Carol Skelton

[Agriculture, March 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, there appears to be a breakdown in communication between the federal and provincial Liberals. In Saskatchewan, the Liberal leader is saying there is indeed federal money available for drought stricken farmers.

If the federal agriculture minister's own provincial colleague maintains that there is money for farmers, why does the government continue to refuse to help? Last year the Saskatchewan government asked for $250 million in additional assistance. The government delivered a paltry $1.5 million. Considering the devastating effect of the current drought in Western Canada, this was a slap in the face to farmers.

The government's own provincial colleague declares there is federal money available. When will the agriculture minister do the right thing, the civilized thing, and deliver working agricultural programs that are adequately funded to suffering Saskatchewan farm families?

[Question No. 108—, March 19th, 2002]

Can the Department of Human Resources Development provide, for fiscal years 2000-01 and 2001-02, the complete list of grants and contributions by federal constituency including: ( a ) the amount given; ( b ) the name and address of each recipient individual, company, or organization; ( c ) the program under which each amount was awarded; ( d ) the number of jobs created, if applicable; ( e ) the purpose of the funding; and ( f ) the type of funding (i.e. grant, repayable contribution etc.) and the date given?

[Employment Insurance, March 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, they are two different issues.

The minister knew she ripped off innocent workers. The opposition warned her. The standing committee warned her. Her EI umpires warned her. She refused to change the law that ripped off these workers.

When will the minister do the right thing and pay back these innocent workers that the government ripped off?

[Employment Insurance, March 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, last May the standing committee on human resources made the following recommendation: “that the Government return to the pre-1996” process “by repealing section 19(3) of the Employment Insurance Act”.

The Liberals did not repeal the section. Instead they changed a regulation, making the section inoperative. Why did the government not repeal section 19(3) and retroactively pay back the employees it ripped off?

[Employment Insurance, March 14th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed the minister's response to her EI rip off rule.

The workers victimized by the minister lost benefits they were legally entitled to. These people did nothing wrong. Will the minister do what is right and pay back her victims?

[Employment Insurance, March 14th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of human resources continues to smear innocent EI complainants to hide her neglect and incompetence.

Unemployed workers across Canada were unfairly penalized by her department. Instead of smearing innocent victims, why will the minister not own up to her own incompetence and pay back these victims?

[Employment Insurance, March 13th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we received our access to information two days ago. Yesterday the minister had the gall to say that EI claimants who do not like what happened could write to her department, as if the onus for justice rests on the criminals. The responsibility of the undeclared earnings fiasco rests squarely on the minister, not on the workers she victimized.

When is she going to do the right thing and pay back these workers?

[Employment Insurance, March 13th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister threw red herrings all over the place to try to hide her own guilt about EI undeclared earnings.

She quoted the opposition out of context. She blamed the opposition. She said that EI claimants could appeal when she knows full well that numerous appeals have already been dismissed. In fact, this is what one umpire said: “If the legislation is unfair, then only Parliament can change it”.

Why did the minister support an unjust law that took millions of dollars--

[Employment Insurance, March 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for her congratulations. We just received the information yesterday from access to information and I think that answers her question.

The principle of overpayment is a good one. If Canadians receive government benefits to which they are not entitled, they should pay them back. No one argues with that. Now the shoe is on the other foot. If the Liberals through their unjust law get more than they are entitled to get, will they do the right thing and pay back the money?

[Employment Insurance, March 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, not only is the government ripping off workers and employers by making them overpay $43 billion in EI payments, now we have learned that this uncaring government then forced the unemployed to pay back overpayments that were calculated using assessment guidelines it knew were wrong.

Why does the minister not care that her government owes millions of dollars to those who need it most?