"Limiting information" on oilsands probe demonstrates Harper government problems with both openness and the environment

This story out of The Star hits at two major problems of the Harper government - an inability to take environmental concerns seriously, and a desire to limit access to critical information by the media and citizens.

"Environment Canada’s enforcement branch asked a spokesman to “limit information” given to reporters about how long it took to launch a federal investigation into a serious Alberta oilsands leak last summer.

The comments were included in more than 100 pages of emails obtained by the Star that were generated in response to questions from journalists last summer about the mysterious leak in Cold Lake, Alta., that now totals about 1.2 million litres of bitumen emulsion, a mixture of heavy oil and water.

The incident itself was not publicly disclosed until a report by the Star in July 2013. More than 100 animals died near the site of the spill, which continues to release heavy oil above the surface, one year later....

Liberal environment critic John McKay said the case seems to be another example ofHarper’s government favouring one industrial sector over others, while attempting to keep news about spills and environmental damage “secret” for as long as possible.

“It is upsetting that the Harper government’s lack of transparency and disregard for our wildlife, water and environment is something we have come to expect,” said McKay, who represents Scarborough-Guildwood in Parliament."

It is absolutely critical to develop Canada's and Alberta's natural resources in a responsible way to help grow the economy. But stories such as these do nothing to help the Harper government's reputation as uncaring towards the environment, which has had a significantly negative impact on Canada's trade relations with the United States and the ability to market Canada as a responsible energy power. Canada will not see it's full economic potential from natural resources until we have a government that doesn't see the economy and the need for strong environmental regulations and social licences as enemies, but as complimentary to ensure prosperity for all Canadians. 

"Stephen Harper’s climate-change record can’t be ignored anymore" - because it's putting Canadian jobs and our economy at risk

Worthwhile article from Chantal Hebert here.

She's not the first to link Harper's gutting of environmental regulations, skeptical attitude towards climate change and attacks on the environmental movement to other countries (particularly our major trading partner south of the border) reluctance to embrace Canada's natural resources, but in just two sentences, Hebert does a good job of exposing the box that the Conservative government has painted Canada's economy into:

"Harper has made it impossible to have a national conversation on the economy without talking about pipelines, but just as impossible to debate those without addressing his climate change record. When it comes to Canada’s energy agenda, it is the elephant in the room that will no longer be ignored."

When other countries and trading partners read reports that state Canada ranks worst on climate policy among industrialized countries, that doesn't encourage confidence. 

As someone who was part of the Young Liberals of Canada delegation to the United Nations Conference of the Parties climate change negotiations in Copenhagen in 2009, it is disappointing that Canada's leadership sees the environment and the economy as competing interests, but I am happy that the the Liberal Party and Justin Trudeau have a sustainable and balanced energy policy.

This understanding that responsible approaches to environmental and energy policy can benefit all Canadians also contrasts nicely with Thomas Mulcair and his NDP, who are when speaking in front of a Calgary corporate oil sands audience say "Pipelines...should be a priority...[we] will be a partner with the development of energy resources...We will be there with you." while attacking the oil sands in Toronto Centre.

"Sousa sounded and looked very much like a man who would be comfortable as the next premier of the province."

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This article is a couple days old now, but I wanted to post it to show the extremely positive reception Charles received talking to local business leaders in Mississauga, while also outlining his vision to create jobs and grow the economy to protect our gains in health care and education.

Ontario's leaders must govern by addressing the long-term needs of the province, not by "just looking at the next election cycle," Mississauga South Liberal MPP Charles Sousa told the Mississauga Board of Trade this morning...

The second-term MPP pressed his home field advantage in front of an attentive audience at the Mississauga International Centre by outlining his policies to improve life in the GTA, which he said was burdened by both traffic gridlock and "political gridlock."

"It's all about growing the economy and jobs," the MPP said. "That will allow us to pay for the things that really matter — health care and education." 
Instead of headlines bemoaning the fact that traffic in the GTA is worse than it is in Los Angeles, Sousa said he wants to write a new economic story by implementing policies to create jobs and curb gridlock.
He outlined a five-point GTA plan that he claimed will put the 416 and 905 regions back on the road to prosperity.
"We can remove one complete layer of decision-making" by making Metrolinx responsible for MiWay, the TTC and all local transit systems in the GTA, he suggested.

It's finally time to build the high-speed rail connection from Windsor to Quebec City that every provincial government has talked about — but none has acted on — the Mississauga native said.
"It's time for action and we need to start with the Hamilton to Toronto and Toronto to Oshawa sections," he said.
Ontario must make significant long-term capital investments in high speed rail now because otherwise the economic benefit will be lost to the U.S., which is also looking at the prospect...

The former Labour and Immigration minister said the new policy he launched several weeks ago to attract more immigrants to Ontario is critical to meeting the province's future labour needs. "In the future 100 per cent of the net jobs will be filled by newcomers to Ontario."
Another long-term problem that has never been addressed, despite ongoing promises from every party, is the Ontario Condominium Act. Sousa promised "immediate reform” of the legislation to give owners a greater voice on condo boards and to force the licensing of condo managers.

Investing in post-secondary education in times of a down economy, such as the one we are in now, will pay huge dividends down the road as the economy recovers, argued the 54-year-old graduate of Gordon Graydon Secondary School.

He urged approval of a new university campus in neighbouring Milton, Ontario's fastest-growing municipality, as soon as possible. 
"We have the funding. We need to act,” he said.
At ease in front of the friendly MBOT audience, Sousa sounded and looked very much like a man who would be comfortable as the next premier of the province.
"We do have a strong foundation in this province  but we need to work together," he concluded. "It's not about the future of anyone's political stripe, it's about the future of the province." 

4 days left to sign up to support a jobs Premier! Here's why you should support Charles.

http://www.votesousa.ca/join-us/

Only a few days remain to sign up to join the Ontario Liberal Party and have your say in picking Ontario's next Premier. If you want to see a jobs Premier with real world business experience and a proven record of winning new voters to the Liberal Party, make sure to sign up!

Here's why Charles is the best candidate to lead Ontario and create jobs:

After a rough recession, Ontario families and companies did their part


to ensure Ontario has seen job creation and economic growth. In the

last provincial election, the Ontario Liberal Party was re-elected in

large part due to a strong focus on a real plan to create jobs and

grow the economy in order to protect investments in education and

healthcare. If Ontario Liberals want to be successful in the next

election, we have to be very aware that Ontario families want real

plans backed up with real experience, not untested schemes to protect

the things that matter to them.



With his strong real world experience in the private sector, and

legislative experience promoting new policies and ideas to create

growth and protect investments, Charles Sousa is the best candidate to

convince Ontario families to renew their contract with our party and

grow the economy in bold new directions.



Charles is no career politician. He has decades of experience working

in the private sector, from owning his own financial services business

that helped small business to serving as Director of Business

Development - Commercial Financial Services, Director of Government &

Community Affairs and Senior Manager of Marketing for Royal Bank of

Canada. He’s been a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, a

Director with the American Chamber of Commerce Ontario, a Member of

the Toronto Board of Trade, a Director with the International Chamber

of Commerce, Executive Director of the European Union Chamber of

Commerce in Toronto, and President of the Federation of Portuguese

Canadian Business & Professionals. Charles offers more hands-on

experience on the economy and jobs than any other candidate for

Liberal leader, and families deserve a leader with real world

experience at creating jobs and who understands what kind of ideas and

policies.



Since his arrival at Queen’s Park only 5 years ago, Charles has been a

champion of bold new ideas to grow the economy and stand up for

Ontario families. As Minister of Immigration and Minister responsible

for the Pan-Am Games, he managed one of the most complex and important

portfolios to attract new Canadians, and introduced Ontario’s first

immigration strategy to make Ontario’s newcomers an even more

important part of our provincial economy. A New Direction: Ontario’s

Immigration Strategy is crucial to help build a strong economy in our

province. The strategy focuses on bringing skilled immigrants and

their families to Ontario, in the numbers we need. Charles is standing

up to the Harper Conservatives to provide Ontario with an expanded

role in economic immigrant selection. Ontario needs to increase the

proportion of economic immigrants coming to Ontario to 70 per cent and

it needs to increase our nominations under the Provincial Nominee

Program to 5,000 from 1,000 – to help build a skilled labour force. It

sets a path so Ontario can attract the highly skilled immigrants and

investors that we need to fuel economic growth and help build stronger

communities.



As Minister of Labour, Charles led the largest overhaul of Ontario’s

occupational health and safety system in 30 years. Bill 160, The

Occupational Health and Safety Statute Law Amendment Act was passed in

May 2011 which, among other things, includes the creation of a Chief

Prevention Officer and a new prevention council.

Charles also introduced and received unanimous support for Bill 181,

the Fire Protection and Prevention Amendment Act, 2011.This

legislation addresses mandatory retirement for firefighters and

provides for the duty of fair representation.



Even before entering cabinet, Chares was effective as Parliamentary

Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development & Trade and

Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Government & Consumer

Services, introducing private members bill’s and motions focused on

the economy and financial services which were adopted by the

government. Charles was instrumental in passing new consumer

protection legislation to regulate payday lenders. The Payday Loans

Act, 2008 gives the government the ability to cap the total cost of

borrowing and bans predatory lending practices. Charles’ private

member’s resolution calling on the Ministry of Education to include

financial literacy education in Ontario’s elementary and secondary

school curricula passed unanimously, and the Ontario government has

since made financial literacy part of the Ontario curriculum from

grades 4-12. Charles has also served as chair of the Industry Caucus

at Queen’s Park.



From his extensive experience in owning a business and helping small

businesses grow to putting forward bold new ideas, Charles Sousa is

the candidate Liberals need to ensure the continued trust of Ontario

families on the critical issue of the economy.

"Let’s initiate some change. It's going to help us initiate some jobs. It’s going to help us prepare for the future because this is all about making decisions today to have greater long-term benefit"

Like Charles on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/VoteSousa
Follow the campaign on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/votesousa
Sign up to support Charles at http://www.votesousa.ca/join-us/
____________________________________________________

That's Charles Sousa talking about his high speed rail plan in a great interview with The Windsor Star.

Here's what Charles has to say about creating jobs across Ontario by investing in rail and ensuring we support the auto sector:

Mississauga South MPP Charles Sousa, who threw his hat into the provincial Liberal leadership ring on the weekend, says he would push the federal government for a high-speed rail link if he becomes premier.




“Forever we’ve been talking about a high-speed rail from Windsor to Quebec City,” said Sousa, who visited The Windsor Star Wednesday on a swing through Southwestern Ontario.



“Well let’s get on it. Let’s initiate some change. That’s going to help us initiate some jobs. It’s going to help us prepare for the future because this is all about making decisions today to have greater long-term benefit.”



Sousa, 54, has served as minister of citizenship and immigration and minister of labour since his election in 2007. Prior to that he worked for more than 20 years with the Royal Bank of Canada, serving in several senior positions.



Sousa says his focus is on jobs, and he would be the “jobs premier,” staking out territory on the right of the party spectrum where former Windsor West MPP Sandra Pupatello has also positioned herself.



“Government doesn’t produce jobs, businesses and entrepreneurs do,” said Sousa.



“What we need to do as a government is provide stimulus, the programs to enable those jobs to flourish, to invite and initiate some of that. In the end all of the decisions we make should revolve around how do we make a new job, and that in turn will provide greater economic benefit to enable us to afford the things that matter.



“It’s all about being fiscally responsible and socially and environmentally conscious.”

...

Sousa also said he would fight to bring more auto industry jobs back to Ontario.


“It is essential,” said Sousa.

“I know the opposition called it corporate welfare when we stepped in to protect 400,000 jobs, and that’s critical, the ripple effect is huge had we not stepped it up. We’re got to be diligent in continuing to attract those investments.”

A real plan to create real jobs. If you think Ontario deserves a jobs Premier, check out Charles' website and sign up!

Hudak PC's support for defunding abortion runs much deeper than a press conference

On International Day of the Girl, Tim Hudak can try to put shiny gloss on the PC Party, he can pretend his party is focused on the economy, but this is what the heart of the Hudak PC Party is, with his frontbench MPP's sponsoring a news conference supporting the defunding of abortion in Ontario. Any claims about the PC focus on jobs and the economy can't hide that the MPP's sponsoring this press conference are both of Hudak's Labour critics, and his deputy whip. You'll also remember Hudak's deputy labour critic Rick Nicholls from this blog, talking about how he  "would like to remind my non-Christian-believing friends that...you need to respect and remember that this is Canadian land and that you and/or your ancestors decided to live and conduct your form of worship here...Just don't try to mix it all in with our founding principles and say it is because of diversity"


And let's not forget Hudak's own thoughts on the matter of abortion:

"Hudak admitted last year that he had signed an anti-abortion petition"

Forget last year, here's Hudak on the record responding directly to the Campaign Life Coalition:

Even taking a look at Hudak's "Job Creation Task Force", we see the PC's anti-choice agenda, demonstrated by Monte McNaughton, Hudak's critic for Economic Development and innovation, agreeing with the statement "I support measures to stop funding abortions with taxpayers money in Ontario", according to this survey from Citizen Impact, a socially conservative pressure group, and Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Reform Critic Garfield Dunlop saying he "opposed abortion" as well as being a long-time opponent of gay marriage, calling it a "sin" and saying it would "destroy the fabric of our society."

While the Dalton McGuinty Liberals are focused on reducing the deficit and creating jobs, Tim Hudak, his "Job task force" and the PC caucus have other priorities.

Horwath skips vote on Southwestern Ontario Economic Development Fund and runs Rob Ford supporter in Vaughan - what does her NDP stand for?

Kitchener-Waterloo NDP candidate Catherine Fife is running on a slogan of "Leadership that delievers", but a look at the actions of NDP leader Andrea Horwath and her fellow NDP candidate in Vaughan raises questions about what exactly she wants to deliver.

Yesterday, the Ontario Liberals gave new support to the Southwestern Ontario Economic Development Fund, to help create jobs for families across Southwestern Ontario, including Kitchener-Waterloo. And what did Andrea Horwath do? She walked out, not standing up for job creation in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Now, we already know that Hudak candidate Tracey Weiler has no qualms about flip-floping on supporting her leader, going from saying she ""supports the leader’s position on halting the rollout of full-day kindergarten in the province" to running away from Hudak:

But with Andrea Horwath running a Rob Ford supporter in Vaughan as Fife's candidate mate, will we see Catherine Fife start to back away from Horwath? Here's Horwath's NDP values on display in Vaughan:

With Tracey Weiler and Andrea Horwath's values all over the map, Eric Davis is the best choice for strong local leadership in Kitchener-Waterloo.

"Thanks for the jobs"

That's what one man who worked for the solar company next to the Ontario Liberal tent told me today at the International Plowing Fest. From providing the way forward to tomorrow's economy with the Green Energy Act to protecting and growing Ontario's agricultural economy, Ontario Liberals are standing up for farmers and the economy.


Over the last eight years, Ontario Liberals have made rural Ontario and its farmers a priority because Ontario's farmers put healthy, locally grown food on Ontario tables.

Agri-food provides 700,000 jobs and also contributes $33 billion to the provincial economy every year. To support farmers, Ontario Liberals created a risk-management program for grain and oilseed farmers four years ago. Now, we're making it permanent and expanding it to other sectors. Liberals worked with Ontario farmers to create a program that meets their needs, providing predictability, bankability and stability.

Both the PCs and NDP voted against risk management.
The Hudak PCs have flip-flopped on risk management, refusing to stand up to the federal Harper Conservatives who oppose it. And the Horwath NDP barely mentions agriculture or farms in their platform. Only the Ontario Liberals have a plan to keep building a strong and prosperous rural Ontario - one that will continue to support farm families for generations to come.

Leadership on the economy

Premier Dalton McGuinty has said the tax rate on new investment by small businesses will be reduced by 55%. Ontario's economic strength depends on the strength of our businesses, large and small. That's why Ontario Liberals are working with small businesses to free up some of their resources so they can invest back into themselves and grow even stronger.

When the changes are fully implemented, the tax rate on new investment for small businesses will be reduced by 55% — good news for employers such as farms, retailers and smaller manufacturers. When small businesses succeed, we all succeed. They bring a lot to Ontario communities — good jobs, and great products.

The Ontario Liberal platform, "Forward. Together." includes the next steps to help small businesses. Ontario Liberals will:

-Triple the number of successful start-ups in the next five years by providing incentives for risk capital

-Enhance and increase support for young entrepreneurs, and for small and medium businesses to access new trade markets

-Create a new Southwestern Ontario Economic Development Fund and make the Eastern Ontario Development Fund and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund permanent.

Ontario Liberals have already cut the business tax rate from 5.5 per cent to 4.5 — which will fall to 4.0 per cent under the Ontario Liberal Plan.

The Hudak PCs $14 billion hole would also mean deep cuts to education, depriving us of the highly skilled workers who attract new business to Ontario. The Horwath NDP would introduce a crushing $9 billion in job-killing taxes. Both would take Ontario off track at the worst time.

Ontario Liberals are working to make Ontario the place to be when it comes to building your business. Only Ontario Liberals have a plan to keep Ontario moving forward, together.

Leadership for Ontario

"You want the politics of anger, resentment and division? That makes you feel good? Then Mr. Hudak is your guy. If you want to do things so that we can grow stronger together, build something better together - then that's what we're putting on the table."

Tim Hudak vs. his own record

Tim Hudak once said he'd fight the HST "tooth and nail" after being accused of flip-floping on the long record of PC support for a harmonized tax system, and now he has done a double-flip flop, by saying he wouldn't fight the HST at all, but would instead take $6 billion out of health care and education.

Even the Toronto Sun is taking on Hudoo economics, with Christina Blizzard saying today that Hudak's scheming numbers are "too wobbly to take to the bank."

At a time when Ontario's economy is turning the corner, Ontario families deserve stability and a plan to grow the economy and create jobs. Hudak's scheming and flip-floping on important issues like green jobs and tax reform would create instability and hurt investment, while at the same time turning the clock back on important improvements in health care and education.

Ontario families deserve better.

Tim Hudak vs. Ontario jobs, Eastern Ontario edition

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Hudak+urged+support+green+energy/4787642/story.html

From Windsor to Ottawa, Ontario families & Ontario businesses are standing up to defend jobs created for families by private investment helped by the Ontario Liberal plan for jobs and growth against Tim Hudak's reckless rookie scheming:

A group of Ottawa businesses specializing in renewable energy technology is calling on Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak to reconsider his opposition to the McGuinty government’s green energy law.

Twenty area firms signed onto the letter dated Monday saying that the green energy economy is invigorating the manufacturing industry and creating well-paying jobs for skilled workers. They say Hudak’s pledge to scrap the Liberals’ green energy law would be “rash, imprudent, and cost thousands of jobs.”...


In the letter, released to the Citizen, the co-signers say the FIT program has proved to be both good job-creation policy and helps the province generate the electricity it will need in future. “The Green Energy and Green Economy Act generates economic activity, reduces pollution, and ensures that Ontarians will have power for the future,” the letter says. “It enables us to avoid the risk of blackouts.”

“Mr. Hudak, business seeks a stable economic climate for investment. Your Party’s decision has introduced uncertainty into Ontario’s economic future.”

Ontario families deserve economic security and jobs, and Ontario businesses deserve a stable economic climate in which they can grow the economy and create jobs and opportunity. Tim Hudak's is recklessly scheming to take jobs away from Ontario families and hurt the economy.

Tim Hudak vs. jobs for Ontario families

Hudak has declared war green energy jobs for Ontario families, but Ontario is fighting back:

http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/blogs/Green+energy+threat+makes+region/4783142/story.html

"[The PC Party] has declared war on this region with the insane announcement that it intends to snuff out thousands of local jobs, kill a new green energy industry for this hard-hit region and send us back to the environmental stone age...


The best thing the Windsor area has going for it, the emerging job-rich, exportoriented sector that is helping this region claw its way back from the economic abyss, would be decimated by Hudak...


Hudak's policy would incinerate 3,000 jobs already here or in the development pipeline and put us back to square one in terms of industrial diversification.

A week ago this former border guard from Fort Erie and Mike Harris cabinet minister was largely unknown in Essex County. He was Tim Whodat?

Now he's Timmy the Job Slayer, a reckless gunslinger who would kill the mega deal with Samsung, a global giant most countries would kill to have as an investor, even though he admits he doesn't have a clue how many hundreds of millions of dollars (or billions) it would cost to break the longterm contract."

Liberals are building economic security and stability for Ontario families, while Hudak and his reckless rookie scheming would cost Ontario families thousands of jobs and hurt the environment.

Ontario leads the way to recovery

http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100412/gdp_ontario_100412/20100412?hub=OttawaHome


Despite the naysayers like Tim Hudak, the McGuinty Liberals are leading the way to get our economy back on track, as Ontario's economy grew by 1.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2009, which lead North America for growth rates. While the PC's want to slash and burn projects like the Green Energy Act which is helping to attract investment, create jobs, and move our economy forward. At a time when investors are looking for stability, the radical and out of date policies of the PC's are not what Ontario needs. The times have changed, and Tim Hudak hasn't. Ontario needs to be a leader in the green economy, in the knowledge economy, in the 21st century economy, and maintain the stability of our vital public services. At a time when our economy is on the road back to recovery, we can't afford a return to bad old days of strife in our hospitals and schools, of the elimination of programs to help our province create new and better jobs. We need leadership, not division.

Who exactly did Canada work with at Cop 15?

The Harper talking points:

“This agreement is the result of two weeks of negotiations in which Canada and Environment Minister Prentice, our chief negotiator, played a key part...Canada is working to align our clean energy and climate change policies with those of the Obama Administration."

If that's the case, how do you explain these?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/091218/world/climate_cda

Harper not on he guest list as Obama meets with world leaders on climate change.

http://thestar.blogs.com/copenhagen/2009/12/us-snubs-canada.html

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu gets an order from "pretty high up" not to even get a photo op with Jim Prentice.

The Cop 15 talks produced a result which many found dissapointing, and it is clear that the only leadership Harper showed at the Cop was leading Canada to another fossil of the year award. If our biggest trading parter is ignoring us when it comes to the environment, which will be the lynchpin of the 21st century economy, what does that say about the Conservatives ability to manage a 21st century economy?

The North and Climate Change

I attended quite an interesting talk the other day at Copenhagen, one with particular relevance to Canada: A discussion on Climate Change and how it is hitting the Arctic. It drew some big names; the foreign ministers of Denmark and Norway, the Premier of Greenland, the Danish minister of the environment, a special UN Envoy, and former US President Al Gore.

While the discussion itself was great and informative, it was also in a way bittersweet. It was great to learn about the efforts that nations like Denmark and Norway are undertaking to tackle climate change and build green economies, but somewhat depressing to see how far Canada is getting left in the dust. The risks of climate change run highest in the North, yet Canada is a laggard, and it is a supreme irony that the Tories, who paint themselves as the party of national security and economic stability, are displaying a huge lack of leadership by putting the future of our economy and national security at risk by not taking on climate change as a serious issue.

The Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs in particular gave a great speech, calling for a "green growth path", focusing on sustainable development of the north, investing in clean energies and cleaner energy extraction, and more use of renewable resources. As someone who considers themselves an eco-capitalist and a supporter of green market liberalism, this made me happy to hear that the Danish government was supporting an agenda, similar to Premier McGuinty in Ontario, that views the environment both as something to be protected, but something that can help create jobs and lasting sustainable growth.

Overall, it was a very informative talk that gave me lots to think about and lots of things I wished the government was doing to help our economy and security. Canada responded to the crisis of the Cold War with the invention of peacekeeping, we must now respond to the crisis o climate change with similar innovation.

McGuinty shows leadership in India on green technology

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/12/12/12130206-sun.html

This isn't happening in Copenhagen, but it certainly has gotten tounges wagging here in a positive way. Canada unsuprisingly doesn't have the greatest reputation here, but McGuinty's actions have really got people saying "Hey, some Canadians do get it." The $1.1 billion in green tech deals McGuinty has gotten from India demonstrates the viability of a green market economy, creating the jobs of the 21st century for Ontario. This is a billion dollars Tim Hudak and Stephen Harper don't want Ontario to have, since it undermines Tory talking points on how a green economy is impossible. A green market economy is the only way Ontario's economy is going to move forward, and Canadians as a whole deserve strong Liberal leadership, both provincially and federally, creating the economy of tomorrow.

As a Canadian in Copenhagen, thank you Premier McGuinty, you're helping to change people's minds here by showing leadership on the climate change issue.

Numbers don't lie: Tories doing pork-barrel politics in Nova Scotia and beyond

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1147364.html

It should come as no shock that the Chronicle Herald is reporting that in Nova Scotia, stimulus money is pouring overwhelmingly into Tory held ridings:

More money — $162 million — is being spent in those three Tory ridings than in Nova Scotia’s other eight ridings put together...Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s riding of Central Nova is the big winner, with $87.7 million in stimulus money, 13 times as much as the $6.6 million being spent in Dartmouth, held by a Liberal. In fact, Mr. MacKay’s riding received more money than all five Liberal ridings in the province combined...

If the $322 million in federal stimulus funding so far announced were divided evenly among Nova Scotia’s 11 federal ridings, each riding would get $29 million. Central Nova is receiving about three times that much, while Dartmouth has received only a fourth of that amount...

The metro Halifax ridings — which lacked Conservative representation at either the federal or provincial level — got the smallest amounts of money, except for Halifax, which benefited from university infrastructure spending...

And further down the line:

Two large funding commitments in Tory ridings weren’t added to the list because they were not made under the Economic Action Plan. They are $66 million in funding for CFB Greenwood, including a new recreation centre, in Conservative MP Greg Kerr’s riding of West Nova, and $12 million for a new recreation centre in Pictou County, in Mr. MacKay’s riding...

Several similar projects in opposition-held ridings have been unable to get federal money even though they, unlike the Pictou County centre, have firm funding commitments from the provincial and municipal governments.

One of the Tory talking points when confronted with objective facts that money is flowing more into Tory held ridings is that Tory ridings tend have higher unemployment, so they need more funding.

Of course, the information gathered by the Chronicle Herald and census data clash with this. According to Pundits' Gude, the riding in Nova Scotia with the highest unemployment rate is Syndey-Victoria, a Liberal held riding, yet it has collected barely 1/3rd of the money that Central Nova, the seat of cabinet minister Peter MacKay has, $33 million compared with $83 million, despite having the 8th highest unemployment rate in the country. Going down the list, the riding with the second highest unemployment rate, and thus according to the Tory talking point, the most deserving of funding, is Cape Breton-Casnio, with the 10th highest unemployment rate, yet it has, according to the Chronicle Herald, received a relatively paltry $18 million. West Nova, a Tory held riding with an unemployment rate over 4 points lower than Cape Breton-Casnio, has received $41 million.

Here are some province-wide numbers, again using Pundits' Guide:

Average unemployment rate in Liberal ridings in Nova Scotia: 10.5%

Average unemployment rate in Conservative ridings in Nova Scotia: 10.4%

So as you can see, Liberal and Conservative ridings on average have virtual the same unemployment rate. Lets compare that to the number of projects on average in Liberal vs. Tory ridings, and the amount of spending calculated by the Chronicle Herald:

Average number of projects and spending in Liberal held ridings in Nova Scotia: 18, and $16 million

Average number of projects and spending in Conservative held ridings in Nova Scotia: 38 and $54 million

This extends beyond Nova Scotia obviously. According to the Status of Infrastructure Funding Report by Gerard Kennedy, in Ontario, of 10 ridings which recieved the most funding, 6 were Tory held, and 5 of those 6 were held by either cabinet ministers of the Parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister. Indeed, Carleton-Mississipi Mills, home of cabinet minister Gordon O' Connor recieved more money than the Liberal held Mississauga East-Cooksville, despite Mississauga East-Cooksville having an unemployment rate almost twice as high. Tory arguments that Tory ridings get more funding on average because of they are larger and rural and need more money are also debunked, as the Tory held riding of Oakville, a suburban riding of 83 square km, got $10 million more than Liberal held Guelph a demographically similar riding at 92 square km. It's also worth noting that the different between Guelph's and Oakville's unemployment rate is 0.2%. Additionally, John Baird's suburban Ottawa West-Nepean district of 88 square km got almost as much spending as Guelph, despite OW-N having almost half the unemployment rate as Guelph.

The numbers don't lie: If you don't live in a blue riding, Stephen Harper just doesn't care.

Can someone tell me what Lisa Raitt can do right?

First we had the awful "sexy" isotopes comments, then we had the illegal use of Toronto Port Authority materials to promote a partisan event, and now we have this:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Ottawa+spends+millions+high+ethanol+vehicles+that+emissions/2062005/story.html

The Conservatives and Lisa Raitt as Natural Resources minister have wasted millions of taxpayer dollars trying in vain to promote high-ethanol vehicles that have none nothing to actually help either the Canadian auto industry or the environment:

...government officials have warned Raitt that giving automakers credits toward new fuel efficiency standards by making cars that can use environmentally friendly E85 fuel will not actually reduce emissions because those cars will never actually use the "green" fuel and will continue to use regular gasoline.

"The point the document is making is fairly straightforward - promoting E85 has no environmental benefits," said Matthew Bramley, climate change director for the advocacy group Pembina Institute....

The Conservative government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars subsidizing the production of ethanol or offering rebates to consumers to buy E85 vehicles.
"The chance for reducing emissions through changing fuels is very limited at best," said Bramley.

The federal government has spent millions of dollars on rebates to consumers who buy FFVs and are allowing carmakers to earn special "green" credits for manufacturing FFVs - even though there are just four gas stations in the country that sell the special E85 blend

Of course, the Conservatives could have actually invested in cleaner, greener auto manufacturing and new technologies to both help Canada build a more environmentally sustainable manufacturing sector and give us a leg up in the restructuring of the global economy, but why do that when you can throw money at Tory friends in the ethanol lobby and twiddle your thumbs? Can anyone tell me why Lisa Raitt is still in cabinet other than Harper wanting a token female voice from the GTA?

Why party in-fighting is a bad thing

Here is the front page of National Newswatch right now:


On the left, articles outlying Ignatieff's economic plans in a fairly good light, and Ignatieff delivering some solid policy, something he has previous been criticized for not delievering enough of (and not just outside the party). On the right, 3 articles about party in-fighting. No bets on which set of articles gets more hits. Tous Ensemble, anyone?