[amor de cosmos]

what? I would have thought that with the knowledge infrastructure & other infrastructure announcements John Baird, Tony Clement or Gary Goodyear might have been on these lists

Since last election, Conservatives spending up a storm
By David Akin, Canwest News Service
August 31, 2009

OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives have been rolling out spending announcements at a furious clip, a new analysis by Canwest News Service shows, putting their names on more than 1,590 news releases since their re-election last October detailing spending commitments worth nearly $70 billion.

Just since Parliament's summer recess began on June 22 — a span of 70 days — there have been, by midday Monday, 550 spending announcements for projects totalling more than $10 billion.

The pace of federal spending has been a hot topic in political circles. The Conservatives' political opponents argue that the government has been too slow to get stimulus money into the economy — spending announcement or not.

Last week, for example, Liberal MP John McCallum posed for a photo in an empty field in Burlington, Ont., on the site where McCallum said a federal grant of $2.3 million was supposed to have built a park.

"Millions of Canadians are scratching their heads wondering why they can't see any of it actually happening," McCallum said.

"Mr. McCallum and others can sit on the sidelines and throw potshots," Infrastructure Minister John Baird said Monday. "What we're focusing on is working constructively with municipalities and provinces, putting aside politics to make things happen."

Baird argued that the billions his government pumped into the economy played a role in helping to end a string of 10 consecutive months in which gross domestic product declined. Statistics Canada said Monday that GDP for June grew, albeit fractionally, by 0.1 per cent.

Treasury Board President Vic Toews said in mid-August that his government has been so successful in getting construction projects started that he's now hearing complaints from constituents in Winnipeg that there is too much roadwork gumming up Manitoba's highways.

Among the 1,593 news releases issued by the federal government since Oct. 14 that involved spending commitments, Toews' name is on the one with the smallest cheque. On Nov. 14, Toews gave a cheque for $1,000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Winnipeg branch of the Polish Combatants Association in Canada for an event in which that group honoured Afghanistan veterans.

Of the spending announcements tracked by Canwest News Service, about 225 were for projects worth less than $25,000.

Some of those small projects included:
- $1,560 for a hotel in Keremeos, B.C., to hire a disabled person to work in the kitchen.
- $5,500 for a boys' choir festival in Grand Prairie, Alta.
- $9,988 for a museum in Alma, N.B., to put on an exhibit about the history of the mail-order catalogue.
- $10,094 for a curling rink condenser in Dugald, Man.
- $15,000 to produce walking tour podcasts in Charlottetown.
- $18,500 for seniors in Richmond, B.C., to put on an "intergenerational" movie night.

"You'd be surprised. You get way more political credit for the smaller announcements," said a former premier during a confidential discussion about the relationship between spending and political gain. "Giving a thousand-dollar cheque to a local seniors' project usually makes you a lot more popular than a billion dollar transfer."

Typically, the local MP makes the announcement — earning some political points — on behalf of a cabinet minister who is in charge of the department that is actually funding the project. But for all 1,593 spending announcements, it's an all-Conservative cast. Like every government before them, no opposition politicians are ever credited in the news releases for federal spending, even if that money is flowing to a riding held by an opposition MP who, more often than not, can play an important role helping local authorities negotiate their way through the federal approvals process.

On Monday alone, for example, there were 11 funding announcements as Conservative MPs handed out nearly $60 million worth of cheques.

One of the biggest was in Victoria where Trade Minister Stockwell Day, who is also the political minister for B.C., announced a $19.6-million contract for a shipyard there to build some coast guard rescue boats. The funding decision was approved by Day's cabinet colleague, Gail Shea, who, as fisheries minister, is responsible for the coast guard.

At the other of the scale, Phil McColeman, a Conservative who represents a southern Ontario riding, handed out two cheques Monday — one for $9,200 to a local agricultural fair and another for $7,200 to help an apple festival. Both of McColeman's announcements were approved by Heritage Minister James Moore.

The biggest single spending announcement since the last election was on March 13 when Human Resources Minister Diane Finley rolled out the Canada Skills and Transition Strategy, an $8.3-billion initiative that went into effect on Feb. 1 to fund work-sharing, skills training and other initiatives to help the underemployed and unemployed. The program expires next April.

Ottawa's Big Spenders

As of midday Monday, the federal Conservatives had issued 1,593 news releases since their Oct. 14 re-election detailing spending commitments worth a combined $68.9 billion.

Ministers with the most spending announcements:
Human Resources Minister Diane Finley: 295 releases, totalling $22 billion.
Heritage Minister James Moore: 232 releases for $810 million.
Western Economic Diversification Corp. Minister Lynne Yelich: 187 releases for $955 million.
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Region Minister Denis Lebel: 173 releases for $586 million.
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Minister Keith Ashfield: 153 releases for $272 million.

MPs announcing most projects:
Dick Harris (B.C.): 21 releases for $9.9 million
Rob Moore (N.B.): 18 releases for $40 million
Jacques Gourde (Que.):18 releases for $25.7 million
John Duncan (B.C.): 16 releases for $45 million
Steven Blaney (Que.): 16 releases for $14.1 million
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Since+last+election+Conservatives+spending+storm/1948085/story.html

[1ajs]

why are people complaining about the roadwork in manitoba alot of it is needed and over due lol

[habfanman]

why are people complaining about the roadwork in manitoba alot of it is needed and over due lol

Same here in Montréal. Everyone bitches about the roads needing upgrading and now that they're finally doing it.. everyone bitches about the roads being upgraded!

Anyways, sounds as if we have to brace ourselves for our annual election this fall.. and yet another Conservative minority. First past the post really sucks as an electoral system.

[1ajs]

can never win eh?

our potential for a failure bridge is been on the books for couple yrs to be replaced witch will start next year i beleave is creating a hell of alot of complaints. though it being taken outa commision is going to creat a real bottle neck for getting across the river in the north part of town...

[sammo]

headline like this makes me laugh.
first libs bemoan the fact that the cons aren't spending enuf 'stimulus money' -then they'll scream 'the cons are spending up a storm' -as if they're fiscally responsible/prudent..
-in the u.s., the demoncats went apeshit about george and co. spending like drunken sailors (-which they did), but now b.o. and crew have quadrupuled the deficit in what, just the first year? it's stimulus spending...

liberalism truly is a mental disorder.

[1ajs]

politics is a mentral disorder

[Rico Rommheim]

politics is a mentral disorder

jesus christ.

[jmt18325]

Anyways, sounds as if we have to brace ourselves for our annual election this fall.. and yet another Conservative minority. First past the post really sucks as an electoral system.

You do realize that with a proportional system, we would end up with a perpetual minority, right?

[SteelTown]

headline like this makes me laugh.
first libs bemoan the fact that the cons aren't spending enuf 'stimulus money' -then they'll scream 'the cons are spending up a storm' -as if they're fiscally responsible/prudent..


If you look at the "Ministers with the most spending announcements", you'll notice Minster of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities isn't on the list. Almost the entire stimulus money is on Infrastructure.

[1ajs]

jesus christ.
what?

[RTA]

headline like this makes me laugh.
first libs bemoan the fact that the cons aren't spending enuf 'stimulus money' -then they'll scream 'the cons are spending up a storm' -as if they're fiscally responsible/prudent..
-in the u.s., the demoncats went apeshit about george and co. spending like drunken sailors (-which they did), but now b.o. and crew have quadrupuled the deficit in what, just the first year? it's stimulus spending...

liberalism truly is a mental disorder.

I'm not sure what your point here is. As a staunch Conservative supporter, you should also be bemoaning this fact - isn't fiscal conservatism part of being conservative, or a (capital-C) Conservative? In fact, shouldn't you also be bemoaning any stimulus spending for that matter? Conservatives tend to believe in small government and believe that the free market can take care of itself.

Maybe instead of trying to turn this into something about liberalism, you should be looking at what's wrong with the party you seem to feel the need to blindly defend at all costs, even when they are acting in a clearly non-conservative manner.

[1ajs]

concervitive party is just a name and has been for a long time

[Rico Rommheim]

what?

You can spell! You must be drunk, friendo.

[1ajs]

? drunk no i am sober sunday night i got toasted with some friends

and speaking of witch when are you coming to pegcity

[sammo]

I'm not sure what your point here is. As a staunch Conservative supporter, you should also be bemoaning this fact - isn't fiscal conservatism part of being conservative, or a (capital-C) Conservative? In fact, shouldn't you also be bemoaning any stimulus spending for that matter? Conservatives tend to believe in small government and believe that the free market can take care of itself.

Maybe instead of trying to turn this into something about liberalism, you should be looking at what's wrong with the party you seem to feel the need to blindly defend at all costs, even when they are acting in a clearly non-conservative manner.

i agree that government should basically facilitate the free market with minimal regulation, interference, and taxation. government can't expand the economy or produce wealth. (in the u.s., the bushies were basically sent packing because they spent like libs -and the current libs, who are spending like socialists, will also be shown the door soon enuf.)
my point is the cons are excoriated for trying to act 'fiscally liberal' to appease the left and/or to 'appear concerned' but are summarily bitten by same 'complainers'. just my observation. libs suck and blow at the same time -if you care to notice.
i apologize in advance if you take the criticism personally.

[1ajs]

no matter who's in power they suck truth

[RTA]

i apologize in advance if you take the criticism personally.

The only part that ticks me off is how you always try to turn everything around into something "the libs" are doing wrong. Like I said in another thread, I don't understand why you feel the need to try to wedge further divisions between Canadians, when we clearly have enough divisions already.

[realcity]

Not spending enough. Then spending too much. Not spending fast enough. Then spending too fast.

The Cons are doing a good job managing the economy. The Libs have absolutely no game right now.

[sammo]

The only part that ticks me off is how you always try to turn everything around into something "the libs" are doing wrong. Like I said in another thread, I don't understand why you feel the need to try to wedge further divisions between Canadians, when we clearly have enough divisions already.

you seem to be willfully blind or indifferent to the fact that this thread, the premise, proclaims the 'cons are spending up a storm' -not the feds, not provincial or federal politicians. here is the perpetual saw and 'wedge' of a largely biased liberal media -that you blithely overlook or excuse. dust off the abacus and keep score. your lament for decorum or 'unity' is a day late, dollar short. don't be "ticked off", be aware.

and btw, i am skeptical of gov. and politicians of all stripes but espescially a government/media complex that has 'balanced journalism' set at naught.

[urbanfan89]

concervitive party is just a name and has been for a long time

The Conservative Party's mission is to "conserve" power, so their name is accurate.

[vid]

You do realize that with a proportional system, we would end up with a perpetual minority, right?

Yes, but no party would be large enough to even lead an affective minority government, which means parties would have to form coalitions, which means we would have a majority government made up of two or more parties working together, which means we would finally get a 4 year break from the polls. :)

At least, if we're smart enough to not fuck it up. Which, honestly, we probably aren't.

i agree that government should basically facilitate the free market with minimal regulation, interference, and taxation. government can't expand the economy or produce wealth. (in the u.s., the bushies were basically sent packing because they spent like libs -and the current libs, who are spending like socialists, will also be shown the door soon enuf.)
my point is the cons are excoriated for trying to act 'fiscally liberal' to appease the left and/or to 'appear concerned' but are summarily bitten by same 'complainers'. just my observation. libs suck and blow at the same time -if you care to notice.
i apologize in advance if you take the criticism personally.

You're not old enough to have noticed this yet, but the Conservatives do the same "sucking and blowing" thing as the Liberals.

[Slug]

It's the same as in the states. It's all a race to the center but don't spend too much or guys will start showing up with guns... At least we got laws for that.

[salvius]

i agree that government should basically facilitate the free market with minimal regulation, interference, and taxation. government can't expand the economy or produce wealth.

Governments, in essence, are extremely important facilitators of wealth production. They are indirect producers of wealth.

Also, how hard is it to use proper English? Why so lazy?

[sammo]

Governments, in essence, are extremely important facilitators of wealth production. They are indirect producers of wealth.

facilitators? -more like 'redistributors'.
'direct collectors' would be more frank, sal.
lazy? fine.


You're not old enough to have noticed this yet...
you're about as misinformed on libs/cons as you are on 'man made global warming'. (so you could be right! :haha: )


hey, where/when's the next anti-war protest? -my turn to suck.

[realcity]

vid who's that avatar?

[amor de cosmos]

looks like giada de laurentiis

[Doug]

More like minority governments spend like crazy to appease diverse elements. The same thing happened during the Liberal minority years in the 70's.

It is probably wishful thinking, but I still think the Harper government would like to be far more fiscally conservative but has been constrained by the lack of a majority. I hope I live to see the day when a truely fiscally conservative government takes a sorched earth policy towards the federal civil service, regional development and corporate welfare.

[wild wild west]

/\That's what it really comes down to, minority government situations tend to see higher spending to gain support of the other parties. Personally, I'm ready to see a majority so we can have a few years of stable government without having to bribe the opposition into propping them up or having an election every year. I don't really care who wins, whether it's the Liberals or Tories, as long as they run a fiscally responsible government - trim spending and get the deficit under control. If I didn't live in a riding where the outcome is a foregone conclusion, I'd probably vote strategically for whichever of the two was ahead in the polls, to help along that majority.

[salvius]

facilitators? -more like 'redistributors'.
'direct collectors' would be more frank, sal.

No, more like facilitator. Public education and (to a lesser extent) public health is extremely important in growing the middle class. The first, especially, is the great equalizer. Efficient market regulation is also essential since there is no such thing as a 'free market' - it's a completely meaningless concept without a government-backed legal framework. That's all without even getting into the provision of shared infrastructure.


lazy? fine.

Yes. Are you writing on your cellphone? I don't understand why it's so hard to form a proper sentence and to capitalize words.

[sammo]

1.how are health and education wealth 'producers'?

2.'death and luck' -the great equalizers.

3. i've conceded to 'lazy' you Prig. ;)

[salvius]

1.how are health and education wealth 'producers'?

One of the primary methods in retaining, and in fact, expanding the middle class (the biggest consumer of goods and services and the engine of economic growth) is to have a strong public education system. States which lack this bare essential tend not to be the ones with a booming investment and entrepreneurial climate -- to say nothing about quality of life -- especially in a knowledge-based economy.

Public health, on the other hand, allows businesses to worry much less about private health coverage, and the (slightly) increased tax burden more than makes up for it since the governmental monopoly can drastically drive down both administrative and actual health costs (which is why government insurers exist in every developed country but US). It's an investment no-brainer.

This, again, is without going (in detail) into the provision of shared infrastructure -- something a modern economy could not do without. Yet, such infrastructure lends itself to a natural monopoly and it would make no sense to give that monopoly to a non-public body.

PS: Of course, wealth production isn't necessarily synonymous with quality of life.

PPS: Death is not a great equalizer, at least not in an economic sense, since inheritance is passed on.

[MichaelS]

since the governmental monopoly can drastically drive down both administrative and actual health costs


This is something I struggle to see examples of with the Canadian Health Care system.

[Cambridgite]

It's the same as in the states. It's all a race to the center but don't spend too much or guys will start showing up with guns... At least we got laws for that.

Yes, why not take it a step further like Britain has done? Let's just confiscate all the guns flat out (but criminals and the military will still have them). Corrupt governments pose a much greater threat to life and civil liberties than a couple of hillbillies or militia members.

One of the primary methods in retaining, and in fact, expanding the middle class (the biggest consumer of goods and services and the engine of economic growth) is to have a strong public education system. States which lack this bare essential tend not to be the ones with a booming investment and entrepreneurial climate -- to say nothing about quality of life -- especially in a knowledge-based economy.

Public health, on the other hand, allows businesses to worry much less about private health coverage, and the (slightly) increased tax burden more than makes up for it since the governmental monopoly can drastically drive down both administrative and actual health costs (which is why government insurers exist in every developed country but US). It's an investment no-brainer.

This, again, is without going (in detail) into the provision of shared infrastructure -- something a modern economy could not do without. Yet, such infrastructure lends itself to a natural monopoly and it would make no sense to give that monopoly to a non-public body.

PS: Of course, wealth production isn't necessarily synonymous with quality of life.

Well said. However, I think you can summarize by saying that, while not producing wealth directly, they can produce wealth indirectly by improving the skill base of the population at large, making them more effective and able producers.

PPS: Death is not a great equalizer, at least not in an economic sense, since inheritance is passed on.

Nothing in this universe is equal nor should it be. Rarely is anything fair either. I'd rather have the inequalities of inheritance than a government than can take most of your money and give it to whoever they wish at will.

[vid]

you're about as misinformed on libs/cons as you are on 'man made global warming'. (so you could be right! :haha: )

I don't believe global warming is caused entirely by man and you are blind if you don't think Conservatives have done things wrong in the past. I don't have blind loyalty to any political party or ideology and my opinions change over time as I learn more about the world. I'm sorry you can't enjoy this as much as I do.

[Spocket]

^I second that motion.

The only way to be misinformed about politics is to believe what any of them tell you.
Conservatives are 'spending up a storm' ... so what ? The Liberals also starved some essential departments of funding for years. Can't have it both ways. Not that I'm a fan of debt or deficits but we're in a recession and that's when the money is supposed to flow a little more freely from government coffers. Add to that how many areas of government spending needed serious shoring-up and it looks like we've got drunken sailors at the helm. Mind you , we DO have drunken sailors at the helm but they're just like the last bunch of drunken sailors anyway.

[sammo]

I don't believe global warming is caused entirely by man and you are blind if you don't think Conservatives have done things wrong in the past. I don't have blind loyalty to any political party or ideology and my opinions change over time as I learn more about the world. I'm sorry you can't enjoy this as much as I do.
definite improprieties with mulroney & gang. never trusted the scoundrels myself.
but chretien/martin (with the aid of gov. funded media) were a whole new level of corruption/perversion -the most corrupt in a long time. it all began with 'repealing the gst' lie. (analogous to comparing the bush and barack admins. -'ending the war' lie...).

glad to see you're coming around on the global warming thing.
must be hard carrying gore's polluted water.

and may we be blindly loyal to truth -amen.

[vid]

I never supported Al Gore and never believed that climate change was solely caused by humans. I've never even seen Inconvenient Truth and think he did more harm than good by turning it into a bandwagon-y trend and putting so much emphasis on carbon dioxide/vehicle emissions when methane/cattle/garbage emissions are far more damaging yet mostly unknown to people. (Both are bad and need to be decreased if not for the environment's sake, then ours.)

A lot of promises politicians make are made before they really understand if their promises are even practical. I wouldn't call them "corruption".

[sammo]

A lot of promises politicians make are made before they really understand if their promises are even practical.


indeed. but this is how they reel in votes, -empty promises, platitudes.

"change", "yes we can"...

[jeremy_haak]

definite improprieties with mulroney & gang. never trusted the scoundrels myself.
but chretien/martin (with the aid of gov. funded media) were a whole new level of corruption/perversion -the most corrupt in a long time. it all began with 'repealing the gst' lie. (analogous to comparing the bush and barack admins. -'ending the war' lie...).

glad to see you're coming around on the global warming thing.
must be hard carrying gore's polluted water.

and may we be blindly loyal to truth -amen.

Moving on to Stephen Harper - how about his war on accountability after campaigning on improving it?