House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 43% of the vote.
Aerospace Industry December 9th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we are as ready for Bombardier as Bombardier is ready for us. The reality is it is a moving target. We are having discussions. The details are not fully known but we are working closely with the industry. We will continue to do so. We will not miss any deadlines. We will be there to support those in the aerospace industry when they need it, as they need it, and we will do it in the interests of all Canadian taxpayers.
Aerospace Industry December 9th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I do not think anybody has shown more will and more drive to ensure we have a strong aerospace industry in Canada than the government has shown. We will continue to ensure that we have a strong aerospace industry, but it will be based on where the economic strengths are in this country. Undoubtedly, Quebec will get a large portion of that industry, but other parts of Canada will benefit as well because that is where efficiency is.
Aerospace Industry December 9th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, our strategy continues to be to build a strong automotive industry for all of Canada. Yes, a lot of it is concentrated in Ontario. We intend to build a strong aerospace industry for all of Canada. Yes, a lot of it is concentrated in the province of Quebec, but we will have a strong industry for all of Canada.
Aerospace Industry December 9th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, in my discussions with the aerospace industry from all across this country, they all agreed that Bombardier is a critical piece of that industrial cluster. We are working with the aerospace industry in all parts of the country. We are dealing with Bombardier. We will have a strong aerospace industry going forward as we have had in the past.
Research and Development December 8th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, since 1997 the Government of Canada has invested over $13 billion in research, from basic to applied to commercialized research.
We have used the research to retain some of the best experts that Canada has. We have reversed the brain drain. We have made sure that technology is being infused throughout the Canadian economy and trading economic opportunities from coast to coast and in remote areas of Canada.
We intend to continue that program going forward. We are not done.
Question No. 21 December 6th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, National Research Council of Canada responds that the current annual contribution to the TRIUMF operating budget from the National Research Council of Canada, NRC is $40 million. The future levels of this contribution are under review in the context of the government's review of TRIUMF's next five year plan.
Aerospace Industry December 6th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the government has made a commitment of something like $1 billion for the manufacturing industry in Canada, including the aerospace industry.
We are talking to Bombardier. We will not be negotiating with a gun to our head. Bombardier is dealing with us and we are dealing with it in good faith.
Aerospace Industry December 6th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we are having discussions with Canada's aerospace industry and with Bombardier. We are not going to be talking about it through the media. If that is what the hon. member would like to do, it is not going to happen. We are not negotiating through the media.
Question No. 22 December 2nd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the estimated costs incurred to independently assess the census test operations total $187,500. Of this amount, information technology and physical security assessment costs, from areas independent to the census operations but within Statistics Canada, totalled $12,500. Assessments external to the agency totalled the balance, $175,000.
The estimated costs associated with the de-scoping of the contract with Lockheed Martin for the 2004 census test totalled $70,000. Given that the contract was structured in three phases, and that the third phase of the de-scoped contract with Lockheed Martin was finalized separately and after Statistics Canada's conduct of the census test, there are no additional contractual costs for the 2006 census.
As a result of the decision to reduce the scope of the outsourcing contract, Statistics Canada will conduct all processing activities in Government of Canada facilities with Statistics Canada employees hired under the Public Service Employment Act. Under the original outsourcing plans, processing costs would have been $11 million lower than under the de-scoped contract because of differences in wage rates, performance related compensation, benefits and overheads.
However, the data processing costs under the de-scoped contract will still be some $3 million less than if the 2001 census data processing approach had been repeated in 2006.
The 2006 processing approach is part of major methodological changes to how the census is conducted. The new approach to conducting the 2006 census is a reaction to a number of opportunities and pressures that have been built over the past two censuses. Detailed evaluations had indicated that given the tight timeframes involved in running the 2004 census test and the actual 2006 census, these changes would not have been possible without leveraging on existing private sector expertise. Repeating the 2001 approach was not a viable alternative because it would not have dealt with the privacy issues associated with the use of local enumerators, the need to provide a totally secure Internet option and the need to replace a manual data entry process.
Hiv-Aids November 25th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is right. The bill was passed in the last Parliament. The regulations have been drafted. They have been gazetted. We expect to hear back and complete the consultation period by mid-December. We expect the bill will be passed and proclaimed early in the new year. We will see how it goes at that point.
This government has committed $70 million to combat HIV-AIDS, TB and malaria and $100 million for the WHO three by five initiative to fight AIDS.