Jane Stewart

[Human Resources Development, February 23rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the member is referring to an e-mail that delves into speculation. I would strongly urge her to stick to the facts, and certainly I would advise her to rise above following the simple minded agenda of a failed provincial NDP candidate from the Kenora—Rainy River area.

[Human Resources Development, February 23rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday that party's members talked about Hôtel du Boisé and they had their information wrong. Last week, they talked about the company Franc-Bois and they had their information wrong.

We now have a telephone line that they can use to get information on any of these projects. It has been very lightly used and that is why these questions are so poor.

[Human Resources Development, February 23rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday this hon. member called me a liar. Let us review the facts. We issued an unprecedented volume of information. We made it clear that the list may not, for technical reasons, be exactly the same as lists issued previously.

We want to answer the questions of Canadians and invite them to call us, to use our e-mail, to look at the website, and to use the members of parliament telephone line to get information.

This member is not interested in the facts. He is interested in hurling insults, and he should be ashamed.

[Human Resources Development, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let me again repeat that there was flexibility built into the transitional jobs fund. As a result of that flexibility we see that well over 300 projects were approved in areas of less than 12% unemployment. Over half of those were in opposition ridings.

[Human Resources Development, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is always asking where are our independent reviews. Let us look at what we have here. A reputable, highly regarded private company, Ekos Research Associates, undertook a full review of the transitional jobs fund using sound, widely accepted and often used methodologies to analyze and assess the results of this program. It identified that 30,000 jobs would be created.

[Human Resources Development, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, they were lists of programs in the ridings of every member of the House. I ask the hon. member to take the time to read his list to see where investments are being made and to understand the people who are being helped.

They go from project to project. They cast aspersions and make politics. What they forget is that these projects are focused on people, on individuals. Very often no one else will help those who are unemployed, who do not have the education or who do not have the diversity of opportunity in their community other than the Government of Canada. We are there to help.

[Human Resources Development, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member and the hon. member for Edmonton North talk about $12 million that did not result in sustainable jobs.

We are talking about a program of $300 million that leveraged $2.7 billion, that helped create 30,000 jobs for men and women who did not have opportunities in areas where there was no hope. From our point of view, it is the responsibility of the Government of Canada to provide hope, to provide opportunities. In this particular case, we have done that.

[Human Resources Development, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that of the well over 1,000 projects that were part of the transitional jobs fund in the Prime Minister's riding, in my riding and the riding of members of parliament across the country, people are working that would not have had the opportunity otherwise.

That party suggests that everybody can do it on their own, but we do not feel that way. We believe there is a role for the Government of Canada to play in helping areas of high unemployment define opportunities, to encourage diversity in their economies, to provide opportunities for people.

[Human Resources Development, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear here. The hon. members opposite can play politics and pick and choose on individual projects. They can undermine—

[Human Resources Development, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I will respond again. As minister I am responsible for the decisions that are made but I felt it appropriate to delegate the authority to my deputy in this particular regard.