Mr. Lapointe:

You are stupid.

Mr. McGrath:

No, the Minister is stupid for saying that in the House.

Hear, hear!

Mr. McGrath:

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of State for Youth. She said today that in her estimation there are 800,000 young people unemployed. She also indicated that she had about $150 million which she could use in a discretionary way to address that problem on a constituency basis.

When her Estimates were before the committee on May 29, her Deputy Minister, in response to whether or not Statistics Canada data were relevant, said:

I think it is a fact that data officially compiled by Statistics Canada do not permit us to have reasonable assurance of data based on the local situations.

How then does the Minister allocate the money she has at her disposal on a constituency basis, if she cannot rely upon Statistics Canada data?

Hon. Celine Hervieux-Payette (Minister of State (Youth)):

Mr. Speaker, I believe my hon. friend is referring to a question about the formula being used to allocate subsidies to various ridings under the Summer Canada Program, subsidies which this summer should create 81,000 jobs for our young people at a cost of $200 million. I have answered this question, Mr. Speaker, and my Deputy Minister has provided the detailed information. The formula which is being used could not be based only on Statistics Canada data, because such data are not compiled on a constituency basis. We are using, therefore, a mixed formula which nevertheless takes into account local situations; it is being applied across the board to 281 ridings in Canada. Because there is no official Statistics Canada formula, we are using a statistical formula which applies to all ridings, whether Conservative, NDP or Liberal.

Hon. James A. McGrath (St. John's East):

Mr. Speaker, let me help the Minister in her education. We do not have Statistics Canada data by constituencies. According to the Deputy Minister and the Minister of Employment and Immigration, the allocations are applied according to the labour rate surplus. The Minister knows, or should know, that the labour rate surplus is based upon unemployment insurance recipients. Young people do not qualify for unemployment insurance. How, then, does the Minister determine which constituency gets what amount for Young Canada Works?

[ Translation]

Hon. Celine Hervieux-Payette (Minister of State (Youth)):

Mr. Speaker, we have indeed acknowledged that the formula is neither the one determined by Statistics Canada, nor the one used by Statistics Canada to assess the number of young unemployed, which the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands referred to earlier in her question. We recognize, therefore, that the official agency is not providing us with the necessary data, but that we have developed a formula which take into account the local realities. My hon. friend did not suggest an alternative; we are therefore left with the one we have at this time, which I suggest is fair for young Canadians and all ridings throughout Canada.

Mr. Neil Young (Beaches):

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Justice. For some years native Indians and their organizations have been attempting to convince the Government that many of the benefits which they received after the First World War and Second World War were the subject of fraud, in many cases by officials in the Department of Indian Affairs. Yesterday a study was released which confirmed that many of the claims of native veterans over the years were indeed factual. Would the Minister advise the House whether he and his Department would be prepared to investigate officials in the Department of Indian Affairs with a view to determining whether the allegations raised by that study are indeed factual? If so, will he initiate prosecutions against those Indian Affairs officials?

Hon. Mark MacGuigan (Minister of Justice):

Mr. Speaker, I have not had that study drawn to my attention. I must say that it is not easy for me to see how my Department or I would be involved if it is a matter of the substance of the programs that would come under the Minister of Indian Affairs and

June 7, 1984

Northern Development. If it is a matter of a prosecution for fraud, it would come under the appropriate provincial Attorney General. Of course the investigation would also be under the direction of that Attorney General. As the Hon. Member relates the facts, I am not sure how my Department would be involved.

Mr. Neil Young (Beaches):

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is directed to the Acting Prime Minister. There have been numerous studies made by committees of the House, including the Special Committee on the Disabled and the Handicapped, Veterans Affairs, and others, which have indicated that there is a real need for some independent investigation of the allegations raised by native veterans. Would the Acting Prime Minister undertake to make a recommendation to Cabinet that funds be allocated for such an independent investigation?

Hon. Jean-Luc Pepin (Acting Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I will take notice of the question. The efforts which Canada has made in this area are well known. We had a committee on this particular subject. However, I will look at the particular aspect raised by the Hon. Member.

[ Translation]

Mr. Raymond Dupont (Chambly):

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport. In a previous statement, the Minister announced that his Department was ready to help the management of 22 sports organizations to improve their services in both official languages.

Now, the Minister has just announced the bilingualism policy for national amateur sports associations subsidized by the federal Government. Will the Minister tell this House to what extent the services provided by these associations will be improved for the benefit of French-speaking athletes?

Hon. Jacques Olivier (Minister of State (Fitness and Amateur Sport)):

Mr. Speaker, I merely want to say once again that, where the basic principles are concerned, it is obvious that the Canadian Government has had no change in policy, namely that we want to make sure that all of their services will be provided in both official languages within a year from now. It has been decided that 22 national organizations would provide such services this year, and on account of that, they will receive 50 per cent of all their subsidies from the Federal Government.

Oral Questions

With respect to the Canadian Olympic Association, which is not involved in this policy, I had the simple choice of requiring that the Association follow this policy or of not financing it and keeping our athletes from going to Los Angeles. Because such is my role, I much prefer to help our athletes, whether they are French-speaking or English-speaking, take part in the Olympics, and for the moment, I have absolutely no wish to involve the Canadian Olympic Association in that policy.

However, next year, the Canadian Olympic Association will be subjected to the new policy just like all the other organizations. My greatest wish is that all our Canadian athletes, whether they speak French or English, might take part in the Los Angeles Olympics; this is why the Canadian Olympic Association is not among the 22 federations I have selected.

Mr. Speaker:

The Hon. Member for Parry Sound-Muskoka.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Darling:

Mr. Speaker, from that applause you will no doubt be aware that I must have had a word in the question period earlier this morning with my colleagues, to say that even backbenchers have questions of importance.