Tony Clement

[Ethics, September 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I will not be commenting on any specific case that may or may not be under investigation, but I can tell this place that we agree with the all-party committee report that the Lobbying Act is basically working well and that there has been a great improvement in accountability since we first introduced those changes over six years ago.

There were some recommendations made to improve accountability, to improve transparency. We have accepted many of those recommendations. We study other recommendations that have been made as well.

We are working in spirit with the committee and I believe we are making things better for accountability for Canadians.

[Ethics, September 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, regarding the review of that legislation, of course the hon. member is right.

We are in fact examining that act. Some aspects of the committee's recommendations on the Lobbying Act also have an impact on the Conflict of Interest Act, so we are viewing those pieces of legislation simultaneously, and I certainly would welcome the hon. member's views as well.

[Ethics, September 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it was an all-party report. We have received that report. We have not rejected a single recommendation. We have approved certain recommendations. There are certain recommendations that need further study because of legal implications, among other things.

One of the recommendations we are most keen on would add thousands of public servants to scrutiny, to accountability.

I thought the hon. member would be doing a tickertape parade for me.

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Treasury Board Secretariat cannot produce the requested statistics by riding.

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the government will use existing reporting mechanisms to report on both planned and actual savings at a whole-of-government and departmental level.

At the whole-of-government level, this includes information released through the budget, the estimates, and financial results released in the monthly Fiscal Monitor and the Public Accounts of Canada.

At the departmental level, the suite of reports includes planning information contained in the reports on plans and priorities, and actual expenditure information contained in the departmental performance reports and the quarterly financial reports.

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Treasury Board Secretariat cannot produce the requested statistics by riding.

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the exact number of job reductions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador cannot be calculated until all affected organizations have completed their internal union and employee notification processes.

As indicated in budget 2012, federal employment is expected to be reduced by about 19,200 positions, or 4.8%, over a three-year period. Approximately 7,200 of these positions will be reduced through attrition, largely retirement or other voluntary departures.

The government is managing the impact of these spending reductions responsibly, and it will make every effort to manage the employment reductions resulting from the reduction in departmental spending in a manner that treats federal employees fairly and minimizes disruptions to Canadians.

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the 2011-12 budget for the regional development organization for northern Ontario, FedNor, and in response to (a), the total amount of the budget is $59.28 million, with G&C of $49.25 million and O&M of $10.03 million.

In response to (b) and (c), FedNor’s program expenditures for 2011-12 are just now being finalized with the close of the fiscal year and will be released through the public accounts as is normal.

In response to (d), the answer is no.

In response to (e), it is not applicable.

[Committees of the House, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Orders 109 and 32(1), I am pleased to table, in both official languages, the government's response to the third report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, entitled “Statutory Review of the Lobbying Act: Its First Five Years”.

[The Budget, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, budget 2012, our economic action plan 2012, was about jobs and growth, and making sure our economy continues to build and continues to create wealth throughout the country.

We have found well-balanced, moderate savings that we have put into that budget, which was passed by this House to reduce the deficit, and which in fact means reducing the federal public service by about a fair and reasonable 4% over three years. We have indicated that over 70% of those savings will be found in-house in operational efficiencies. This is good for making sure that we can deliver quality service to Canadians, and at the same time make sure our economy continues to be protected.