Thursday, April 17, 2008

Judy Sgro Questions the Finance Minister on Contracts to Hugh MacPhiedoc

Hon. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.):  

Mr. Speaker, when the finance minister got caught giving an untendered $122,000 contract to his friend, he tried to blame his officials. Now we know that the minister was advised not once but twice by those same officials that it was against the rules and he decided to do it anyway.

Will the minister apologize to those officials that he blamed and explain to taxpayers why his friends are on the take?

Hon. Jim Flaherty (Minister of Finance, CPC):

What I said, Mr. Speaker, was that administrative functions were not followed, which is absolutely true and accurate. I made that clear in the House. For the hon. member to suggest anything else is beneath contempt.

Hon. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, just a reminder that the minister is responsible, no one else. He is the minister. He takes the last hit on it.

We already know about two of Mr. MacPhie's finance contracts, one for $122,000 and another for $25,000. We also know there was a third contract for work on a tax credit scheme, originally for $7,500 but ballooned to $20,000. That is more than $160,000 in untendered contracts to this Conservative crony.

Why should taxpayers be on the hook for the minister's political debts?

Hon. Jim Flaherty (Minister of Finance, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, we have been open and transparent about these contracts. They were listed online as part of proactive disclosure. They are on the website for anyone to read. Work was done. Value for money was done in very sensitive matters pertaining to national budget matters. Competent work was done.

There was an error made administratively with respect to one of the contracts and I have acknowledged that from the word go.