Jane Stewart

[Human Resources Development, March 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let me remind the hon. member yet again that these undertakings were part of a partnership. They were community economic development strategies that were supported by the communities themselves, by the private sector, by the Government of Quebec and in some small way by the Government of Canada.

[Human Resources Development, March 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let me repeat for the umpteenth time that in these transitional jobs fund grants we are but one partner. Over and over again it was the Government of Quebec that also accepted and supported these programs.

[Human Resources Development, March 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I categorically deny that it was an access to information request that made this report public. It is very clear from letters between myself and my deputy that I took this very seriously. It is clear that the approach which we have taken is one of transparency and openness.

[Human Resources Development, March 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know where that party has been, but it is me and my department that made this internal audit public. It is my department that chose to implement a six point plan that is now making a difference.

From the point of view of the work of the Human Resources Development Department, we are taking this very seriously. We have said that over and over again and I, quite frankly, do not know where these questions are coming from.

[Human Resources Development, March 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we came clean with the Canadian public. We made the internal audit public. We presented to the House 10,000 pages of projects. I wonder when members of that party will come clean with the Canadian public and say that they were wrong when they said $3 billion was missing, that they were wrong when they said $1 billion was missing, that they were wrong when they said it was an access to information request—

[Human Resources Development, March 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, again let me say that this was a draft report.

If the hon. member wants to talk about fact, let us look at what we did. It was this side of the House, it was me, as minister, who made this report public. Quite frankly, it had nothing to do with an access to information request by that party.

[Human Resources Development, March 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear that the communications plan was a draft. It was prepared before the audit was even complete. It is usual for departments, particularly communications officials, to prepare this kind of information. It was not forwarded to me, nor would I have expected it to have been.

[Human Resources Development, March 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I have commented on this particular project a number of times. I would like to remind the House that Placeteco has just signed a three-year collective agreement with its employees and, as well, has signed a five-year contract of $8 million with a major aeronautical company. It will continue to create jobs in Shawinigan.

I find it passing strange that this member has time and again asked me about the importance of providing improved parental benefits to Canadians, and yet she has no interest in that now because with our budget we have clarified that we are doubling parental benefits for Canadians across Canada.

[Human Resources Development, March 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let us remember that there are transitional jobs funds and now Canada jobs fund dollars working in the ridings of Bloc members. It is those members who write in support of these programs and talk about how valuable they are to Quebecers.

Let us remember that the Government of Quebec approves and participates in the decisions for all of these projects. Surely they are not now saying that they did not want the money in their ridings.

[Human Resources Development, March 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as we have promised, there will be a review of the transitional jobs fund. First, an external corporation will look not only at the transitional jobs fund, but also at the Canada jobs fund. Second, the auditor general will look at all of the grants and contributions. Surely, as an officer of the House, the hon. member will accept him as having an unbiased view.