"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Here's Some More Stuff

Tim the Enchanter has left a new comment on your post "Verry...Interresting":

Not sure what you mean by
"....not just because the money was earmarked for another purpose "

From the Industry Canada website June 25 2009

"The $50-million G8 Legacy Infrastructure Fund was founded in February 2009 and is dedicated
to legacy projects in the Parry Sound–Muskoka area. This strategy corresponds with Canada's Economic Action Plan to strengthen Northern Ontario communities."

So that's what they spent it on.

Yes. $50M is a lot and a fairly obvious case of pork-barrel politics.
I would agree that the approx $1B spent on the G8/G20 was ridiculous
but there seems to be suggestions and hints that this $50M was somehow stolen from the Widows and Orphans Fund and re-directed to Parry Sound Muskoka.
I must be missing something.
That said, full disclosure wouldn't be amiss either so let's wait for the AG's report.

I'm also not sure (I stand to be corrected) that the municipalities had to pony up their share to get the federal money either. We must remember that PSM is considered by the province and the feds to be "Northern Ontario" and sometimes the rules are different than here in the tropical south.

Basically PSM was selected for the summit and so Christmas came early for that riding.

The Industry Canada website lists a number of projects and their costs but I don't recall any complaints from the Libs or NDP at that time.

It's a bit disingenuous to pretend that they didn't know about the fund and what this money was being spent on.

Also, some are wondering why cash was spent on projects seemingly so far away from the actual summit location at Deerhurst.
I believe the answer will be that the region of PSM was considered to be the host - not just Deerhurst resort.
The region/riding is over 150 times larger in area than Newmarket-Aurora.

BTW - Deerhurst Resort was sold in Jan 2011 by a U.S. developer to Skyline International Development who own, amongst other things,the King Edward Hotel in Toronto and Horsehoe Valley Resort.

********************

Thank You for that. We are all better informed.

What I meant by the phrase you quote was what I gleaned from the news reports of the leaks from the the Auditor General's Report that the money was approved by Parliament for another purpose.

It's just another example of the Prime Minister's contempt for Parliament. He  uses  it and abuses it for his own purpose and prorogue it if it becomes inconvenient.

There is nothing disingenuous about a leaked Auditor  General's Draft  Report that says something stringent. And a second leaked report that softens the first draft.

That is not disingenuous. That's deliberate. There's an election campaign being fought, The stales are high. No holds are barred.

Tony Clement is a bit of a carpet-bagger himself. There are a number of appealing Conservative candidates, as there are a number of not squeeky clean Liberals . An election should sort out the wheat from the chaff. And if it doesn't,well that's how democracy works.

"It's the worst there is except for all the rest." That's a quote attributed to Churchill. But the great man   himself would say there is nothing new under the sun."Ecclesiastes 1.9

The Prime Minister's bad temper is legendary. We know that from Belinda's experience.  What makes John Clement a favourite, I wonder.

3 comments:

Tim the Enchanter said...

I understand that during election time political gamesmanship is in play but it makes one wonder.

We've known for 2 years that the Cons set aside $50M to spread around Tony Clement's riding and the individual projects that were planned yet NOW it's a problem?
I guess the opposition parties weren't that much bothered that apparently parliamentary approval was lacking. Until now.

also

Harper sure ain't Mr. Warmth but I don't consider that a job requirement for PM.
Play fast and loose with the truth or the facts?
Proroguing parliament?
They've all done it at one time or another.
Ask Belinda what happens when Harper gets mad?
OK - then ask Paul Martin how many Christmas cards he's gotten from Chretien.

Can you tell I love to argue politics? :)

Anonymous said...

Tim, it is also fairly apparent that tory blue blood thickens your veins.

Anonymous said...

I think it's anti-freeze, not blood, of any colour.

I want less Enchantment in my life!