Alfonso Gagliano

[Parliament Hill, December 3rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member just said is not true.

I did appear before the Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Government Operations and the hon. member asked questions on certain projects which, according to him, are not included in my report. I gave all the explanations to the committee and to the hon. member. Everything that has been approved so far is included in the report.

I cannot include projects that have not been approved. I deal with facts, not with fiction, like the hon. member.

[Parliament Hill, December 3rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the hon. member can only deal with imagination. I have to deal with reality. I can only speak on budgets that have been approved by Treasury Board and projects approved by the government. That is what we are doing.

The auditor general said in his report that we need a long term plan. In the month of August I asked my officials to prepare a long term plan and I will be getting a report next spring. The auditor general said that we need an advisory committee. I announced yesterday that there would be an advisory committee.

I believe the member today tabled his own report. I hope he sends me a copy and I will refer it to the new advisory committee.

[Canada Post, December 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Canada Post for the past two months met with more than 600 postal outlet franchise operators. After discussing with them, yesterday it announced a plan of compensation that any postal outlet making $300,000 or less in sales per annum will not lose any money and will receive a compensation package and those above $300,000 will receive a $25,000 a year payment so that they can compensate for the new commission fees.

[Canada Post, November 30th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in the past two months Canada Post has met with over 600 franchises to discuss and listen to see what can be done. It is coming up with a package that will ensure all the postal operators who operate franchises within their stores with the commission fee will have no losses.

The member and others are predicting the end of the world. When this package is fully implemented they will see that the franchises will make more money.

[Canada Post, November 30th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, since this government took office in 1993 we have never closed a post office.

We have the best postal operation in the world. We are working with all the franchise operators to make sure they continue to give the best service they can.

I am sure when the member learns all the details of the package he will agree with me.

[Points Of Order, November 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, what I was quoting was from the Vancouver Sun newspaper of November 25.

[Canada Post, November 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, December 1 is next Tuesday. I hope the member will wait until Tuesday before drawing any conclusions.

Canada Post wants its franchises, its postal outlets to continue giving service to Canadians and they will do so. We will make sure that they continue giving good service. Whatever decision Canada Post makes, those franchises will not lose any money.

[Canada Post, November 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I have been informed by Canada Post that it has been working with the franchisees to make sure that in the new system of commissions for the new projects they have, those outlets with a counter in their store will not lose any money.

I ordered a moratorium for two months which expires December 1, next Tuesday. I am sure that next Tuesday Canada Post will make the right decision and the right announcement. The member should wait for that announcement.

[Public Works And Government Services, November 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the other side does not listen to the answers. I said that as soon as we learned of this, we called the RCMP to investigate. They are investigating. We received a preliminary report of the investigation. I want to make sure they get it right. Sergeant John Ward said “We are quite sure that no national security issues were compromised”.

[Public Works And Government Services, November 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I have been saying since Wednesday that the moment we learned about this incident we acted right away. We took all necessary security procedures. We removed the material that was in the warehouse. We called the RCMP. Since then, the RCMP has been investigating. This has been open. I did not order anybody to hide anything.