Mr. Chairman, has the membership on that committee changed in the last little while, say in the past year? Several ministers have gone through the chair. Have other people on that committee changed as well or has it just been the ministers?
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 61% of the vote.
Supply June 4th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, has the membership on that committee changed in the last little while, say in the past year? Several ministers have gone through the chair. Have other people on that committee changed as well or has it just been the ministers?
Supply June 4th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, either the minister has not signed any cheques or no money is going out of the department at this time.
In part three, plans and priorities, the Communications Canada organization states that it is headed by an executive director reporting to a cabinet committee. I am wondering who chairs that committee. Is the minister on the committee? Who else in cabinet sits on that particular committee?
Supply June 4th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, at this particular point in time has the minister delegated anyone to sign a cheque for up to $1 million?
Supply June 4th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, it is still true that each year the minister signs off an authority card, which is that he delegates signing authority and dollar values to deputy ministers, heads of communications and all those types of positions? Does he have a dollar value in place for each person so that they would be available to check and okay procedures without his okay?
Supply June 4th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to take part in this exercise tonight. As the minister stated in his remarks, he has only had nine days in the hot seat. I wish him many more. I am sure we will see some movement on a lot of files in the next little while whether by inertia or by someone pushing.
However one thing he forgot to say is that he has had nine years in government and in cabinet at the executive level, so he brings those skills to this posting. He is not exactly a rookie in this job.
The minister talked about 14,000 employees in the public civil service and that 60,000 contracts are issued annually by the public service. How many of those, Mr. Minister, go to you for just an oversight which you just has to rubber stamp and send along. How many do you actually run up and down a thermometer or a benchmark as such and say that this one is good or this one is bad? Do you make recommendations on those 60,000 contracts or do you just rubber stamp them on through and pay the bill?
Government Contracts June 4th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, this is a brand new company with absolutely no track record in advertising and it gets a five year monopoly. It must have been some process.
Mr. Boulay through his shadow companies now controls three-quarters of all government advertising, $60 million last year alone.
We have had a string of public works ministers over there and every one of them have hid behind the line that Treasury Board guidelines were followed. Some guidelines.
A public works audit in 2000, again the one they hide behind, however, said “The process did not fully comply with the spirit or the letter of Treasury Board rules and directives”. This kind of goes against what they have been saying.
Why do the Liberals consistently break the rules for their political contributors?
Government Contracts June 4th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, Claude Boulay said “You don't have to be a good little Liberal to receive government contracts but it helps”, and helps and helps.
Media IDA Vision is another company owned by Mr. Boulay of Groupe Everest fame and condo rentals. No sooner did IDA come into being than it became the agency of record for all government advertising. That is a five year monopoly.
Was this just a coincidence or does this have everything to do with Mr. Boulay's generous contributions to the Liberal Party?
Supply June 4th, 2002
Madam Chair, it is the kind of thing that jumps out at us. It is listed under public works. The subheading is professional and special services. I can give the minister the names and amounts again if he would like.
Supply June 4th, 2002
Madam Chairman, two companies have been noted as having received good sized donations from the federal government. First, Quantum Management Services in Ottawa received $10 million. Second, Powell Group in Ottawa received $22,600,000. What do these companies do for the taxpayers of the country?
Supply June 4th, 2002
Madam Chairman, the minister has promised quite a bit of information tonight. It will all be on the record and we will be able to follow up on it. Would he would also care to table the briefing notes used by his panel this evening?