'Nothing to be ashamed'
Andrew McIntosh and Joel-Denis Bellavance

OTTAWA; QUEBEC CITY - Jean Chretien, the Prime Minister, yesterday said his government had nothing to apologize for in seeking to reap maximum partisan political benefit from disbursing $1-billion worth of federal job grants across Canada each year.

He had always made sure since taking power in October, 1993, that voters were left in no doubt that it was his Liberals who were distributing such grants, he said.

"Listen," he added, "we are the government ... I don't see why we can't try to get credit for what we do. I hope we do so. There is nothing to be ashamed in that."

Previously, Mr. Chretien and Jane Stewart, the Human Resources Minister, have insisted in Parliament that the $1-billion in grants for job creation, training, literacy and other projects were not allocated with the intention of gaining partisan advantage, but rather were designed to benefit ridings regardless of their political complexion.

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