Rona Ambrose

[Status of Women, November 15th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, that is completely false. We are fully supportive of this organization. In fact, we have funded it to the tune of $5 million. In addition to that, we are now putting forward $10 million to create a new RCMP centre for missing persons. We have introduced new law enforcement databases to investigate missing and murdered women. We have also included new funding to boost victim services and support the creation of community and educational aboriginal safety plans.

This is a good-news announcement for aboriginal women and women across this country. In fact, the Native Women's Association of Canada said that this is a significant investment.

[G8 and G20 Summits, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to respecting taxpayers and providing transparent and accountable government. That is why today the government will table all costs, down to the penny, of the G8 and G20 summits. In fact, the level of transparency in disclosing all costs involved in hosting summits is unprecedented in Canada and internationally.

As we have said all along, the majority of the costs of these summits are security related. The Canadian taxpayers deserve no less.

In disclosing the full details of the costs to date of these summits is further proof of our government's commitment to transparency and accountability.

[Status of Women, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, that is entirely false. In fact, we have been working with the Native Women's Association of Canada for the last couple of years in order to implement these concrete actions I just spoke about.

We see the association as the leader on this issue. We have used its expertise and research to reach this point today. We expect its leadership and research to carry us in the years ahead through this important new $10 million initiative with justice and safety Canada.

[Status of Women, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, it particularly heartens me to hear a man ask about issues concerning women.

We all have a responsibility to protect vulnerable women in our community, which is why last week we made a $10 million investment commitment to create a new RCMP centre for missing persons and improve our law enforcement databases to investigate murdered and missing aboriginal women. We have also created new community and educational aboriginal safety plans and are creating a national website for public tips to help locate missing women.

Most important, we are working with and have the support of the Native Women's Association of Canada.

[Status of Women, November 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we are supporting a centre for missing persons because this is a responsibility that all of us share, and I can tell the hon. member that this was a very well received announcement that we made in Vancouver. In particular, the Native Women's Association of Canada welcomed this. They themselves are the ones who raised awareness about the murdered or missing aboriginal women, and we responded to that call with a new $10 million program and a new centre for missing persons with the RCMP.

[Status of Women, November 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar for her tireless efforts on this issue.

I am proud to inform the House that our government is taking several concrete actions to address the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women. We have committed $10 million to create a new centre for missing persons with the RCMP, improve law enforcement databases, boost victim services and support the creation of community and educational safety plans and create a national website for public tips.

Elizabeth Bastien of the Native Women's Association of Canada has said that this is a significant investment, one that can go a long way in addressing the challenges experienced by women and families in our communities. We will continue to keep women safe.

[Employment, October 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say, and I know the member knows well, that the Prime Minister was in Miramichi to announce the creation of a new pay administration centre that will create 550 new jobs in the community.

The modernization and consolidation will save taxpayers over $79 million every year once it is fully implemented, and this transformation will replace a 40-year-old technology. It is good news for Miramichi.

[Public Works and Government Services, October 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, he heard the officials at committee this morning. They were open, they were transparent and they answered all questions on the substance of the matter. When asked if there was any indication of political involvement in the Sauvé contract, the senior public servant assistant deputy minister said, “No”.

[Public Works and Government Services, October 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, senior Public Works officials were at committee this morning. They were open and transparent and answered all questions on the substance of this matter.

In fact, when asked was anyone from the minister's office involved in the process, the assistant deputy minister, Tom Ring, said, “No”.

[Public Works and Government Services, October 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, senior Public Works officials in charge of this file were at committee this morning. They were open, transparent and answered all questions on the substance of this matter. In fact, when they were asked if any lobbyist ever contacted the Public Works representative who was working on this project, the assistant deputy minister in charge of acquisitions said, “no one has ever heard of this individual”.