Transport Committee on Feb. 10th, 2009

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

There are only 2 billion dollars a year.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Perhaps you could launch a greater number of small projects which will be more profitable for communities, rather than a big project in a big city that will never end.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

It will be difficult to launch big projects in a two-year timeframe. If you want to complete a project in 25 months, that will be difficult. I'd like to emphasize that this is only for small projects.We are not discussing new subways to the tune of $1 or $2 billion. The money will probably be used for small projects that will start as quickly as possible and can also be quickly completed.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you, but we must never forget that it is always the same taxpayer who is paying.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

The mayor of Toronto said that he had no money. I consulted the reports of the City of Toronto and saw that that city had not spent $200 million last year. That would be a starting point.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you very much, Mr. Gaudet.

Ms. Hoeppner.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

We could talk about it. I agree with you.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

If you have some ideas for Montreal, I can certainly listen to them. I have already heard the ideas of some of your colleagues.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It's a vigorous discussion, I'm sure, but it is Ms. Hoeppner's turn.

Ms. Hoeppner.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank Minister Merrifield and Minister Baird for being here. As a new member of Parliament, I feel very privileged that I can ask you some questions and get some specific answers, so thank you for being here.

I represent the riding of Portage—Lisgar. It's a riding located in southern Manitoba. I also really appreciate the support of the people in Portage—Lisgar. I want to make that clear. They're a very hard-working group of people who seem to tackle problems head-on. I've been touring the riding over the past few months. It's a riding made up of numerous municipalities and small towns. I've had an opportunity to speak with many of the mayors, the reeves, and the councillors, and I find that these are people who work full time, they run businesses, they have jobs, maybe they run farms, and then in their off time they're helping their municipalities to succeed.

Can you expand and let me know how you've been working together with municipalities and provinces in coming to some of the decisions regarding the funding for infrastructure for municipalities?

[Rob Merrifield, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

I can take a run at this.

I also come from the kind of community and riding that's full of small towns and full of volunteerism. Also, I'm directly responsible for Alberta infrastructure, so I know of similar concerns that you would have in your community.

When it comes to the community component, we're accelerating it as quickly as we possibly can so that the municipalities, together with the provinces, together with us--it's sort of a follow-up on some on the dialogue that was happening--are all working together, because it's the same taxpayer base. We work together for communities and leverage as much money as we can to stimulate our economy, put Canadians to work, and build infrastructure that will sustain us into the future. If we do it smart, we'll do it in a way that will put us at the leading edge not only of infrastructure but of competitiveness into the 21st century. I think that is the goal of every small community. Every mayor I talk to wants the same thing, every provincial MLA wants the same sort of thing, and we certainly do.

We want to streamline these moneys so that we can get them out. To be honest, we're not too happy with it being as slow as it has been. That's why Minister Baird has gone to the lengths that he has done to streamline navigable waters, environmental studies, as well as some of the processes in place. It's so that these moneys can actually achieve that goal. It's not easy, but we're getting tremendous cooperation from our mayors, MLAs, and provincial counterparts.

Actually, we met in Vancouver with all the western provinces. It was a very productive meeting, with all of us on the same page. Municipalities as well as the provinces were all working as Canadians should work, which is with the ultimate goal of getting ourselves out of this situation and coming through it in as positive a way as we possibly can.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I'll have to interrupt. I know the minister was fairly tightly scheduled, and the hour is up. There's been a request to ask you to stay, but I know you have other obligations.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I have a meeting with a premier from northern Canada.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Perhaps we can bring you back to this committee at a future date. I'm sure there'll be lots of discussion to be had.

Mr. Volpe.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, with all due respect and with deference to the northern premier, I was wondering whether both ministers have to be at that meeting. We really only want both of them for another 15 minutes, but if one has to leave, could the other one could stay? Is that a possibility, or are you a team?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I was advised that they were both available for this one hour.

[Rob Merrifield, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Yes, for one hour, as I have an obligation that follows.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I think what we'll do is put out an invitation to return at another date.

I do thank you for your time today. I know there's a lot more infrastructure and transportation questions.

If I may, committee, we can go through the clause-by-clause. If we don't, it will be deemed agreed on Thursday. Do we want to do clause-by-clause or just let it go?

Mr. Volpe.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

As a point of order, I just wanted to make a slight correction while the official is still at the table.

Monsieur Grégoire probably heard me refer to him as Monsieur Gagnon, as somebody I knew really well. I want to be Shakespearean with him for a moment, if you don't mind; that is, a rose by any other name must surely smell as sweet.

So Monsieur Grégoire, even though somebody put something on my tongue, obviously I still think highly of an official who gets beaten up every time he comes here.

[Marc Grégoire]

Apology accepted.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you, everyone.

We will let this go back to the House, where it will be deemed reported and accepted on Thursday. I would like to acknowledge that on Thursday, February 12, we will reverse the order of what we were going to do today. We will have a subcommittee meeting--a notice will be sent out to the members of that committee--where we will plan the future business. We have a break week and then we'll come back and have everything in place for the committee to work.

Are there any other comments?

[An hon. member]

Have we voted on this?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It'll be deemed voted whether we do or we don't. It's your call.

[Gerard Kennedy, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Will it be deemed voted even if we vote against it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It'll be reported without amendment.

Are there comments?