House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 64% of the vote.
Government Contracts June 6th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the public works minister about the government's dealings with Groupaction. We have a company that was paid over $1.5 million to produce two identical reports, cribbed from the Internet, photocopied and passed along to the government. The auditor general has investigated. The police are investigating. Now the government is giving more contracts to this firm.
My question is this, when will the government stop its business dealings with Groupaction?
Government Contracts June 5th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the government should just say no, but when a customer pays $112,000 it is kind of hard to do that.
This government is breaking the rules to help its friends. It ignores the warnings of the auditor general and the RCMP investigation.
Will the government put a moratorium on all contracts to Groupaction until the auditor general tables her report?
Government Contracts June 5th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the minister said that the quality of Groupaction's previous work was substandard and deficient. Those were his words. It is hard to believe that Groupaction could not have had some role in that. However the government rewards Groupaction with four more contracts worth over $200,000 when it already knew that the auditor general was investigating the previous shoddy work.
Will the government now freeze all government work on advertising, polling and research to Groupaction pending the outcome of the RCMP investigation?
Government Contracts June 5th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, last night the public works minister said that the government would continue to give tax dollars to Groupaction.
Despite the RCMP investigation, the auditor general's investigation and the government paying the firm twice for photocopying the same report, now the government has given Groupaction almost a quarter of a million dollars in new work.
Other than its donations to the Liberal Party, how can the minister possibly justify this new money to Groupaction?
Member for Halifax June 5th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I do not know the leader of the New Democratic Party really well. Obviously, in the few very short weeks I have been here I have not had much of a chance to get to know her, although our paths have crossed over the years.
I am certainly aware of her long contributions to public life, not just here in the House of Commons but also in the legislature of Nova Scotia. I am aware of this, of course, as a reader of Hansards both federally and provincially for over 40 years.
These kinds of decisions in public life are never easy but I think the leader of the New Democratic Party has made a tremendous contribution to her party and to this place. Despite the many differences that we have in this organization, we certainly appreciate what the leader of the New Democratic Party has contributed.
I want to add my personal wishes. I look forward to her continued presence here in the next while and also wish her the best in whatever future endeavours she may undertake.
Cabinet Ministers June 4th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister himself has admitted he cannot handle all the portfolios that have been assigned to him and he is waiting for the summer recess for some reassignments. Already the finance minister is signalling that he will not give the planned update on the nation's economy to the finance committee that his predecessor promised in June.
When can we expect the next cabinet shuffle to deal with the problems that the last two created?
Cabinet Ministers June 4th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, whatever the evaluation it is hard to believe that post September 11 national security can be properly handled on a part time basis by someone who is Deputy Prime Minister, infrastructure minister and finance minister, especially when we have a new defence minister in place.
Canadians need full time ministers. When will the Prime Minister appoint a full time finance minister and a full time public security minister?
Cabinet Ministers June 4th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, it became clear yesterday that the Prime Minister fired his most influential senior cabinet colleague for reasons he is unwilling or unable to explain. He has now assigned his government's two most important functions, finance and national security, to a single minister.
Does the Prime Minister have so little confidence in the talent of his cabinet and his caucus that he cannot find separate ministers for public security and finance?
Ethics June 3rd, 2002
His indication was that you wanted him to leave.
Member for LaSalle--Émard June 3rd, 2002
Mr. Speaker, that certainly is not the former minister's story.
On Friday of last week the former minister of finance spoke to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on a new deal for municipal governments. Over the weekend there were reports that the Prime Minister did not agree with the proposal by the former minister of finance.
Was the dismissal due to policy difference? Does the Prime Minister stand behind the positions the former minster of finance took in that policy statement on Friday?