Ralph Goodale

[Government Contracts, January 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the committee will add a useful dimension when it publishes its report and we will all take a very close look at it.

The facts of the matter are that the government did not wait for the committee's report. The government has been acting consistently on this file ever since last spring. The President of the Treasury Board and I announced in December a total revamping of the sponsorship program and the advertising policy. We addressed the issues while the committee was still deliberating.

[Question No. 84, January 27th, 2003]

The answer is as follows:

a) Rent for the recruitment centre (288.6 square metres) at 1040 West Georgia (not 1070 West Pender) Street is $154,306 per annum.

b) Rent for DND's Regional Office and Vancouver Detachment/Processing Unit (989.8 square metres) on the eighth floor at 1040 West Georgia Street is $343,378 per annum. Rent for storage space (16.4 square metres) on level P-4 is $2,124 per annum. Rent for parking (3 reserved and 6 random stalls) is $23,040 per annum.

c) In order to maintain existing numbers in the Canadian Armed Forces and to meet expanded needs for the future, DND has made recruitment a priority. The requirement for a downtown location for the recruitment centre was based on the need for a highly visible, attractive and approachable location with maximum exposure to drive-by and wald-by traffic, accessible by public transportation from all areas of greater Vancouver. Having administrative office space in the same building provides efficiencies by facilitating the operation of the recruitment centre.

[Canadian Wheat Board, December 13th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the rationale is fully laid out in the Canadian Wheat Board Act. There are certain powers and provisions there that have to do with financial guarantees and the issuing of export procedures. There is obviously a public interest that needs to be served, and that is why there is a role for the minister.

I would point out to the hon. gentleman that not once since I became minister in 1993 have I ever issued a directive to the Canadian Wheat Board.

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, for the second time in three weeks the Government of Canada has settled with another church on sharing compensation to victims of abuse at Indian residential schools.

I am pleased to say that last month it was with the Anglicans, today it is with the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Now, rather than debating legal points, we can all focus on humane solutions for the 100% compensation to victims for validated claims.

I wish to commend the Presbyterians as I did the Anglicans for their courage and moral leadership on this file.

[Government Contracts, December 11th, 2002]

Absolutely not, Mr. Speaker.

Long before I was appointed to this portfolio, the Prime Minister made it clear in a speech in the House that wherever there were legal issues they would be investigated by the police, wherever there were administrative mistakes they would be corrected, and where there was a money problem that the money would be recollected.

When he appointed me to this job, the Prime Minister's instruction was clear and simple. He said, “Find out what's wrong and fix it”. I am in the process of doing just that, those innuendoes notwithstanding.

[Government Contracts, December 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, all of the hon. gentleman's innuendoes will not hide the fact that we have launched a whole series of inquiries and investigations: some of those by the RCMP; some of those by the Auditor General, and some on her own initiative; some by the internal audit department of Public Works and Government Services Canada; some in relation to the time verification audits; and some under the auspices of the Treasury Board.

We have obviously launched inquiries where appropriate, on all fronts, to make sure that this process is thoroughly ventilated.

[Government Contracts, December 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, in terms of the management issues, the value for money issues, the proper government framework and administrative issues, there is no more public forum, as we know, than the Auditor General. When legal issues are raised there is no more proper investigation than the RCMP. Both of those are already underway.

[Government Contracts, December 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. gentleman can specify exactly what information he is looking for, I would be happy to respond to that. To date we have already published a long list of contractual arrangements with the various firms over a number of years. They involve several hundred transactions. If the hon. gentleman would be specific, I would be happy to answer the question.

[Government Contracts, December 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, to the contrary, this has been the subject of an internal audit by my department. It has been the subject of a review by Treasury Board. It has been subject to a file by file review by my department and a public summary report. It has been the subject of time verification audits.

As the Prime Minister has said, wherever there is an indication of activity that raises legal questions, those are referred immediately to the RCMP.

[Firearms Registry, December 9th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this particular matter is at this moment the subject of a time verification audit to determine the exact facts.

Depending on the results of that audit the appropriate action will be taken, either of the direct recovery of funds that were overbilled or a reference to the police if that is appropriate.