Rona Ambrose

[Government Spending, March 11th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, while this is a competitively awarded contract, it is awarded and managed by the public service.

I have asked my deputy minister to review the contract, and today we have also asked that it be done by an external third party.

[Government Spending, March 11th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I stated yesterday, like all Canadians, we consider these expenses to be extravagant. I have asked my deputy minister to review these expenses to ensure that taxpayers receive value for their money. An independent third party will be appointed to do that.

[The Budget, March 10th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member asked the question because one of the large components of our economic action plan is investment in infrastructure.

I point out that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities has applauded the federal government for protecting core investments in cities and communities, as it also reduces the federal budget deficit. It says:

These investments will help local governments--and Canadian property tax payers--build the infrastructure that is the backbone of our economy and quality of life.

Those kinds of comments speak for themselves. People from across the country, including mayors and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, are incredibly supportive of the work that our government has done, not only to invest in infrastructure, but to create jobs everywhere across the country.

[The Budget, March 10th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo the sentiments of the member opposite. Our department and myself, as Minister of Public Works, appreciate greatly the work that is done in the regions by the public servants of the department. They do excellent work. The superannuation office has been there for many years. As the member said, it was actually his father who took the office to the region.

We appreciate all the good work that is done in the regions. I can assure the member it is well respected and well received by me and by the department.

I also want to take note of some of the things that stakeholders have said across the country about our budget. Those are the kinds of things about which I have been talking to my constituents.

They have been asking what the chamber of commerce has been saying locally. I know the chamber of commerce has said that it welcomes the federal government's strategy to achieve its recovery plan, to return to balanced budgets and to promote a move innovative and competitive economy.

It is incredibly important that the people of Edmonton—Spruce Grove know the chamber of commerce is behind this government.

[The Budget, March 10th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to speak to the budget.

Of course, I am very proud to support the action of Canada's economic future which my colleague, the Minister of Finance, introduced on March 4.

I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate the member for Newmarket—Aurora for all of the great work she is doing on behalf of her riding. She very eloquently stated the impact of the budget. We know that the economic action plan will continue to support communities like Newmarket—Aurora, Edmonton—Spruce Grove and others across the country, investing to create jobs for all Canadians.

In addition, we will begin the extremely important task of returning to balanced budgets by freezing operating expenses, by freezing salaries and by ensuring that value is being achieved for every dollar contributed by the Canadian taxpayers. We will also target investment to strengthen innovation, attract investment and build jobs and growth for the next generation of working Canadians.

One sector of particular interest to me is enabling the success of small and medium size businesses in Canada. As members may well be aware, Public Works and Government Services has an office that is dedicated to helping small and medium size businesses gain access to more government business. Moreover, as the government's main purchasing agent, the department has been working very hard to streamline its procurement policies. This will be beneficial to all businesses, especially to those small and medium businesses that do not have the capacity, frankly, to navigate the complicated web of government procurement requirements.

I would like to draw hon. members' attention to the section of budget 2010 that states that the federal government will also help promote smaller businesses by adopting and demonstrating some of the innovative prototype products and technologies that they have developed.

As the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, I am proud of the role the department has played in bringing the economic action plan to life. In year one, the department was among the first to spring into action and put its share of the stimulus funding to work. Many projects to come will continue to make a difference to our economy, while leaving a lasting legacy of modern and efficient federal infrastructure.

I would like to take a minute to share with the House the impact of this effort in the five streams where my department has been working.

First, the department has provided funds over two years for the repair and restoration of public owned infrastructure across the country. This allowed the department both to accelerate its ongoing renovation programs and to start new projects. The numbers are truly impressive. To date, a total of 324 repair and renovation projects have already been completed, and over 900 projects are currently under way, creating jobs across the country.

Second, funding was allocated over two years to improve the accessibility of federally owned buildings to people with disabilities. I am pleased to report that 40 projects have been completed and more than 175 projects are currently under way, again creating jobs across the country. To date we have awarded subcontracts to more than 580 small and medium businesses across the country for projects under the economic action plan.

Third, we have invested in the rehabilitation of four federal bridges, all of them critical traffic arteries. Here in the national capital region, major rehabilitation work on the Alexandra Bridge began last April, creating about 60 jobs locally, while contracts for rehabilitation work on the Chaudière crossing were awarded last October.

In Kingston, Ontario, rehabilitation work on the LaSalle Causeway began in November, and work on the Burlington Lift Bridge in Burlington, Ontario has been under way since January, again, creating jobs across the country.

Finally, Public Works and Government Services has also been heavily involved in supporting the activities of other departments, such as Fisheries and Oceans, Parks Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency, that received funding under the economic action plan. Together we are investing in infrastructure and creating jobs across the country.

I also have the privilege of being the member of Parliament for Edmonton—Spruce Grove and the minister responsible for northern Alberta. The economic action plan has made a huge impact in my region, with hundreds of projects creating thousands of jobs for the economy. We have funded projects such as the expansion of the Edmonton light rail transit system, the Edmonton ring road and the Art Gallery of Alberta. In fact, in total from all levels of government, Alberta has now received $1 billion in support to help it through this economic downturn.

Key to the success of Canada's economic action plan was to get projects off the ground quickly, while providing taxpayers with the accountability and transparency that they expect and they deserve.

There is little disagreement that the economic action plan is achieving what it set out to achieve; that is, to put Canadians to work and to keep many who already were working in their jobs. My colleague, the Minister of Finance, reports that the action plan has contributed to the creation of more than 135,000 jobs recorded in Canada since July of last year.

We are committed to the well-being of Canadian small and medium businesses. Year two of the economic action provides the tools necessary to support hard-working Canadians and their businesses. Under this government's watch, small and medium businesses have accounted for an average of 43% of public works procurement spending over the last three years. I am confident the budget will unlock even more of this investment for small and medium businesses.

I am very proud of the contribution that our department is making to the economic action plan. I am also very proud to say that budget 2010 has my full support as we continue our work as a government to lead the way on jobs and growth.

[Government Spending, March 10th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I, like any Canadian, find these expenses to be over-the-top and, frankly, extravagant. These contracts are competitively awarded, but they are managed and awarded by the department. I have asked my deputy minister to review all of these expenditures.

[Government Spending, March 10th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, like any other Canadian, I found these expenses to be over-the- top. This type of contract is awarded and managed by the department and not by the minister. For that reason, I have asked the deputy minister to examine all these expenses.

[Museums, December 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is always a difficult decision when workers decide to go on strike, but this is a legal strike and it is the decision of the union.

The union overwhelmingly rejected the latest offer of the employer. Obviously, arbitration is not an option because we need both parties to agree to it.

We will continue to urge both of them to come back to the table as soon as possible.

[Museums, December 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we have been working with both parties since before the strike began. It is always a very difficult decision for workers to make when they do go on strike, but this is a legal strike.

As the member knows, we could appoint an arbitrator, but we do need both sides to agree to that, and at this point we do not have agreement from both parties. Recently the union overwhelmingly rejected the employer's offer.

We continue to ask both parties to return to the table as soon as possible.

[Museums, December 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we were working with both parties even before the strike began. It is always difficult for workers to choose to go on strike. It is a legal strike. We could appoint an arbitrator but both sides must agree. In this case, one side did not and therefore arbitration cannot be considered.