David Dingwall

[Social Housing, February 17th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I can well appreciate the concerns the hon. member is expressing, but he should know that we are in a very difficult fiscal situation as the Minister of Finance has told Canadians repeatedly.

I do not think it is accurate for the hon. member to suggest in the House or to imply by his questioning that somehow we are doing inappropriate things when it comes to the province of Quebec.

I remind the hon. member that the government, in view of its limited fiscal capacity, has provided $5 million over four years in support of low income housing through the CREESOM initiative. We have provided another $5 million in terms of the RéparAction program and another $5 million in terms of landlords to upgrade rental and rooming housing. We have provided

further assistance as it relates to assisting homeowners with cracked foundations.

Given the fact that the Minister of Finance and other members of cabinet have a limited capacity within which to operate, I think we have done reasonably well under the guise of fairness to provide that kind of assistance to the province of Quebec.

[Social Housing, February 17th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member's question. I am sure he is well aware that all ministers of the crown have to participate in cutbacks in terms of various expenditures in each of our departments.

The Minister of Finance has been extremely vigilant with cabinet colleagues to make sure that every expenditure is given due consideration.

I wish I could stand in the House today, and indeed in subsequent weeks, and give all sorts of assurances that there will be largess from the Government of Canada as it relates to housing. Quite frankly I think that would be misleading the House.

[The Budget, February 13th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, to be an effective member of Parliament one must have all the facts.

The hon. member opposite has forgotten to share with the House the fact that the building which is to be constructed in Sault Ste. Marie will save the taxpayers of Canada $500,000 per year in operating costs.

It is becoming a common occurrence with the hon. member that he stands in his place and gives certain information which I would suggest is somewhat inaccurate. The software to which the hon. member refers will save the government $4.6 million.

[Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as I said in my first answer, I was anticipating an apology because of the assertions that the hon. member made.

The House should be aware that the reference to the minister of fisheries and myself is patently false. The House should know that when the chief of staff of the office of the leader of the Reform Party ran in the last federal election, he received from a contributor not one, not two, but $8,000 from Clearwater Fine Foods. That particular company received financial assistance from ACOA both before and after the election.

I think the hon. member owes the House an apology.

[Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I thought if the hon. member would join his feet perhaps now he can keep his mouth shut.

The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker-

[Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I was anticipating an apology from the hon. member today. Yesterday in a press release he made the ridiculous suggestion that a linkage may exist between a third party contribution to Liberal election campaigns and the receipt of ACOA assistance. I want to say to the hon. member that is patently false. I hope he will do the honourable thing and apologize to the minister of fisheries and myself when he joins his feet in a moment.

With regard to the question he has asked, the Atlantic venture capital fund we are proposing is to be done in co-operation with provincial governments as well as the private sector.

[Questions On The Order Paper, November 18th, 1994]

Starting on February 13, 1995, Canada Post will improve collection and delivery in the riding of Chicoutimi by introducing motorized mail courier service to the area. Also, letter carrier operations currently located at the Chicoutimi Racine and Chicoutimi Nord facilities as well as mail processing operations currently located at the Chicoutimi CTC will be consolidated into a new facility at 1939 Des Sapins Street in Chicoutimi. Retail customers will not be inconvenienced, as CPC products and services will continue to be availabe in the Chicoutimi Nord and Chicoutimi Racine establishments.

Though CPC employees will be transferred to the new facility, there will be no job loss associated with this rationalization.

The project will result in better postal service for the region, as Canada Post introduces a modern collection and delivery system well adapted to the future needs of its customers.

[Canada Communication Group, November 17th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member makes reference to the report which the Treasury Board minister has tabled.

Let it be particularly clear there have been breaches if you will of the Financial Administration Act. Treasury Board in co-operation with other ministries has taken corrective action to make certain this does not happen again.

With regard to my own department, management control has been removed from that agency and transferred to another. Second, the chief executive officer has been replaced and is no longer in existence. Third, on the very substance of the issue and the continuation of that operation we are at present as a result of program review looking at the possibility of either privatizing or discontinuing the special operating agency which it is under.

[Social Housing, November 17th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

He will know that that particular subject matter was the subject of debate of ministers of the crown federally and provincially at two housing ministers conferences which took place in the last year.

It is a subject matter which we are presently reviewing. It is an issue whereby in eight jurisdictions the rise from 25 per cent to 30 per cent is now in effect. The Government of Canada will review all of the options presented to it regarding this particular matter.

I do not want to give the hon. member the false impression that we can continue in the social housing end without providing the necessary kinds of revenues from a variety of different sources in order to refurbish the existing stock which is across this country.

[Canada Post, November 2nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the excellent question. It is an extraordinary question and has particular significance for rural Canada and small communities across the country.

Canada Post will be working co-operatively with a number of federal agencies and departments to see whether it can utilize existing facilities in small town Canada in order to provide better government services to Canadians, and to partner with the private sector so that we can elaborate and bring into these facilities more services in order to serve rural Canadians who are a very important element of Canadian society.