House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 34% of the vote.
Government Contracts October 29th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the information that the hon. gentleman has just described is certainly at odds with the information I have. He has asked me if I will look into what he has suggested. I certainly will do that, and I will get back to him if there is anything further to report.
Ethics October 28th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, to the best of my knowledge and belief, I filed all the returns required by the ethics commissioner to disclose all these matters in the public domain.
Canadian Wheat Board October 23rd, 2003
Mr. Speaker, indeed the Canadian Wheat Board publishes more information in the public domain than any other grain marketing agency in the world. All its records are thoroughly audited. It has undergone a special audit in the last year by the Auditor General.
If the hon. member is at all interested in really getting answers to his questions, I invite him to call the Canadian Wheat Board and its auditor before a standing committee of this House and get every bit of information for which he could ever ask.
Government Contracts October 22nd, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the procedural issues related to answering the Order Paper question will be responded to through the process that the House leader has described.
In the meantime, it is important to note that my department, pursuing ongoing transparency, has an agency called Contracts Canada which routinely posts information about government contracts.
In fact, the information that the hon. gentleman was complaining about was contained on that public website.
Government Contracts October 22nd, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the former deputy of public works made some observations at the time about the legal issues involved. In fact, as it turns out, those legal issues never materialized.
Government Contracts October 22nd, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is doing his very best to twist the nature of my reply yesterday. He asked me if the contract was a major one. Obviously, a contract for $100 million or thereabouts is a very significant contract. It is bigger than some government contracts. It is smaller than others.
It was a matter for a government decision at the time and all the information before me would indicate that the relevant rules that applied at the time were in fact followed.
Government Contracts October 22nd, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the procedural issues in relation to this matter will be dealt with as the House leader has explained. However on the substance, in the interests of ongoing transparency, my department has a public website reporting service for much of the contracting done by government departments government-wide.
That is the source of the information for the opposition's questions. The hon. member can hardly allege secrecy when he is in fact using my department and our public website as his factual source.
Auditor General's Report October 21st, 2003
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. gentleman is inviting speculation to be made on a report that is yet to be filed by the Auditor General. When her report is made available, there will be full and ample comment on all sides by the government.
Government Contracts October 21st, 2003
Mr. Speaker, in terms of the information provided in the Order Paper question that was referred to in the first instance by the member for Medicine Hat, I am not aware of the specific allegation he is making. I repeat my first answer and that is, when I have had a chance to review those facts, I will provide him with the information.
Government Contracts October 21st, 2003
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Wilson has already indicated that because of the identification of the holding companies in the declarations made by the former minister of finance, in fact all of those holdings were covered by the rules at all relevant times. There is no allegation here that can be sustained that anything was concealed or deleted because the parent companies were always covered.
I have no information before me that would indicate with respect to the contracting procedures that there was anything entirely wrong or inappropriate.