Politics

 

October 13, 2009  
VIDEO GALLERY
PHOTO GALLERIES
COMMENT ON A STORY
ACROSS CANADA
WORLD WATCH
LATEST BREAKING NEWS
WEIRD NEWS
CRIME
POLITICS
DAILY FEATURE
MEDIA NEWS
SCIENCE
GREEN NEWS
GOOD NEWS
TECHNOLOGY
Sun Papers
Columnists
Lotteries
Weather
RSS Feed
Do MPs spend too much time Tweeting?
Yes
No
I don't care


Results | Story


Tory MP scoffs at 'pork barrel' charge
By KEVIN LAJOIE, SUN MEDIA
The Ottawa Sun
Bookmark and Share

CORNWALL -- National Conservative caucus chair and MP Guy Lauzon is dismissing claims the recent wave of federal infrastructure stimulus funding was doled out favouring funding for Conservative-held ridings.

In a recent report scrutinizing infrastructure spending, Liberal MP Gerard Kennedy suggests funding was disproportionately distributed between Conservative-held and opposition ridings.

RECEIVED MORE

In several provinces, the report indicates, Conservative ridings received an average of $3-$4 million more under the communities component of the Building Canada Fund -- the same fund which has provided $9.2 million for Cornwall's multi-sports centre. Meanwhile, under the $500-million Recreational Infrastructure Canada program, 18 of the top 20 Ontario ridings by number of projects are held by Conservatives, the report states. Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry and North Glengarry-Prescott-Russell are both on the list with 15 and 16 projects each, which is about two times higher than the provincial average.

"Even those Canadians in areas that might disproportionately benefit are undoubtedly troubled to know that scarce government funds, borrowed to help Canada recover at a time of need, are not being fairly shared. Old-style political 'pork barrel' funding is offensive to Canadians today," writes Kennedy.

Lauzon rejects the premise of Kennedy's report, saying the Liberals are trying to create a political controversy.

"They're just trying to come up with any excuse for an election," said Lauzon.

Lauzon said funding eligibility was dependent on a municipality putting forward a funding request.






Environment C-Health Galleries