Vic Toews

[Interim Supply, March 24th, 2009]

moved:

That this House do concur in Interim Supply as follows:

That a sum not exceeding $26,760,237,896.42 being composed of:

(1) three twelfths ($15,448,846,331.75) of the total of the amounts of the items set forth in the Proposed Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010 which were laid upon the Table Thursday, February 26, 2009, except for those items below:

(2) eleven twelfths of the total of the amount of Canadian Grain Commission Vote 40, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Vote 10, Treasury Board Vote 5 and Treasury Board Vote 35 (Schedule 1.1), of the said Estimates, $3,541,493,083.34;

(3) seven twelfths of the total of the amount of Canada Council for the Arts Vote 10, Public Service Staffing Tribunal Vote 105, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Vote 25 and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Vote 15 (Schedule 1.2) of the said Estimates, $132,330,310.00;

(4) six twelfths of the total of the amount of National Battlefields Commission Vote 60, Public Service Labour Relations Board Vote 100, Finance Vote 5, Fisheries and Oceans Vote 10, Human Resources and Skills Development Vote 5, Justice Vote 1, Library of Parliament Vote 10 and Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Vote 20 (Schedule 1.3) of the said Estimates, $1,227,462,510.00;

(5) five twelfths of the total of the amount of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Vote 15, National Arts Centre Corporation Vote 55, Public Health Agency of Canada Vote 50, Indian Affairs and Northern Development Vote 10, Registry of the Specific Claims Tribunal Vote 55, Canadian Space Agency Vote 35, Statistics Canada Vote 95, Marine Atlantic Inc. Vote 35 and Veterans Affairs Vote 5 (Schedule 1.4), of the said Estimates, $3,107,973,675.00;

(6) four twelfths of the total of the amount of Canadian Museum for Human Rights Vote 30, Office of the Co-ordinator, Status of Women Vote 85, Public Service Commission Vote 95, Citizenship and Immigration Vote 5, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Vote 15, Health Vote 10, Indian Affairs and Northern Development Vote 1, Industry Vote 1, Public Works and Government Services Vote 1, Office of Infrastructure of Canada Vote 55 and Treasury Board Secretariat Vote 1 (Schedule 1.5), of the said Estimates, $3,302,131,986.33;

be granted to Her Majesty on account of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010.

[Supplementary Estimates (C), 2008-09, March 24th, 2009]

Mr. Chair, I can advise the member and others that the form of this bill is the same as that passed in the previous supply period.

[Supplementary Estimates (C), 2008-09, March 24th, 2009]

moved:

That the supplementary estimates (C) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, be concurred in.

[The Economy, March 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, our government is taking unprecedented and extraordinary action to stimulate the Canadian economy and combat the global recession. These measures are simply too important to risk being delayed by an opposition determined to play politics. Too many jobs, too many family mortgage payments and too many seniors' income security are at stake.

We have cut bureaucratic red tape only to have to the opposition replace it with political red tape. It is time that those members encourage their colleagues in the Senate to move things ahead, and that they pass the vote today.

[Business of Supply, March 24th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I can appreciate that maybe my voice has not carried down to the far end of the chamber or the member was not listening. I can list the aspects of accountability and I can assure the member that there is no difference in respect of the accountability, how the money is spent, whether it is the $3 billion fund or any other fund of money in the Government of Canada. It goes through the same process and the same checks. We are simply asking to move the date up to authorize the spending of $3 billion from June 30 to April 1.

The member thinks about conspiracy theories. He was a member of a coalition that plotted in the dark to undermine the democratic will of the people of Canada.

[Business of Supply, March 24th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I might just reiterate some of my comments.

The $3 billion fund can only be used for economic action plan initiatives announced in budget 2009. It is clear the programs on which the money can be spent. It will be approved by this House. Every initiative funded from this vote requires the approval of Treasury Board. Existing policy requirements on accountability and reporting must be met. The Auditor General will be reviewing it. This process is entirely transparent.

When we as a government are contributing, in most cases one-third of the spending, we will not simply stand up and announce that this is what we will do. For example, in my home province of Manitoba, as a regional minister I sit down with the premier of the province or the relevant minister to determine which projects should be approved.

I can tell the member that the list of projects has not yet been finalized. There will not be that kind of ability to show those projects until the provincial government and the municipalities that will actually do the tendering process have approved. As soon as that agreement has been made and it has been announced in a cooperative federal manner, then all of the projects will be put on the website and there will be clear scrutiny.

If our government has approached this matter in a partisan way, as the member suggests, the people of Canada and this House will hold us accountable. I am confident that we will be able to meet the member's concerns and deal with this stimulus in a way that crosses all regions of this country and indeed all areas of the province in which he resides and represents.

[Business of Supply, March 24th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate that very much. I think that is a ruling that is well needed in this House. I think that all members should take note of that.

What the member in fact is asking us to do is to proceed unilaterally to announce before the provinces and the municipalities have had a chance to announce the expenditures of their own money. In a federal system that simply cannot be tolerated.

As soon as that announcement is made, it will be on the website for all Canadians to see.

[Business of Supply, March 24th, 2009]

That is exactly what the member for Markham—Unionville is asking me to do.

[Business of Supply, March 24th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, because the federal government is in a partnership with other partners, with provincial governments and municipalities, there has to be a delay in the actual announcement of the funding. I can assure the member that as soon as every project is announced, it will be put on the web. We cannot act unilaterally and pretend—

[Business of Supply, March 24th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, the member is trying to gloss over the distinction between the fact of approval and the reality of the announcement.