That is a shameful accusation that the member cannot sustain outside, Mr. Speaker.
When the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs launched the new Building Canada fund on March 28, he said that the provinces and municipalities “may now apply”. Emphasis on the word “now”. However, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities website indicates that funding agreements with the provinces and territories have not been negotiated yet. Again, “not yet”.
How does the minister reconcile yesterday's “now” with today's “not yet”, which is jeopardizing the construction season? Last quarter, the construction sector posted its worst results in three years.