House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2004, with 65% of the vote.
Human Resources Development May 31st, 2000
Mr. Speaker, yes indeed, and what a web they have woven.
Canadians might be forgiven for asking the question why the Human Resources Development Canada website points out that Mark M. “developed a substance abuse problem”. Did anyone at HRDC ask Mark if he wanted that information published?
Human Resources Development May 31st, 2000
Mr. Speaker, why does the Minister of Human Resources Development why does she think the world should know that Neil G. has “certain religious commitments that interfere with certain shifts after 6 p.m.?”
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency May 30th, 2000
Someone asked me if it was doofus, but it was duffer that I said. Not only is the Atlantic Canada overblown agency a waste of taxpayer dollars, the program simply does not work.
For the $1.2 million that ACOA and HRDC spent on the golf course project, the long term benefit will be the equivalent of five full time jobs at the golf course. That works out to $240,000 per job.
When will the minister discontinue this kind of spending? How can he possibly justify spending of this kind on golf courses?
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency May 30th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I guess the Liberals were not in power in 1998. The minister sounds like a bit of a duffer—
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency May 30th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, three weeks ago the minister insisted that golf courses could not obtain grants from ACOA. In fact his own words were “For the last five years we have been giving only loans that have to be paid back”.
In 1998, ACOA approved a $1 million non-repayable contribution for a golf course in the minister's own riding and, to sweeten the pot just a bit, HRDC gave it another $200,000. When will the minister put an end to this boondoggle spending?
Acoa May 10th, 2000
Well, Mr. Speaker, the similarities between the ACOA minister and the human resources minister are becoming more obvious every day.
Both hand out millions of dollars of taxpayer money. Both kind of know where the money went. They just cannot figure out why it went to those agencies: $19 million under rationale unknown. If ACOA cannot explain why the money is needed, why does the minister continue to write the cheques?
Acoa May 10th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the ACOA minister's storytelling abilities know no bounds. I suppose that is necessary, since the details of ACOA spending is one strange tale indeed.
However the little overblown agency that he has come to know and love seems to have a very big problem with its bookkeeping. Since the Liberals have come to power, ACOA has spent more than $19 million on projects they refer to as “rationale unknown”.
Why is it the policy of the government to hand out millions of dollars of taxpayer money without knowing why or how that money is being spent?
Dr. Mary Percy Jackson May 10th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Mary Percy Jackson, a rural medical pioneer. Dr. Jackson passed away last Saturday in Edmonton at the age of 95.
In 1929 Dr. Jackson was fresh out of medical school in England and was looking for adventure. She found it in the Battle River area of the Peace River country where she became the resident doctor and made her rounds on horseback.
Her patients, who were mainly Cree and recent immigrants, pitched in to buy her a horse. The working conditions were rough and isolated. Supplies and provisions were scarce. In spite of that she was successful and highly regarded because of her dedication to her patients. She used her ingenuity to overcome the isolation, transportation challenges and lack of medical equipment.
In 1990 Dr. Jackson was awarded the Order of Canada in recognition of her service.
I had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Mary Percy Jackson and of listening to her stories of practising medicine under tough conditions. I debated health care issues with her when she was almost 90 years old.
Her memorial service will be held on June 3 in Manning and Keg River, Alberta.
Acoa May 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, that is very interesting. Under access to information, I have a list of 123 grants given out by this government in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.
According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, 72% of the funds disbursed by ACOA were in the form of non-repayable grants and contributions. What is more, 35% of the loans the minister talks about issued by ACOA have been written off over the past 10 years. It only gets worse. In the last two years the default rate has risen to 50%.
Why has the minister continued the abuse of taxpayer money under ACOA under his watch?
Acoa May 9th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I do not think that minister would know a farm if he saw one.
Yesterday the minister responsible for ACOA told the House that the first thing the Liberal Party did with that agency was to discontinue the practice of giving out grants. Access to information documents show that ACOA handed out 123 grants totalling $12 million between 1996 and 1999; grants, not loans.
Does the minister not know the difference between a grant and a loan? Maybe he should spend more time looking after his department and less time on his drama lessons.