Diane Bourgeois

[Government Spending, December 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, while the government is asking people to tighten their belts, it seems that there is no limit to the government's eccentricities when it comes to polling. Over the past five years, the government has blown $100 million on all kinds of polls. The government says they allow it to better target its programs. However, it cancelled the mandatory long form census, which is a reliable, non-partisan tool.

Before it asks people to make more sacrifices, will the government drastically reduce its spending on polls?

[Public Works and Government Services, November 23rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Paul Sauvé is not the only one who profited from the system. The two Broccolini brothers won two contracts worth $600 million after attending the cocktail fundraiser with the former public works minister. According to Paul Sauvé, the two Broccolini brothers, who were trying to get more contracts and more details on an important invitation to tender, monopolized the minister during the entire event.

Will the government admit that the Broccolini brothers' actions paid off, since they won both of the contracts they wanted?

[Public Works and Government Services, November 23rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Paul Sauvé has confirmed that he paid Conservative activist Gilles Varin $118,000. He said he is convinced that without the help of that unregistered lobbyist, he would not have won the West Block contract. To thank the Conservative government, he even organized a cocktail fundraiser that was attended by the former minister of public works and the Conservatives' Quebec lieutenant.

Will the government admit that the evidence given by contractor Paul Sauvé confirms that, when it comes to contracts, all a contractor needs to do is pay a lobbyist in order to play and win?

[City of Lévis, November 19th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to the minister's claims, and after checking with those in charge of the 2011 celebrations, Lévis will not receive $1 million from the cultural capitals of Canada program. Vancouver, on the other hand, is receiving $1.75 million. Lévis and Vancouver are cities in the same category; they both have populations over 125,000.

Can the minister tell us if Lévis will be treated like Vancouver and also receive $1.75 million from the cultural capitals of Canada program?

[Public Works and Government Services, November 16th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Joseph Broccolini is surprised that the contract for a third building in Gatineau was not publicized. It seems that this $300 million untendered contract was designed especially for Multivesco, another company whose executives made contributions to the Conservative Party.

Does the government realize that Joseph Broccolini's testimony confirms that this contract was tailor-made for a major Conservative Party backer?

[Public Works and Government Services, November 16th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, businessman Joseph Broccolini confirmed he paid for access to the former minister of public works, who is now the Minister of Natural Resources. He admits he attended a Conservative Party fundraiser in a restaurant belonging to an associate of the Rizzuto family in order to get more information from the minister about a major project.

Will the government admit that Joseph Broccolini's actions paid off, because he won two major contracts worth a total of $600 million?

[Member for Calgary Centre-North, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the comings and goings of government members between ministers' offices and the private sector prove that this government is controlled by private business. First, Onex generously lends the Prime Minister's Office a chief of staff for 18 months, and now CIBC has recruited a senior government minister just prior to the five-year review of the Bank Act.

How can the Conservative government say that it is not influenced by major private interests?

[Member for Calgary Centre-North, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we have known for a long time that this government is under the influence of big business. There is a reason why CIBC, which has significant interests in the oil sands, did not hesitate to court an environment minister who was rather complacent about the industry.

Does the Prime Minister realize that when a business that invests in the oil sands rolls out the red carpet for an environment minister, it proves that his commitment to fighting climate change is not credible?

[Conservative Party, November 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, another questionable lobbyist from the Mulroney era has resurfaced. Fred Doucet, Brian Mulroney's former chief of staff, who was notably involved in the Airbus affair, was the lobbyist for Multivesco. Members will recall that in 2009, after making a number of contributions to the Conservative members for Pontiac and Mégantic—L'Érable, Multivesco was awarded a $300 million contract, without a bidding process, to relocate federal employees.

Will the Prime Minister admit that the key players and the financing practices from the Mulroney era are poisoning his government?

[Public Works and Government Services, November 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Gilles Varin acknowledged that he knew a lot of people in Ottawa. He named Paul Terrien, chief of staff of the former Quebec lieutenant, and Bernard Côté, assistant to the former Minister of Public Works, Michael Fortier. It was under Michael Fortier that the contract was awarded.

Will the government admit that Gilles Varin was successful, since his client obtained a $9 million contract, and that the Minister of Natural Resources eagerly passed the hat at a cocktail party organized by Paul Sauvé?