Mr. Speaker, the knocking we are hearing is the Minister of Finance's knees beneath his desk.
Yesterday, I met Cecil Clarke, the mayor of Sydney, Nova Scotia. I asked him about how much federal money he was going to get this year. The answer was, “I don't know.”
Federal infrastructure has been cut by 90%. In Cape Breton that means no money last year, no money the year before, nothing, not a penny from Ottawa.
Cape Breton needs a federal partner. It is looking for $60 million to remediate the harbour and $450 million for a new water plant. What does it get from this minister? Nothing. He is afraid to answer questions.
That city, and every city across the country, needs an answer. Where is the budget? Where is the money? Where is the commitment? Get it here now.