progress being made in the implementation of that well received plan. During her appearance she tabled a report. It provided a wealth of important information for those who are genuinely concerned about this issue.

For example, the report confirms that all documentation for HRDC active grants and contributions is now in order. The minister pointed out that close to 17,000 active files were reviewed in addition to those audited. The total contract value was just over $1.5 billion. Of that $1.5 billion, a total of $6,500 was owed to the Government of Canada. That is $6,500 out of $1.5 billion researched.

The work to clean up and review these files has been extraordinary. Many public servants have been working night and day, turning in a lot of extra effort for which they deserve our thanks. They have been going through file after file. I would point out that is because those dedicated public servants believe in programs around literacy and disability and young Canadians getting into the workforce.

Much of the information in the past was not adequate. The government learned from that. We know that proper paperwork is central to the accountability of public funds. We have moved decisively to deal with these deficiencies in manners that are earning the praise of the auditor general. That is not all. The department is also making progress on other elements of the plan. For example, it is better equipping and supporting the staff who administer the programs. The minister has already called for more training of the staff at HRDC, and since January more than 3,000 program and finance employees have received training. A training strategy has been developed to ensure that all appropriate staff receive mandatory training on the delivery of grants and contributions.

The department has also improved its organizational accountability by restructuring so that it can better accommodate the challenge of balancing national standards with regional program delivery.

The Human Resources Investment Branch has been split in two. One branch is responsible for nationally delivered programs, and the second branch is responsible for those that are delivered regionally.

Departmental officials continue to draw on expert advice from the auditor general, as well as others, as required.

On every one of these aspects of the plan significant progress is being made.

The department is also being open and transparent in reporting on its work. The minister has stood in the House and answered questions for months. She has appeared before the standing committee. She has tabled a full report on the progress to date. In addition, she has undertaken to respond to all legitimate requests for information from members of parliament, so much so that when the information commissioner appeared before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights he gave her an A+.

The privacy commissioner, to some extent on the other side, also told her that she was doing an extraordinarily good job on that side of the equation. It is not an easy balance to find.

There were 10,000 pages of project information tabled before the standing committee.

The government believes that the best interests of all Canadians are served when we strike an appropriate balance between clear accountability to taxpayers and getting results for Canadians. Indeed, this will always be a fundamental challenge of good governance. Obviously there have been weaknesses in the department, but they have been identified. We have established a plan to correct them and we are working to implement that plan.

As far as I am concerned, the process is working. I fail to see how a politically motivated inquiry such as that proposed by the opposition could add anything useful to this process at this stage and I will not be supporting it.

[Supply, June 6th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I have a simple question for the hon. member. If members on the government side make an inquiry on behalf of a constituent in exactly the same manner that the hon. member suggested, because those members throw around language about approvals and so on quite freely, the fact is that no member on this side approves these programs. We are asked our opinion or we make inquiries just like the hon. member suggests that he made.

However I can make such an inquiry and the member should be aware of that. Were that particular organization successful in whatever application it may be, and God forbid, were that organization to make a donation to my campaign, completely unrelated to this, as happens all the time, that would be a subject of considerable angst for hon. members opposite. I have heard it in the House all the time. It is unfair to the companies and so on. If the hon. member made an inquiry on behalf of a company in his constituency and it happened that the company made a donation to his campaign, would there be anything wrong with that?

[Committees Of The House, June 5th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present in both official languages the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Pursuant to the order of reference of Friday, May 12, 2000, your committee has considered Bill S-10, an act to amend the National Defence Act, the DNA Identification Act and the criminal code, and has agreed to report it without amendments.

[Persons With Disabilities, June 5th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate three New Brunswickers who have been recognized for the positive differences they are making in the lives of persons with disabilities.

The New Brunswick Easter Seals March of Dimes provincial award of merit has been presented to Bill Wallace of Fredericton in recognition of leadership in the development of services to persons with disabilities in New Brunswick.

An award was presented posthumously to Kevin O'Connell in recognition of outstanding volunteer support of the New Brunswick Easter Seals March of Dimes.

Finally, an award of merit in recognition of distinguished leadership in support of the organization's fundraising efforts was presented to another of my constituents, Andy Wilson. Andy has been involved as honorary chair of the March of Dimes since 1998.

I would like to extend my congratulations to each of these award winners for the good work they have done for this important organization which provides services to persons with physical disabilities. Their efforts are much appreciated.

[Sheree Fitch, June 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to offer congratulations to a friend and former constituent. Renowned children's author Sheree Fitch has been recognized as one of the first two winners of the Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award, a literary program for young readers in Atlantic Canada.

Sheree won in the children's choice non-fiction category for her book If You Could Wear My Sneakers . The unique thing about the Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award is that the winners are judged by the children.

I am pleased also to say that this project was supported by the Canada Millennium Partnership Program. Its objectives are to enhance literacy and promote reading of Canadian books by children in the Atlantic provinces.

Again, congratulations to Sheree Fitch on her continuing excellence in children's literature.

[Disability Awareness Week, June 1st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to bring to your attention that my home province of New Brunswick is celebrating Disability Awareness Week through June 3.

The overall theme for the week is “Full Citizenship for All”. It is intended to draw attention to the progress made to date in the community toward the inclusion of citizens with disabilities, and to highlight the barriers that still remain to be overcome.

Canadians with disabilities deserve to live life to its fullest. It is a fundamental human right and the responsibility of the federal government. Each day there are thousands of New Brunswickers who struggle to cope with their disabilities while trying to get an education, a job, have a family and enjoy living in the community. Remember all of those heroes by celebrating Disability Awareness Week.

Congratulations to Lynn Haley and Randy Dickinson at the Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons, who are co-ordinating all activities.

[Human Resources Development, May 19th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to take the opportunity to commend the Department of Human Resources Development for its rapid and thorough response to the highly publicized administrative audit.

Yesterday the HRD minister provided an update to the HRDC committee on her department's six point plan to respond to the audit's findings. Again I commend the minister and her senior managers for the determination and integrity demonstrated in the face of a very difficult and largely political last few months.

But I save my most heartfelt commendation for the thousands of HRDC employees, already overburdened as a result of staff reductions who are working nights, days and weekends under terrible conditions because they believe in the department's programs and their responsibility to Canadian taxpayers.

To all our loyal HRDC public servants, my thanks and my commitment to continue to seek secure, tangible recognition for the wonderful work they do.