Ralph Goodale

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, what I can comment on is what is within my jurisdiction and undertaking at my instigation. That includes all of the inquiries with respect to the sponsorship program and with respect to advertising where that is appropriate.

I have indicated that we are pursuing these things through forensic investigations as a result of the Financial Administration Act. The Auditor General is conducting a government-wide examination. Wherever a matter has been drawn to my attention or that of my officials that raises a legal question, that has automatically been referred to the RCMP.

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the short answer to that question is I do not know, nor should I. That is up to the RCMP.

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, not at all. The original problem here was that unfortunately the first question was directed toward the wrong department.

We have worked our way through this. We have found the error. We are correcting it with the reporter.

I would also indicate to the hon. gentleman that at no time was any information concealed because as a result of other ATIP requests, that information was already in the public domain as much as a year ago.

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the discrepancy in the arithmetic was drawn to my attention later on.

I have indicated to the hon. gentleman that all of the information had in fact been published as a result of ATIP requests a year ago. It was already in the public domain. Therefore, nothing at any moment was concealed.

I regret in the ATIP process within the department that apparently an incomplete return was filed. I have asked my officials to investigate that and to explain to the reporter.

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I know of nothing that would justify the allegation that the hon. gentleman has made. If he has any information that would establish or even imply that there is some kind of interference in the ATIP process, I would be happy to see it, because none of that evidence has been drawn to my attention.

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is incorrect in his conclusion. I do not edit ATIP replies. I do not even see them before they go out from my department. I have offered to table the full list today.

I would advise that the officials in my department are investigating what went wrong with this particular ATIP request. They are in conversation with that particular reporter to see what they can do to satisfy his full inquiry.

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that yesterday I was not aware of the difficulty with the arithmetic. I repeat for the hon. gentleman that in fact all the information requested was put into the public domain last year, not last week or yesterday, as a result of ATIP requests. If the hon. gentleman would like a consolidated list, I would be happy to table it today.

[Government Contracts, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the question refers to an access to information request about sponsorships last year. It was directed by the questioner to the wrong department, but Public Works tried to answer it in any event.

While the department's answer to that specific ATIP request has proven to be incomplete, the information has in fact been in the public domain in any event for about a year as a result of a variety of other ATIP requests. Nothing has been concealed.

[Government Appointments, June 11th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, obviously I cannot comment on any investigation in detail but the issues that come under the purview of the Financial Administration Act were announced publicly some months ago and the first report thereunder has been referred to the RCMP. I cannot comment on the details.

[Government Contracts, June 11th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the whole sponsorship issue, the examination process began in 2000 with an internal audit. That was followed up by an audit action plan that was implemented and verified in 2002, followed by the inquiries of the Auditor General, followed by the inquiries under the Financial Administration Act, and wherever necessary, referenced to the RCMP. A reference to the RCMP is hardly a cover-up.