Jane Stewart

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would be glad to do that.

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to review a number of grants and contributions in my department, but not all. I am not familiar with this case. If the hon. member would like to give me the details I will look into it for him.

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at them. When the project was first approved there were 64 people working at Placeteco and 49 at Techni-Paint. At various times there were as many as 135 working at Placeteco. Both companies are now doing well and have the potential for more in the future.

Placeteco signed a five year contract for $8 million and there are 78 people working there today, which is more than when the project was approved.

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I have said time and again that there were difficulties with this project, that the numbers of employees went up and down, and fluctuated.

What is important is that today as we speak there are 170 people who are working on this original contract. From our point of view it was an investment worth sticking with.

I remind the hon. member that we are only but one partner. In fact the Government of Quebec supported us in this undertaking.

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, what is important is to make sure that all of the information is shared. Yesterday they talked about a contract and looked at section 10.1, which talks about bankruptcies. They forgot to look at section 10.2, which gives the government the option of continuing to work with the company.

On this side of the House we chose to continue to work with these companies. As a result, 170 people are still working.

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, what I need to know is that we have reviewed this file completely, at the highest level of our officials, and that the administrative review has indicated that we have not breached any of the terms and conditions of the transitional jobs fund program. Most importantly, what I need to know is that there are still 170 people working there.

While they would have had us pull our money and close these accounts, we stuck with these companies, and men and women are working as a result.

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask her if she thinks it is wrong that on February 21 we tabled with the standing committee over 10,000 pages of information. I would ask her if she thinks that it is wrong that since February 21 we have provided the standing committee over 3,000 additional pages of information and will provide more. I would ask her—

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, again the hon. member gives me the opportunity to say that as Minister of Human Resources Development Canada I have taken this seriously and we are making effective change in my department.

She talks about a screw-up and the sharing of information—

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, let us talk about yesterday and the information commissioner and what he said. He said: “HRDC's report will be a significantly positive one with regard to its adherence to the statutory time limits for responding to access requests”. He went on to say: “No other department which we have reviewed in the time that I have been information commissioner can boast of a record as good as HRDC”.

[Human Resources Development, March 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member makes reference to 18 months ago. Let us talk about the here and now. Let us talk about the work that the men and women in the Department of Human Resources Development Canada are undertaking as a result of committing themselves to responding to the report of the internal audit.

There are men and women working around the clock to review the files, to implement the six point plan, to get the training that they need. They are bound and determined to make a difference and I am there to support them.