December 02, 2003

Paul Martin can’t escape his past actions

( Ottawa )  “Paul Martin is trying to escape his past by making promises of change.  He hopes that everything he did as Canada ’s Minister of Finance will fade from memory,” said Inky Mark, Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette.

“Martin has called for a renewed commitment to sound financial management.  Yet, while he was Finance Minister, he was responsible for the gun registry, the HRDC boondoggle, and the sponsorship scandals in Communications Canada.  This represents billions of dollars in misspent money.  Martin was writing these cheques while slashing funding from basic social services,” Mark continued.

During Martin’s leadership campaign he promised to have his cabinet ministers go before the parliamentary committees to explain their departmental expenditures. However, last year he voted against establishing a separate parliamentary committee to oversee government spending.

“What commitment to sound financial management does Martin intend to renew?  From 1993 until 2002, Paul Martin cut federal spending in every area including agriculture, education, and health care.  Canadians deserve better,” Mark questioned.