Bonnie Brown

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, in the community to which the member refers, there were 405 displaced workers from the fishery. HRDC sat down with the community to identify appropriate intervention that might get these people back to work. The project identified was twofold: building the boardwalk and clearing up the waterfront area, which has now turned it into a tourist attraction. There is evidence in the file on this project that the landowners gave permission and a building permit was issued. As a result, 164 fishers moved on to long term employment.

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is the first one to admit that there are problems within the department in grants and contributions administration.

She has come forward with the action plan to address these issues. That action plan has been suggested and reviewed by outside specialists. Currently it is being reviewed or will be started to be reviewed by the human resources development standing committee.

We are trying to fix the problems. Picking at the scabs that can be produced by looking through these files is not helping anyone.

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the questions that are coming forth from the Bloc Quebecois today contain levels of detail for which I would have a fulsome answer, provided they had the courtesy of giving me these details ahead of question period.

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

The government is certainly not in the business of driving companies under. The government is in the business of creating opportunities for Canadians by leveraging private sector money with government money in order to create opportunities.

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I think that is the most ridiculous nonsense I have ever heard in the House. We are in the business of creating economic activity—

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party does not know how to accept good news when it finds it, it is so busy thinking of the bad news.

The list we released on February 21 includes the status of bankrupt and closed companies as we knew them when the funding was stopped. It is quite possible and to be hoped that some of these companies were able to get back on their feet and are now successful. The department would not have tracked their status after the project had been stopped.

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with you. Opposition members continue to ask questions about this file when I have already assured them that departmental officials are looking into it to see if there are any irregularities.

I would like to say, though, that with 30,000 projects across the country with a variety of partners we should be looking at these things as the best efforts of groups of Canadians, whether they be business persons or non-profit organization members, to create economic activity. We have leveraged $2.7 million in private sector partnership—

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, it is very difficult to comment on a private telephone conversation from yesterday. I am not privy to the ideas of that conversation and therefore I cannot comment. However, I assure the House that the officials are reviewing this file and if anything is untoward it will be referred to the police.

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I want to inform members that we have 30,000 projects under grants and contributions. We know not everything will be perfect, but when we hear of any irregularities we will research them. If we find any kind of bad behaviour it will be referred to the police.

Members will always find a way to pick a scab. Even though 95% of the projects are in good hands and Canadian taxpayer money is well invested, they will continue to pick the scab of the few they can find that may have some problems or do have problems. However, we will refer the problem ones to the police.

[Human Resources Development, February 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the questions being posed by the Bloc Quebecois members suggest that they do not understand the history of the area of Shawinigan nor the history of the textile industry in the country. Shawinigan has long been a textile centre and it is perfectly logical.

The other thing is that it is not always wise to second guess the business decisions of our private sector partners, whether they be private sector or non-profit organizations. The genius of this country is that we accept and promote the ideas of local entrepreneurs to create economic activity because we are building—