Drizzt
Member
The Star Phoenix (Saskatoon)
February 28, 2003 Friday Final Edition
SECTION: National; Pg. A16
LENGTH: 386 words
HEADLINE: Minister in contempt over gun registry: Opposition
SOURCE: For CanWest News Service
BYLINE: Tim Naumetz
DATELINE: OTTAWA
BODY:
OTTAWA -- The Canadian Alliance said Thursday Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is in contempt of Parliament for giving the media details about planned spending on the federal firearms registry a month before they are to be tabled in the Commons.
Alliance MP John Williams, chair of the public accounts committee, made the allegation after Cauchon's press secretary distributed the information to reporters when the government's spending estimates were tabled in the Commons the previous day.
The government estimates referred only to a planned expenditure of $18 million on the firearms program, in the form of contributions to five provincial governments participating in the registry and licensing system.
A separate news release from Treasury Board President Lucienne Robillard, and a more detailed release from Cauchon's department, identified $113 million to be spent on the program over the next year, bringing the total spent on the registry and licensing system to $900 million by 2004.
As well, supplementary estimates contained a further $59 million the Justice Department wants Parliament to approve to cover current spending, including expenses mounting since the Commons agreed to withdraw a request for supplementary funds last December. The decision was taken after Auditor General Sheila Fraser released a scathing report about the mounting cost of the program and accused the Justice Department of having hidden the complete costs from Parliament after the licensing system took effect in 1998.
Cauchon's news release stated that over the next 12 months the Canadian Firearms Centre will spend:
- $21.5 million developing a new computer system.
- $8 million to operate the central registry in Miramichi, N.B.
- $16 million in contributions to provinces that are administering the program.
- $11.4 million operating federal firearms offices in the five provinces that have opted out of the program.
- $4.6 million on a national weapons enforcement team targeting illegal guns.
- $16 million to other departments and partners.
- $14.4 million to keep running the current computer system and related operations.
- $9.2 million for administration.
- And the remainder on other expenses including employee benefits and accommodation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's just such a pain when the people you're taking money from get to find out how you're spending it.....
February 28, 2003 Friday Final Edition
SECTION: National; Pg. A16
LENGTH: 386 words
HEADLINE: Minister in contempt over gun registry: Opposition
SOURCE: For CanWest News Service
BYLINE: Tim Naumetz
DATELINE: OTTAWA
BODY:
OTTAWA -- The Canadian Alliance said Thursday Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is in contempt of Parliament for giving the media details about planned spending on the federal firearms registry a month before they are to be tabled in the Commons.
Alliance MP John Williams, chair of the public accounts committee, made the allegation after Cauchon's press secretary distributed the information to reporters when the government's spending estimates were tabled in the Commons the previous day.
The government estimates referred only to a planned expenditure of $18 million on the firearms program, in the form of contributions to five provincial governments participating in the registry and licensing system.
A separate news release from Treasury Board President Lucienne Robillard, and a more detailed release from Cauchon's department, identified $113 million to be spent on the program over the next year, bringing the total spent on the registry and licensing system to $900 million by 2004.
As well, supplementary estimates contained a further $59 million the Justice Department wants Parliament to approve to cover current spending, including expenses mounting since the Commons agreed to withdraw a request for supplementary funds last December. The decision was taken after Auditor General Sheila Fraser released a scathing report about the mounting cost of the program and accused the Justice Department of having hidden the complete costs from Parliament after the licensing system took effect in 1998.
Cauchon's news release stated that over the next 12 months the Canadian Firearms Centre will spend:
- $21.5 million developing a new computer system.
- $8 million to operate the central registry in Miramichi, N.B.
- $16 million in contributions to provinces that are administering the program.
- $11.4 million operating federal firearms offices in the five provinces that have opted out of the program.
- $4.6 million on a national weapons enforcement team targeting illegal guns.
- $16 million to other departments and partners.
- $14.4 million to keep running the current computer system and related operations.
- $9.2 million for administration.
- And the remainder on other expenses including employee benefits and accommodation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's just such a pain when the people you're taking money from get to find out how you're spending it.....