Jane Stewart

[Human Resources Development, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to Placeteco, the hon. member should know that the RCMP investigation was completed and I underline that no charges were laid.

When it comes to the transitional jobs fund, I also remind the hon. member that a number of community interests supported the investment because it was the right thing to do in an area of high unemployment.

The hon. member might also be interested to know that 47 people are still working at this company and that is good news for the region.

[Human Resources Development, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the best I can do is try to go through this yet again.

There were questions on these files. We requested a forensic audit on these files. We referred the files to the RCMP. The RCMP came back in two cases and said that no charges would be laid.

The third file, the one to which the hon. member made reference, is still open with the RCMP. It is there with the organization that should be looking at these questions.

[Human Resources Development, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I want to again point out to the hon. gentleman that the government undertook to review these files completely. We commissioned a forensic audit and the results of that audit suggested that the files should be referred to the RCMP. That referral was done.

The RCMP are continuing their investigations on one of the files so it is inappropriate to talk about those further. I also want to remind the hon. member that those transitional job funds required the support of many partners to be funded in the longer term.

[Human Resources Development, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, absolutely not. I would ask the hon. member to look at the process here. These questions have been asked on a number of occasions and fully explained.

The department itself requested a forensic audit to get into all the details associated with these files. The RCMP were called in and has done its job and continues to do its job. Surely this is the approach the hon. member would expect from the government.

[Human Resources Development, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. These are very old files upon which I answered questions numerous times in the House. In the case that has been brought forward, we did a forensic audit. The forensic audit suggested that we should send the files to the RCMP. The RCMP has reviewed the files and I have indicated the results today.

[Human Resources Development, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, why can the hon. member not accept and congratulate the government for taking appropriate action?

We commissioned the forensic audit. We sent the files to the RCMP. The RCMP has done its job and in two files have reported there was nothing untoward. It is still reviewing a third file. That is the way we act. That is the way we always presume to provide good government to the Canadian people.

[Human Resources Development, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear here. The hon. member is quoting from a forensic audit that was commissioned by my department. As a result of that forensic audit, the files to which he refers were sent to the RCMP for its review.

I can tell the hon. member that two of the files have been completely reviewed by the RCMP and no charges have been laid. There is a third file that is still there and, as such, I am unable to comment on it.

[Child Poverty, June 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, there can be no doubt that the 1990s were difficult for all Canadians, including those already living in poverty.

As a result of specific interventions made by the government, in partnership with the provinces and territories, we are, since 1996, seeing a decline in child poverty. Just two weeks ago, along with my colleagues, the provincial social services ministers, we presented the national children's benefit report. In it, the hon. member will see that child poverty has been reduced from 20.5% in 1996 to 17.2% in 1999.

He will see that the estimated 1.2 million families and about 2.1 million children saw an increase in their incomes. There--

[Employment Insurance, June 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, let me advise the hon. member that I remain committed to ensuring that every woman has full access to the parental benefits that are in place. Regardless of the fact that we are talking about a small number of women who do not have full access to those benefits, every single parent should have the benefits of our services and we will find a way to ensure that.

[Employability Assistance, June 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the second report that I am pleased to submit two copies of herewith, in both official languages, is the Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities National Report for the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01.