- CTF Reacts to Announcement of So-Called Canada Jobs Fund Disbandment -

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has reacted to this morning's announcement by Human Resources Minister Jane Stewart that the Canada Jobs Fund is being disbanded and devolved to various federal regional development agencies.

"Minister Stewart can talk all she wants about better responding to the needs of Canadians. But the only need that has been satisfied here is her need for political shelter," stated CTF federal director Walter Robinson. "Instead of draining the sewer of political patronage by altogether scrapping all job granting activities, the government has simply diverted the sewage flow of wasted tax dollars to several regional development agencies. This still stinks and taxpayers know it and smell it!"

"Today's announcement changes absolutely nothing," added Robinson. "Whether funding decisions are made in Ottawa or the regions, the stench of wasted dollars for shady hotel deals, luxury golf courses, riverbed fountains, WalMart's and Dairy Queen's will sadly continue."

In the last five month's, Minister Stewart was grilled with over 600 opposition questions about mismanagement of jobs grant funds in her department. This mismanagement prompted at least 20 separate police investigations, including three in the Prime Minister's ridings of St. Maurice, Quebec. The CTF has chronicled over 500 separate media stories relating to the jobs grant scandal.

"In our office we have a binder with all the media coverage generated since news of the scathing HRDC internal audit broke in late January, and not once in the last five months has anyone in government - in the Cabinet or in the bureaucracy - apologized for the mismanagement of hundreds of millions of hard-earned tax dollars," Robinson stressed. "Today's announcement is devoid of decisive action, contrition, or remorse."

Samples of headlines generated by the jobs grant scandal in the last five months include:

Bureaucracy mismanaged $3 billion, Ottawa says, Globe and Mail, January 20

This isn't sloppiness - it's gross negligence, Toronto Star, January 21

Current scandal just tip of iceberg, Ottawa Citizen, February 3

Line between patronage and government grants is fuzzy at best, CP, February 10

Stewart deflects charge that she lied to Parliament, National Post, February 12

Jobs fund dry up after Liberal riding goes NDP, Globe and Mail, February 16

PMO saw job grants as political, National Post, February 18

Job grants 'too political', '97 audit found, Ottawa Citizen, February 18

Liberals lack any remorse, Windsor Star, February 18

Job grant errors badly understated by Ottawa, Globe and Mail, February 21

Stewart accused of cover-up in report of HRD payments, Globe and Mail, February 23

Bloc MP's job grant went to PM's riding, Globe and Mail, February 24

Grant recipient contradicts Stewart's story, National Post, February 25

Minister still searching for lost money, Globe and Mail, February 25

RCMP mounts new probe into grants, Globe and Mail, February 28

Lobbyist's job-grant role questioned by opposition, Toronto Star, March 1

HRDC grant given despite director facing tax charges, National Post, March 3

Firm spent job grants but produced nothing, Hamilton Spectator, March 3

HRDC mess 'clear' last June, Ottawa Citizen, March 3

HRDC scandal: Worst yet to come, Ottawa Citizen, March 8

First criminal charges laid in job grants investigation, National Post, March 10

Welcome to the City of Grantford, Brantford Expositor, March 10

PM's riding got more cash than Alberta, National Post, March 16

$200M in cheques gets lost in mail, Ottawa Citizen, March 20

Opposition froths over brewery grant in PM's riding, Ottawa Citizen, March 29

Jobs cash diverted to bricks and mortar, Globe and Mail, May 1, 2000

"Things may actually get worse given today's changes," concluded Robinson. "Now we have to be vigilant and track the activities of several regional development agencies scattered across the country instead of focusing on one department. Taxpayers should take no comfort in today's developments. This is nothing more than a snow job."