Michael Savage

[Canada Summer Jobs, May 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is the government killed a successful program simply because it was a Liberal program, no other reason, just politics. Piecemeal solutions and on the fly policy adjustments simply add to the confusion.

The minister could provide some clarity. Tell us the details. What was the original budget? What is the budget now? What are the new criteria for funding as of last week? Could he assure the House that the bungled operation will be a one year experiment only, one that went horribly wrong? Maybe he should go back to the Liberal program that had worked successfully since 1994.

[Canada Summer Jobs, May 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, since the House last met, the summer grants program has continued to spin out of control. We have Conservative MPs making up policy on the fly, ministers announcing different solutions and one who even blamed the bureaucrats.

Conflicting stories add to the incompetence of killing a program that worked and bringing in one that has demoralized students and left non-profit organizations sitting by the phone hoping for good news.

Will the minister accept responsibility for this bungling, or does he share the view of the Minister of Foreign Affairs that it was the fault of our hard-working public servants?

[Summer Jobs Program, May 18th, 2007]

He called for deeper cuts at the time, Mr. Speaker.

The government can play with the numbers. It can recite the fortunate few who made the cut. The fact is a successful program was killed, a flawed new one was introduced, the funding was slashed, and for no reason other than politics.

As the Conservative government stumbles toward summer it has put the summer plans of students and organizations in peril. Those members know they have made a huge mistake and they are scrambling to cover up.

When will the government announce changes to the program? When will it restore full funding to the summer career placement program as our leader did yesterday?

[Summer Jobs Program, May 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, three months ago I asked the minister about these cuts. At that time he said, “It is kind of hilarious that the member would be concerned about a few million dollars in cuts”. Hilarious. Well nobody is laughing now.

Organizations across Canada are facing a crisis and students are out of luck. Once again befuddled Conservatives, like Premier MacDonald of Nova Scotia, are shaking their heads at the heartless government. His own MPs are again afraid to face their constituents for good reason.

When will this disgraceful situation be resolved?

[Summer Jobs Program, May 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the human resources minister admitted what Liberals have been saying in this House for a long time. His new summer grants program is a disaster. It is a disaster for students and for scores of not for profits across Canada. His own ministers are now saying the same thing, one in New Brunswick as we speak.

The previous program was working. This new one is not, denying autism organizations, seniors and disability groups, youth recreation, child care agencies, and thousands of others.

Will the minister adjust his criteria today and follow the Leader of the Opposition, who yesterday announced that a Liberal government would immediately restore full funding to the summer career placement program?

[Business of Supply, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, the last question that I would ask is on the proactive disclosure. Last year she incurred the expense at the Junos on April 1. That expense was not put on the website until February of this year, after we raised it in the House of Commons. Will it take a year to find out about those expenses in January, February and March on the website too?

[Business of Supply, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, the problem is that one of those limos did not carry anybody. One of the limos was at the airport and was sent away because it was not good enough for the minister to travel in, so I ask her again: why did it take two limos to get from the airport to Halifax and why did she have to bill $5,500, of which she reimbursed only $2,200 to the taxpayers of Canada?

[Business of Supply, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, if the minister has evidence of former ministers having stretch limos on standby from 4:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., I would like to know why that was. I would also like to ask her why it took two limos to get from the airport to Halifax.

[Business of Supply, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, I think the regulations say quarterly reports, but two months are reported and there are no expenses for the trips she made. The third month included a trip to Saskatchewan. Who took her there? The question is, if she did not pay for it, who are the friends who are taking her? That is a valid question.

I want to ask her a quick question about the Junos last year, when she racked up $5,500 in limo bills and reimbursed $2,200, leaving a net cost to the taxpayer of $3,500, while staying at a hotel that was one-tenth of a kilometre from the site of the Junos.

Did she ever think about walking? Halifax is a wonderful place to visit. Did she ever think about walking instead of taking limos and having stretch limos on standby, in some cases for six and seven hours at a time?

[Business of Supply, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Chair, that is an interesting answer. Let me ask her this. These are supposed to be quarterly reports, so that would include March. In March she went to the Junos in Saskatchewan. Did she get a drive with a supporter to the Junos too?