Bonnie Brown

[Supply, June 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition's interventions in this debate are very depressing. They speak of waste, of scandal and of chaos. According to them nothing is good in the country. I beg to differ.

Canada has at present the lowest unemployment rate in 24 years. Inflation is negligible. The annual deficit has been eradicated. Indeed the economy is producing surpluses. Canada is leading the G-8 in economic growth and the UN names us as the best nation in the world in which to live.

By focusing on the negatives the opposition is avoiding the real issue of how government might assist those Canadians who are in need. When the Prime Minister was in Berlin recently he reiterated our Liberal approach which searches for a middle ground between the extremes of left and right, an approach which focuses on real people with practical solutions.

The Canadian model is about more than making money. It is about accommodating diversity. It is about a partnership between citizens and the state. It is about a balance that promotes individual freedom and economic prosperity while sharing in the risks and in the benefits. In other words it is about an understanding that government can be a positive instrument for serving the public interest.

On the issue of HRDC grants and contributions, I want to remind all Canadians and my hon. colleagues that the standing committee fully explored the question of the administration of grants and contributions. This review was conducted to ensure that the best interests of Canadian taxpayers would be addressed.

To the surprise of no one on this side of the House, the report of the standing committee, entitled “Seeking a Balance: Final Report on Human Resources Development Canada Grants and Contributions”, concluded:

Although some of the government's critics allege that HRDC grants and contributions were dispensed to achieve political ends, proof supporting this allegation has never been provided to the Committee....In an overwhelmingly vast majority of cases, HRDC grants and contributions are properly administered and spent.

These findings should have put an end to this protracted and politically motivated debate. Certainly, they reinforce what the original internal audit indicated; that information, not money, was missing from many project files. Do not get me wrong. Proper administration is central to ensuring proper accountability for public funds.

Unless anyone has forgotten, it was precisely because HRDC was committed to strengthening business practices that it initially ordered and conducted the internal audit of its grants and contributions. It was the minister of HRD who first alerted Canadians to concerns that the department's administrative systems needed improvement and who insisted her staff correct the problems quickly and comprehensively.

It was the same minister who sought the expert advice of respected outside experts on ways to improve management, including the design and implementation of a six-point action plan, a plan that has been endorsed by the auditor general. He told the standing committee that the plan represents an exceptional response and a very thorough plan for corrective action.

HRDC is working hard to implement the action plan and to bring the department's procedures up to the standards Canadians expect.

The administrative clean-up is well under way. As the minister explained when she released the first progress report on the action plan, the department has reviewed not just the audited files, but all 17,000 active files, worth $1.5 billion. Where information was missing, it was obtained. Where approvals were not recorded or were carried out incorrectly, they were corrected. Where further monitoring work was called for, it was done.

What is most important to recognize is that of the $1.5 billion worth of initiatives we reviewed, we identified only $6,500 in outstanding debt to the government, not $1 billion as the opposition claimed.

To ensure that we will not see a repeat of the old paperwork problems, we have trained more than 3,000 program and financial staff on the action plan directives and clarified their accountability. We have put to use expert advice from the auditor general, from the treasury board's Comptrollership Standards Advisory Board, and from Deloitte & Touche. We have put in place new conditions to ensure that each and every payment meets all financial and administrative requirements before it goes out.

Throughout this process we have worked hard to ensure accountability for the tax dollars of the Canadian people, while at the same time trying to avoid unnecessary red tape and bureaucratic bottlenecks so that we can continue to provide the programs Canadians need to improve their quality of life.

We have also made a commitment to keep Canadians informed of our comprehensive response to this issue. In addition to quarterly reports, every effort has been made to make as much information available as humanly possible. HRDC has put more than 10,000 pages of details on specific grants and contributions on the Internet. Anyone wanting further information need only visit the department's website to find out more.

Anyone who takes the time to do so will discover the real story behind grants and contributions; the stories of personal triumph of people living in every riding in the country, people who count on federally funded projects to help them overcome challenges that would prevent them from achieving their potential.

The facts are that the dollar values of the grants and contributions projects range widely from hundreds of dollars for targeted wage subsidies to million-dollar agreements with national organizations. More than 60% of the projects are funded for amounts less than $25,000, and more than 80% are for less than $100,000.

Our grants and contributions serve a wide interest, such as vulnerable children through community based initiatives delivered by organizations such as Big Brothers and the YMCA. Youth employment strategy projects reach out to youth at risk, enabling them to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to lead productive lives. There are programs for Canadians with disabilities, such as the opportunities fund. The aboriginal human resources development strategy improves aboriginal people's employability. There are literacy projects run by local literacy groups that are equipping Canadians with the skills they need to function effectively in the job market.

I am talking about federally financed programs that are making a real difference in the lives of individual Canadians, and indeed in the life of our nation.

Our success is clear. Some two million jobs have been created since we took office. As I said before, the unemployment rate has dropped from 11.4% to today's rate of 6.6%. This is the real story that matters to Canadians.

I am proud to be a member of a government that believes deeply in social investment. I know it is what our constituents expect of us. Canadians share our conviction that we have a responsibility to look out for each other and to support each other when it is needed. To penalize Canadians who depend on grants and contributions would be to punish the most disadvantaged.

Some people are at a loss to fathom why the Canadian Alliance persists with this long, drawn out debate, based on worn out misconceptions and wrong information. I am not perplexed. It is clear to me that the reason is their basic disagreement that Canadians want their tax dollars used to help others who are in need.

If there were any doubt about their intentions, one simply has to read Hansard of Tuesday, June 6, when the Alliance's lead critic for finance said that government activity should be restricted to three things: the maintenance of law and order, running the criminal justice system, and a strong national defence. In other words, more policemen, more jails, more jail guards and more soldiers and sailors. In other words, people in uniform.

Did you hear the word health in that outline, Mr. Speaker? Did you hear the word education? Did you hear the word infrastructure? I do not think so.

Members of that party have clearly expressed their depressed view of the world and their pessimistic view of the future of Canada. I reject that and I invite all Canadians to celebrate in the Canadian value that Canadians help one another in their time of need. This government is pursuing that ideal.

[Natural Gas, June 14th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, this government is very sensitive to the plight of seasonal workers. That is exactly why we modernized the EI system so that it can help get people back to work as quickly as possible. We also negotiated labour market agreements with the provinces to ensure that our job programs better meet the local needs.

This year's monitoring and assessment report of those changes shows that frequent claimants, such as seasonal workers, benefit from the new EI system. These claimants now have an average entitlement period of 32.8 weeks, which is three weeks longer than it was before the changes. Frequent claimants also continue to receive 42.9% of all benefits paid. Their share of benefits paid has actually increased.

It is important to remember that EI benefits are just one solution available for seasonal workers. Our priority is to work with our partners to improve job opportunities and economic development for individuals and communities that rely on seasonal work. It is the end result that really counts.

Since 1993, two million more Canadians are working and the unemployment rate has dropped to 6.6%, the lowest in 24 years. Even in New Brunswick the unemployment rate has dropped nearly three percentage points since October 1993 and 32,000 more people are working today in that member's province.

[Natural Gas, June 14th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, grants and contributions is an important part of Canadian social programs and the government takes their administration very seriously.

First, I want to clear the air that we did not lose $1 billion. We did not lose control of $1 billion. An internal audit identified administrative problems and that is why HRDC has taken steps outlined in an action plan to correct the problems.

As the hon. member knows perfectly well, this issue has been examined in great detail over the past months and continues to be looked at in great detail.

The Standing Committee on Human Resources Development, on which that member sits, tabled its final report on June 1. If one reads the report it is clear that it fully addresses the fundamental issues at hand, namely, the need to restore public confidence and the need to improve the management and administration of those programs.

The government is committed to reviewing the committee's recommendations in detail and to respond fully, as it does with any other committee report.

The auditor general, an independent officer of this House, is already auditing HRDC's grants and contributions and will report in the fall.

The Minister of Human Resources Development has received the best outside advice possible to assist her in correcting the situation, from private sector experts, from the auditor general himself and from the treasury board. Progress on correcting the situation will be reported on publicly.

We believe these steps will ensure that we correct the situation in an open manner so that Canadians can be assured that their tax dollars are properly accounted for.

[Natural Gas, June 14th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, health care is a priority of the government. The federal government has restored social transfers to 1994-95 levels.

Total CHST, that is cash and tax points, will reach an all time high of close to $31 billion in the year 2000-01, and it will continue to grow. This is up $900 million from the previous peak in 1995-96 and up $1.8 billion since the government took office in 1993-94.

Canada's strong economy has also significantly increased the value of other major transfers to the provinces. Equalization payments to less prosperous provinces are estimated at $9.5 billion this year. Total transfers will reach an estimated $40.6 billion this year and will continue to grow over the next four years. This increase in total transfers means that provincial governments can strengthen social programs that are important to Canadians, programs such as health care.

What does all this mean for Quebec? In 2000-01 transfers to Quebec will exceed $11.5 billion. They will account for about 25% of Quebec's estimated revenues. They are expected to total about $1,566 per person, which is about 18% above the national average. Over the next five years Quebec will receive about $58.9 billion in federal transfers.

[Human Resources Development Canada, June 9th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I addressed this question yesterday. It is true that there was a mistake made by an employee and the situation has now been corrected.

Verbal and written apologies have been given to the family. We understand that the family has accepted these apologies. We have asked the official to ensure that the situation does not happen again.

[Employment Insurance, June 9th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, work is ongoing on this file.

As far as unemployment is concerned, it is my great pleasure to share with the House the fact that the unemployment figures are at their best in 24 years at 6.6%. The unemployment figures for women are at their best in 25 years at 5.4%. Even the stubbornly high rate of unemployment for youth has dropped 2.5% in the last year. This is good news.

[Employment Insurance, June 9th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is referring to the plight of seasonal workers on the north shore and the particular problems that group presents to us. That is why the minister is working with the council of labour market ministers with particular focus on joint programming that will assist this particular group.

We are also learning more about their plight through the monitoring and assessment report which we bring forward on a regular basis. Decisions will be made about the future and what we can do to help these people in concert with the provinces.

[Human Resources Development, June 8th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite refers to an unfortunate circumstance that happened around a bank account.

I want to assure the member and the House that the situation has been corrected. Both verbal and written apologies have been given to this family and the family has accepted our apologies.

Nonetheless, the minister takes the situation very seriously and has asked our officials to ensure that such a situation never arises again.

[Human Resources Development, June 8th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as we know, the database is being dismantled. In the meantime, we have received many requests for people's personal information. Indeed, the privacy commissioner said that the measures outlined by the minister balanced Canadians' right to privacy and the government's need to information on which to base policy decisions.

[Supply, June 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, starting with the end of the member's question first, one of the reasons that it is becoming almost impossible to get access to information requests out within 30 days is because of the avalanche of requests that are coming forward. We do not know exactly where these are coming from, but from the tone of some of the requests one could guess that many of them are coming forward from the opposition.

Why is that? Does the opposition want to look forward? Does the opposition want to take advantage of the new accountability measures around spending on grants and contributions? No. The opposition is focused, as usual, backwards, looking back into the past.

I am really glad the member described what was bothering her which came out in the news yesterday. It gives Canadians the opportunity to see what went on in the committee. While members on the government side were trying to fix this particular situation so it would never happen again, the members of the opposition were acting like children in a schoolyard wondering who said what to whom and who was at what meeting. It was like the gossip capital of the world. It did no one any good as far as making sure that Canadian tax dollars are well spent and invested in Canadians, as they are supposed to be.

This whole thing about who did what to whom, on what day and what day a memo was sent is just so wasteful. In a way it sort of dirties up the whole process.

I have been accused of whitewashing. I am trying to state the facts as I know them in a clear way and keep my vision on the future as to how to make things work better for Canadians. I am not obsessed with looking backwards. If that is considered to be a whitewash, then so be it.

I think Canadians want to march toward hope. They want to know that their government members are working hard on their behalf to make sure things work out well with their tax dollars. That is exactly what we are doing and we are being assisted by the auditor general.