Peter Van Loan

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a) of the question, an individual’s exact salary constitutes the personal information of that individual and is withheld in accordance with the principles of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

With regard to (b), (d) and (e), as stated at 7.1 of the Treasury Board "Policies for Ministers’ Offices", “…ministerial offices are subject to the Financial Administration Act , its regulations, and Treasury Board policies.” Only procurement officers within the Privy Council Office hold contracting authority under subsection 32(1) of the Financial Administration Act. The Prime Minister’s Office, PMO, does not hold the authority to contract directly for goods and services.

With regard to (c), the Prime Minister’s Office, PMO, does not fund government programs. The PMO did not provide funds for the Canada economic action plan, the G8 and G20 summits, or Canadian television productions. However, some financial expenditures related to the Canada economic action plan and the G8 and G20 summits can be seen in proactive disclosure on the Privy Council Office website at the following link: www.pco-bcp.gc.ca.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the selection processes for Governor in Council appointments, including agents of Parliament, comprise three main elements. The first is the establishment of selection criteria to reflect the key elements for a candidate to be considered qualified for the position sought.

The second is the development of a recruitment strategy, which outlines how candidates for the position will be sought. This can range from posting the position on the Governor-in-Council appointments website and publishing it in the Canada Gazette to a more elaborate strategy, which may include engaging an executive search firm, a national advertising strategy, a targeted outreach, for example, to professional groups and stakeholders.

The third is the assessment of candidates’ qualifications. Normally this would involve interviews with a short list of candidates and reference checks.

In the case of the selection process for the new Auditor General, the Office of the Auditor General, in consultation with the Privy Council, was responsible for identifying and selecting a search firm that would support the selection committee in its efforts.

The national master standing offer for executive search services established by Public Works and Government Services Canada, PWGSC, through a competitive process was used to obtain the services of Odgers Berndston.

The costs incurred by the Office of the Auditor General are disclosed on the Office of the Auditor General’s public disclosure website.

[Business of the House, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to give my last Thursday statement of 2011. The fall has been a productive, hard-working and orderly session. It has been capped by results that we have seen in the House during delivering results month since we returned from the Remembrance Day constituency week.

Of particular note, this fall the House passed Bill C-13, the keeping Canada's economy and jobs growing act; Bill C-20, the fair representation act; Bill C-18, the marketing freedom for grain farmers act; and Bill C-10, the safe streets and communities act.

Other things were also accomplished, from the appointment of two officers of Parliament to the passing at second reading of Bill C-26, the Citizen's Arrest and Self-defence Act. I would like to thank the opposition parties who made these accomplishments possible. Nevertheless, the House has a lot of work to do when it returns in 2012.

The things I am looking forward to in 2012 include, after 48 speeches so far, returning to Bill C-19, the ending the long-gun registry act; after 75 speeches so far, continuing debate on second reading of Bill C-11, the copyright modernization act; after 73 speeches so far, continuing debating the opposition motion to block Bill C-4, the preventing human smugglers from abusing Canada's immigration system act from proceeding to committee; and, after 47 speeches so far, continuing debate on second reading of Bill C-7, the Senate reform act.

This winter, the government's priority will continue to be economic growth and job creation. We will thus continue to move forward with our economic agenda by debating legislative measures such as Bill C-23 on the implementation of a Canada-Jordan free trade agreement; Bill C-24 on the implementation of a Canada-Panama free trade agreement; Bill C-25, which is designed to give Canadians another way to plan for retirement through pooled registered pension plans; and Bill C-28 on the appointment of a financial literacy leader.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to the 2012 budget, the next phase of Canada's economic recovery, from the Minister of Finance, and I am looking forward to what I am sure it will deliver for the Canadian economy. This will be the cornerstone of the upcoming session.

With respect to the precise business of the House for the week of January 30, 2012, I will advise my counterparts in the usual fashion in advance of the House returning.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, please let me wish you, my fellow house leaders, all hon. members and our table officers and support staff a very merry Christmas.

In particular, I want to thank the pages, many of whom, as we know, spent their first significant amount of time away from home with us this fall. I wish them a pleasant time back home with family over Christmas. Perhaps we have provided some good stories for them to tell around the dinner table.

Merry Christmas, happy new year and all the best for the break. Here is to a productive, orderly and hard-working 2012.

Merry Christmas and happy new year. May the members of the House rest up in preparation for the hard work to come in a productive and orderly 2012.

[Government of Canada, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, our government made commitments to Canadians. We have an obligation to deliver on those commitments, to focus on economic growth, job creation and tackling crime. Canadians expect us to do our jobs here and make decisions on the issues before us. That is exactly what we have done.

We have passed important economic measures in the keeping Canada's economy and jobs growing act. We also have passed a bill to move every province closer to the principle of representation by population. Finally, we have given western Canadian grain farmers the freedom they have longed for, for so long. Canadians can count on our government to make decisions, move forward and get things done.

[Government Accountability, December 15th, 2011]

However, the most important part of accountability is elections.

Canadians went to the last election, at the request of the opposition, to answer questions like these: did they like our budget, did they like our economic action plan, did they like our tackling crime plan, did they want us to put them in place, and guess what? They gave us a strong mandate to do exactly those things. We are delivering on those commitments. We are doing what we told Canadians we would do.

[Government Accountability, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, our government has an unprecedented commitment to transparency and openness reflected in the statutes that we have passed to ensure accountability.

[Government Accountability, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the fall session in which we have been delivering on the commitments that we made to Canadians at the same time as ensuring that debate occurred and decisions were made.

One of the things that we see when we compare Canada with other countries is we have a strong economy. If we look at the United States or at Europe, one of the problems is political gridlock. Decisions cannot get made.

Here in Canada we will continue to make decisions in the best interests of Canadians on the economy and on tackling crime. We will allow debate to occur, but we will not allow the political gridlock that the other parties want to see put in place here.

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, since we became the government, $1.5 billion has been allocated for housing.

As I have said, Canadians want to see conditions on first nations reserves improve. They want to see results delivered for those tax dollars. In fact, on a great many reserves all across this country, we have seen very positive results.

Sadly, as the member observes, in some places that has not happened. That is why we are working harder and stronger going forward to improve the problems and the failures of the past. We will continue to work together with willing partners.

I would point members to the joint action plan which the minister has signed with the Assembly of First Nations, laying out a road map on our shared priorities. These all represent positive steps forward.

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, my read of today's meeting is that it was a positive and constructive event, a good step forward. We look forward to seeing more co-operation.

As I said, our priority is the health and safety of the people of Attawapiskat. Canadians have allocated, through their government, significant tax dollars for things they want to see. They want to see improvements to the conditions there and they want to see results for their tax dollars.

The third party manager is already in place. We see results being delivered as a result. We see good progress on agreements with the band and the council. We are acting in good faith and full transparency. We hope that the chief and the council will continue to do the same.

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to see conditions on first nations reserves improved, and they want to see their tax dollars allocated for that purpose delivering results.

Today's meeting between the minister and the Attawapiskat chief represents a positive step forward. They have agreed together on a range of initiatives, including how best to deliver emergency aid, retrofit winter shelters, and assemble the 22 modular homes for those in precarious housing. These are all steps being taken by the federal government.

We will continue to work in good faith and full transparency, and we look forward to achieving results working together with the chief and council.