Alfonso Gagliano

[Public Works, February 11th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we have received the report of Mr. Barrett and we are studying it.

CMHC is working with all of the different local organizations to try to resolve the situation and will continue to do so.

[Government Contracts, December 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, of course we have had discussions with Canada Post. Public works, Treasury Board and other departments have daily discussions. Canada Post is a crown corporation. It belongs to the Government of Canada and to the people of Canada.

Right now we are discussing a very important project that will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Before we go to tender we want to make sure that we have the right program and the right measure. This is a very important contract. I am not going to take any direction from the private firms that would like to get the project.

[Canada Post, December 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, there is no process. There is no competition out there. There is only discussion.

Instead of asking me to direct the Canada Post president, who is trying to provide a good service for Canadians, the hon. member should tell his lobbyist to stay out of trouble.

[Canada Post, December 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows Canada Post launched its electronic post office two weeks ago in Toronto. Yes, it is in negotiations and the negotiations are ongoing as to whether the government should use part of its system.

Canada Post is a crown corporation and belongs to the Government of Canada. It is normal that there should be some discussion going on.

[Housing, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have been very active on this file.

CMHC has been doing research and trying to help. We offered financial help to all the owners of the condos to renew their mortgage and apply for a second mortgage. We offered the government of B.C. $75 million. It did not want to take it and that is its business. We have definitely tried to help everybody and we will continue to do so. We have invested quite a lot of money in the RAP program to help with the leaky condo situation.

[Housing, December 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, in the last year over $2.5 in RRAP funding has been approved to help set up projects for the homeless in the hon. member's area of Ottawa.

This week I announced that over $674,000 in financial assistance will be allocated to Ottawa's Shepherds of Good Hope. This fund will help create 47 units and repair the existing shelters for the homeless. We will continue to do more.

[Government Contracts, December 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, since we have been in government the number of contracts given by public tender have increased drastically. Over 80% of the contracts have been given through the public tender system.

Because of decentralization, some of the smaller contracts in a department are direct and some may be given on a sole source basis or call-up source. However, the policy is there and we are definitely implementing it.

[Government Contracts, December 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the hon. member said, if he reads the auditor general's report he will see that the auditor general congratulated us for the way in which we handle publicly tendered contracts. For example, we handled a major publicly tendered contract for maintenance. All federally owned buildings are now being maintained by the private sector. This was done with absolute transparency. The member should read the auditor general's report.

[Housing, December 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, that the Ontario minister of housing gave instructions to the Ontario Housing Corporation has nothing to do with the social housing transfer agreement we made a few weeks ago.

The social housing transfer agreement is very clear. The province of Ontario cannot change any condition unilaterally. All of the existing contracts have to be respected until they expire.

I can give some examples of what the agreement says: all federal moneys received must be used for housing; funding targeted to low income people must remain targeted; the CMHC set income limits; the agreement requires an annual performance report—

[Housing, November 26th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, let me also say that the Government of Canada through CMHC and the mortgage insurance program, create and build about 475 units a year. Under the program of private and public partnership, we created 13,000 units. This year alone it is more than 3,000 units. We want to do more and we are going to do more. I remind the member that we do have a national housing policy.