House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 46% of the vote.
Business Development Bank Of Canada May 1st, 2001
Mr. Speaker, when the member for Peace River characterized the contents of the papers the Business Development Bank is trying to seize, the Minister of Industry said very emphatically that the characterization was false. That suggests the Minister of Industry knows what is in the papers being seized.
Does the minister know what is in these documents and, if so, who in the Business Development Bank told him? Is the government orchestrating the seizures?
Canada Mortgage And Housing Corporation May 1st, 2001
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the government promised to provide housing for the poor and the homeless. But in fact the Liberals are subsidizing condominiums for the rich. In Calgary, in Quebec and elsewhere, some Canadians spend over 50% of their salary on housing, but the Liberals would rather help the rich.
When exactly will the government announce a national housing strategy for low income and homeless Canadians?
Canada Mortgage And Housing Corporation May 1st, 2001
Mr. Speaker, as part of its fight against poverty the government is insuring the construction of million dollar condominiums at One Post Road in Toronto. CMHC is also insuring the construction of Thornwood in Toronto. Those units start at $400,000 each.
What is the total amount of taxpayer money being used in projects like these to insure condominiums for the rich? What is the total liability of the Government of Canada if these construction projects fail?
Prime Minister April 30th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, this is the third time in history the information commissioner has been taken to the supreme court, all the time by that government for trying to hide its affairs.
There are several ways to muzzle the watchdogs of parliament. One way is to deny information to the information commissioner. The other is to deny adequate funding to the auditor general and to other agencies.
The auditor general's office needs at least $8 million more to provide its indepth audits of government departments. The government says no. Why is the Prime Minister trying to starve the auditor general and keep her from doing the work that parliament explicitly charged her and her office to do? What is he trying to hide?
Prime Minister April 30th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office has appealed to the supreme court in an effort to keep the content of its agendas secret.
The Federal Court of Appeal has said that the commissioner should have access to the documents. The Prime Minister wants to have this decision overturned. The law is clear: this is not a matter of internal debate but rather a question of keeping the Prime Minister's secrets.
What tracks is the Prime Minister trying to cover? Those that relate to APEC? Those that relate to Shawinigate? What is he trying to hide?
Trade April 27th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade.
The minister knows that lumber mills across Canada face crippling countervailing duties that could be made retroactive to last Monday. The minister keeps boasting about his talks with Bob Zoellick, Bob Zoellick who is taking Canada to the cleaners. What about talks with Canadians? The minister refuses to draw together representatives in the Canadian industry to work out a common Canadian position.
Will the Minister for International Trade convene a meeting with the Canadian softwood lumber industry by next Wednesday to set a common Canadian position on the countervail issue—
Business Development Bank Of Canada April 26th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, on February 9 this year the Business Development Bank issued new guidelines about interventions by ministers. The new rules instruct BDC representatives to abstain from any decision on any loan application file if they have been contacted by a member of parliament or a minister on that file. The bank has admitted it was wrong. It has cleaned up its own act.
My question is for the Prime Minister. When will he bring to the House of Commons the recommendations of the ethics counsellor that add crown corporations to the list of agencies where it is prohibited for a minister to interfere as the Prime Minister interfered?
Finance April 26th, 2001
I take it the Minister of Finance is speaking to delegates.
Finance April 26th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. Today five provincial finance ministers came to Ottawa to discuss with the federal Minister of Finance the urgent issue of equalization.
The federal minister refused to meet with them. He knew for weeks that they were coming. He is in Kingston for a political party dinner. He stiffed five of his colleagues.
How does the Prime Minister expect this federation to work when his minister lacks the common courtesy to even meet with five provincial finance ministers when they come to Ottawa?
Business Development Bank Of Canada April 25th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I have another question for the Deputy Prime Minister. The Business Development Bank documents confirm that its own loan analysis showed that the Auberge Grand-Mère loan was very high risk.
When the Prime Minister was lobbying the Business Development Bank on behalf of Mr. Duhaime, was he advised of that unusually high risk? If he knew that this involved such an unusual risk of public funds, what special circumstances caused him to press for this loan?