Finance Committee on Oct. 20th, 2009

[Catherine Kloepfer]

You are speaking of the press release from Minister Day?

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Yes.

[Catherine Kloepfer]

There were several projects listed. There was CentrePort Canada Way, Port of Churchill, Hudson's Bay Railway rehabilitation, Emerson Highway 75—there is a whole bunch of them—the Trans-Canada Highway and Yellowhead Highway interchange, and then as well there was this task force.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

So is there one here for Winnipeg?

[Catherine Kloepfer]

Yes, CentrePort Canada Way is the road connecting it.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

It's going to be in Winnipeg?

[Catherine Kloepfer]

Yes. Then as well there's the—

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

But that doesn't guarantee it's going to be a foreign trade zone.

[Catherine Kloepfer]

Correct. There's a task force that has been established with a number of representatives from CRA, Transport Canada, etc.—

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Where would the favoured area be? Probably Winnipeg?

[Catherine Kloepfer]

Yes. My understanding is that this particular task force is focusing on setting up a free trade foreign trade zone for CentrePort Canada.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Great. Thank you.

Mr. Dobrowolski, in terms of the new stimulus program and your membership, how has the money been flowing? Has your membership been able to get money from the new stimulus fund?

[Doug Dobrowolski]

Yes. There has been quite a bit out, but there's still a concern about some of the rules. There was a delay in getting some of the okays to get started. As you know, there is the March 31, 2011, deadline, so there's concern about the completion of these projects, but the money is getting out.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

In terms of the number of projects requesting funding, how many would have been approved?

[Doug Dobrowolski]

There were 300-and-some projects that went in from Manitoba and 52 were approved.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Of the 52, how many would have started?

[Doug Dobrowolski]

I would say 60%. I'm guessing.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Which projects are ready to go?

[Doug Dobrowolski]

There are water and sewer projects, some street repairs have been done, and there are some other recreation facilities that are starting to go.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Why would 240-odd not be accepted? Lack of funding?

[Doug Dobrowolski]

We do not have a seat at the table. We weren't privy to any of the applications, as we were in previous infrastructure programs, so I can't answer that.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you.

From the nurses' association, Ms. Neufeld, I think in your second recommendation you're asking for money for nursing science research.

We had the medical people in yesterday and they sort of requested a similar amount also for research and innovation. Would you be against working with the medical association? How does that work? Would there be two separate funds, one doing research for nurses exclusively and one doing research for doctors?

[Kaaren Neufeld]

We are requesting a specific fund for nursing research. It is important for us to be able to build up the capacity within our universities across this country to conduct nursing research. There is an important point in building programs of research that can then move forward and show that nursing innovation contributes to efficiencies and effectiveness within the system as well. We certainly work collaboratively with physicians, but it is a different type of research, and I think it's important—

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

So there wouldn't be any duplication, then?

[Kaaren Neufeld]

No, I believe it is two separate funds and two separate streams.