John Manley

[Poverty, June 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, certainly the incidence of poverty in Canada is something that all of us deplore and against which we need to continue to make efforts.

It is also important to recognize that the number of Canadians with low incomes continues to decline. It has declined from 14% in 1996 to 11.8% in 1999. The number of jobs has increased. Over the first five months of this year 237,000 jobs have been created. That is going to make a major contribution to reducing the number of people living in poverty.

[Canada Post, June 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member may not have heard my previous answer but he can refer to the blues.

However I am sure he does know that crown corporations, such as Canada Post, operate independently and at arm's length from the government.

I indicated to him the role the board of directors play in the approval of contracts. I am sure he would not be one to recommend political interference with the granting of contracts by a crown corporation. I hope not.

[Highway Infrastructure, June 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately it is still a bit too early for me to indicate priorities. I hope to have all of the parameters of the program ready for the House and the public shortly. As soon as the program has been approved by cabinet, we will be able to start determining which projects will receive funding.

[Canada Post, June 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell the hon. member that I share her concern that where we comply with all relevant trade rules, we would certainly prefer to see the work, where work is available, to be done in Canada.

I am advised that major contracts are all given in accordance with NAFTA regulations. They are available on MERX, the government's online system that makes contracts available. When granted, they are approved by the board of directors of Canada Post.

[Income Tax, June 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member might remember that the deficit was $42 billion when we arrived in office. I guess that was being done on the back of somebody.

In any event, there was an overpayment to the provinces. Presumably we would have balanced the budget sooner if the overpayments had not been made.

[Income Tax, June 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I hope the hon. member will correct the record because I never said that at all. I did say that governments occasionally make overpayments and that happens at the provincial level as well as at the federal level. Generally speaking they endeavour to collect the money.

In this case of course it is an unfortunate situation. The amounts accumulated over the years. The accounts had been audited by the auditor general. We are considering what appropriate action we should take in order to deal with this situation.

[Infrastructure, June 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the bill creating this fund was passed by parliament just before the end of March. It specifies four areas of strategic infrastructure: highway or rail infrastructure; local transportation infrastructure; tourism or urban development; and water and sewage treatment infrastructure.

I will be presenting my colleagues in cabinet very shortly with parameters for the program which I hope then to be in a position to announce shortly.

This is intended very much to be a program that will enable us to play a part with other levels of government and other participants in key major items of strategic infrastructure across the country.

[Foundations, June 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as I have made clear in a number of contexts, I am very pleased to follow in the footsteps of the former finance minister. I think the results we have seen demonstrated for the Canadian economy over many years indicate the wisdom of the decisions that were taken by him with the support of the Prime Minister.

I have also made it clear, as we have done repeatedly in the House, that decisions made by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, frequently answered for by members of the foundation before committees of this parliament, have been wise ones as well. I support those decisions.

[Foundations, June 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, my view is that where appropriate it is a useful tool. My example of that would be the Canada Foundation for Innovation which has been managed very well in the interests of building scientific research infrastructure across the country. The amounts are determined by an independent arm's length board of directors that does the technical analysis in the context of the strategic infrastructure fund. By contrast we decided that should not go to a foundation but rather be done as a government program with responsibility in the appropriate minister's hands.

[Airport Security, June 4th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member agrees with the principle that those who use services should pay for them. Certainly it is of interest to me to determine if the revenues meet the expenditures and that is something we will monitor very closely. However in the meantime the principle of user pay applies to this sector.