John Manley

[Infrastructure, June 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I think the new member should recognize the important contributions we have made in many of those areas very recently. These include the over $2 billion we have put into infrastructure programs, much of which will flow to municipalities, plus $600 million flowing to border locations for infrastructure, and $680 million into housing. The Prime Minister's task force on urban issues has made a useful set of recommendations to the government which we will follow up on.

The concerns of our cities are important to all of us and we are acting on them.

[The Economy, June 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, first I was very pleased to point out to the international conference of bankers today that Canada was leading the G-7 in its financial performance and its fiscal performance.

The member asked if I am pleased to be associated with the policies of the government on the economic side, the policies that gave us a 6% growth rate in the first quarter of the year, the policies that have seen unemployment fall continuously, the policies that have seen us generate surpluses. Yes, I am very pleased to be associated with those policies and they will continue.

[The Economy, June 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I have observed very carefully the pattern over the last number of years that my predecessor followed. I am sure the member will recall that he presented his annual update in the fall. I can assure him that he will have it by that time.

I am sure he is also happy, as I am, that today the markets are very stable. As of 1 o'clock the dollar was up somewhat. The response of the marketplace generally has been very stable.

[National Revenue, June 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member will recognize that where there is an overpayment it is normal not just for the federal government but also for provincial governments, whether it is workers' compensation, welfare or other payments, to usually endeavour to recollect it.

No decisions on this have been taken. The auditor general is reviewing some of the years in question and when her reports are ready, we will review them very carefully.

[Added By Hansard.dll, May 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, excuse me but the Leader of the Opposition is in court because he does not like the laws of Canada with respect to election expenses. That is what Harper v Attorney General of Canada is all about. It is about transparence. It is about having limits on election expenses.

Every time he talks about anything of substance, whether it is Canada-U.S. or the role of Atlantic Canada in the Confederation, he puts his foot in it. That is why all he wants to do is try to smear the reputations of people. He wants to avoid substance and not only that, he wants to hide his own position on important issues with--

[Added By Hansard.dll, May 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, once again we have a total distortion of what the Prime Minister said.

We also have the auditor general with the capability and having been asked by the government to do so, to look into the issues about which the member wants to complain.

What is fair on one side is also fair on the other. Again I put to them: How often are they going to ask questions about transparency when they are refusing to provide vital information?

They do not want to talk about policy. Every time the Leader of the Opposition opens his mouth on policy he gets into trouble, whether it is Canada-U.S. or Atlantic Canada.

[Government Grants, May 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I presume the source is the Alliance research department, which gives us very little to work with.

My source is the premier of Prince Edward Island. He says that the justice institute at Holland College has been recognized as a justice training centre for Atlantic Canada for over 20 years. That is the source on which I will rely.

When will that party, though, live up to the standards of transparency that Canadians expect of them? When will they stop this drive-by smear campaign and live with the degree of transparency they want for others?

[Government Grants, May 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, there is no abuse of power. There is a public institution. This application for funding was passed on to the appropriate authorities. The funding was turned down. That is the end of the story.

That is very transparent. We know about that. We do not know very much about fundraising on the other side.

However we do know that the member for Red Deer said that fundraising considerations would be affecting their position on the Kyoto accord. That is why we need to know where their money comes from.

[Government Grants, May 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I have late breaking news for the hon. member. Premier Binns is not a Liberal and he came out publicly to support Holland College and the minister in the efforts he made on behalf of a public institution in that province, one for which the province and region is proud.

When will members on that side start being transparent and open? They run down Atlantic Canadians. They say that our problem with the United States is that we are not cozy enough. Yet they will not disclose who the contributors are to their leadership candidates. They go to court to try to hide the money that is being spent in election campaigns. That is wrong.

[Government Grants, May 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as we have said repeatedly in the House on this issue, Holland College is not a private institution. It does not belong to somebody's brother. It is a public institution. It is publicly funded. It made an application in consort with two other public institutions, Sheridan College and the University of Moncton.

To pass on that application to the appropriate agencies was something the minister was perfectly entitled to do.

I think what we are seeing here is a failure on the part of the Alliance Party to understand just how good things can be in the Atlantic provinces and how good Atlantic Canadians are at the things they do.