Jane Stewart

[Human Resources Development, April 4th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's assertion is absolutely false. As I have said on a number of occasions, we have had an administrative review of this file at the highest level in the department, and there is no overpayment that has been established.

[Human Resources Development, April 4th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the House well knows that this question has been asked a number of times. It has also been answered a number of times, and the answer remains the same.

[Employment Insurance, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the pleasure of travelling to Miramichi and the Acadian Peninsula with the hon. member.

I have talked to seasonal workers who find themselves in difficult circumstances because they are attached to the seasonal sector.

The member knows, as does the House, that in 1997 we signed a labour market agreement with New Brunswick.

To date we have invested through that province $253 million to help get people, including seasonal workers, back to work. Over the next two years that province will receive $80 million per year for such undertakings.

The unemployment rate in New Brunswick has dropped from 12.1% to 9.7%. It is clear that the Government of New Brunswick has the necessary means to undertake active labour measures as well as targeted measures to address labour market difficulties in that province.

[Celanese, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the Celanese plant is closing, but I want to convey that we are not crossing our arms.

I want to remind the hon. member that we have now devolved our active measures program in the value of $2.9 billion over the next five years to the Government of Quebec. It now has the resources to assist in this regard.

With particular reference to older workers, we are working with the provinces and are investing $30 million to develop pilot projects, province by province. I would ask the hon. member to talk to his counterparts in Quebec and ensure that there are opportunities through them to help these employees.

[Human Resources Development, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, my only point being that along with other partners we believe this was a good investment. We have confirmed that again by doing an administrative review of the files, by determining that the appropriate invoices supporting the investment are clear, and by supporting those people in the ridings that those companies exist in for a period of time so that the companies can become stabilized and grow and develop.

[Human Resources Development, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the hon. member again that one of its partners was the Government of Quebec.

Ms. Harel said “This project meets Quebec's job creation priorities and was initially discussed by our two organizations. I understand that you will be paying this amount over three years”.

[Human Resources Development, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let me say again, the administrative—

[Human Resources Development, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I will go through it again and I will say to the House that indeed we reviewed this file. We have undertaken, along with our partners, to ensure that the invoices that were required to satisfy the investments made have been obtained.

We also know that employees are working in this undertaking as well as its former sister company in Trois-Rivières. From our point of view, continuing to invest in this undertaking is the right thing to do.

[Human Resources Development, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let me point out that employees were not afraid to expose areas for improvement. That is what these audits do.

From our point of view the strength of a government can be seen in its ability to be transparent and accountable. We are doing that, but I would say to hon. members opposite every day pointing fingers at the Department of Human Resources Development Canada and its employees, undermining their confidence, undermining the relationship they have with communities, is destructive. It is debasing and building on the negative, and that is not appropriate.

[Human Resources Development, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, my approach would be to encourage employees to come forward with areas where we can improve our undertakings.

I want to remind the hon. member that it was the department that identified shortcomings in the internal audit and we made it public. I would ask the hon. member opposite if he thinks that his daily chastising of the department for coming forward and taking action to make improvements is helping to encourage employees to come forward in the future.