Page
1
of
2
Brian Masse
MP/ DéputéWindsor West
May 4, 2009Minister of Transport Honourable John Baird, M. P.House of CommonsOttawa, ON K1A 0A6Dear Minister Baird,We are writing you today about the allocations of infrastructure funding, theprocess of approving particular municipal projects and the involvement of individual members of parliament interfering in the determination of federalspending.According to recent media reports (please find attached) the events surrounding theCity of Wind
sor’s proposed infrastructure funding requests have created significant
concern and consternation. At the last city council meeting held on Friday May 1,2009, a federal member of parliament who is a part of your caucus, Jeff Watson(Essex), claimed that the projects submitted would not meet the criteria of thefederal spending program even though they are for essential infrastructure needstaken from the capital budget the city had in place. These road, sewer and waterprojects included for example the underground retention basin to end sewageoverflows into the Detroit River. Additionally, Mr. Watson made a claim that thefederal government would guarantee funding for a project, the so-called marina-canal, which had not been vetted by the public or city council instead of the neededinfrastructure proposals.We are requesting that you detail the procedures and protocols for municipalitiessubmitting projects and state the criteria by which the determinations of thedepartment are made regarding which projects receive funding. It is deeplytroubling that the appearance of political interference by an individual member of parliament is allowed to take place in the allocation of federal spending.What may be more disturbing however is the insinuation that infrastructuredecisions are not being made by professionals at the department using clear andobjective standards but rather by individual members of parliament in the
Ottawa
Room 701 Justice BuildingHouse of CommonsOttawa ON K1A 0A6Tel: (613) 996-1541Fax:: ( 613) 992-5397masse.b@parl.gc.ca
Windsor
Plaza 300300 Tecumseh Road EastSuite 336Windsor ON N8X 5E8Tel: (519) 255-1631Fax::(519) 255-7913
HOUSE OF COMMONSCHAMBRE DES COMMUNES
Leave a Comment