Bonnie Brown

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is correct in that we did do a review in 1997, but with the information at that time, we could not establish that there was anything going on that was wrong. It is the new information that has been brought forward in the last few days that is causing us to review this file again.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, once again we have these allegations of connections between political donations and government grants. I would challenge that member to say those things outside the House.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I find it odd that members opposite are talking about integrity if in fact further action is needed on the files that they are obsessed with. We could have moved sooner on them if only they had shared their information sooner.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, once again the opposition is not listening. I did not announce an audit. I said that at the present moment the department is reviewing the new information and that if additional steps are necessary they will be taken promptly. I did not announce an audit.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, you and I are old enough to remember the McCarthy hearings in the United States in the fifties. We also know that certain people took a set of circumstances and twisted them in a way that did harm to many people. I would suggest that party and that member are very good at that and would have fit in better in the fifties making spurious accusations against members—

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is mistaken. Yesterday I said that 162 people were working at the firm that received the grant and that they had applied for the jobs. This member, once again, is using her own tactics to twist the facts.

I also want to say that on this file the department is reviewing it as we speak. If action is necessary it will be taken.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as I have already said, the department is reviewing this information as we speak. If action is necessary, it will be taken.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the access to information process is there at arm's length from the government. The party opposite has chosen to go that route.

The member knows there are legal requirements that must be followed when publicly releasing personal or business information. I am confident that all the information the member is requesting that can be released will be released, as is the usual practice.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is trying to get a second day's news out of yesterday's news.

This is exactly the information that we are now reviewing as a department. Steps will be taken if the information suggests they should be.

[Human Resources Development, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, over the last few days the party opposite has brought to the House's attention some new information.

At the present time the department is reviewing that new information. If any additional steps are necessary on this file they will be taken promptly.