John Baird

[Infrastructure, June 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, he came up to thank me for the great projects we announced on Friday in the province of Ontario.

The president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities said this week, “The minister showed a commitment to cooperation and flexibility that will help keep the economic stimulus plan moving forward, create new jobs, and invest in the foundation of our economy and the quality of life”.

We announced in the province of Ontario just last week more than $3.4 billion worth of projects: a lot of jobs, a lot of hope, a lot of opportunity. The only thing standing in the way is the negativism of the NDP.

[Infrastructure, June 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are working very hard with our Quebec colleagues to ensure that jobs are created with our infrastructure investments.

It can be seen in the report released a few hours ago, that $210 million is going to small Quebec communities, $200 million to major cities, and $11 million to a project in Quebec City. There is a lot of good news for Quebec, with lots more to come.

[Public Transit, June 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, 425 municipalities around Ontario were able to fill out the one-page online application form properly. One did not. That is a fact.

We are committed to supporting public transit in the city of Toronto. That is why the Prime Minister has announced funding for the Spadina subway expansion. That is why we are supporting GO Transit in an unprecedented way. That is why the Minister of Finance is providing funding to help refurbish Union Station. That is why the Prime Minister of Canada stood with Premier Dalton McGuinty to put our money where our mouth is to support the Sheppard LRT line.

We are delivering for Toronto. We are getting the job done.

[Public Transit, June 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the member might have heard my answer to the question from the member for Don Valley West where I did just that.

When it comes to the Toronto Port Authority, it is very important that we put on the record that the member for Trinity—Spadina does not support the Toronto Island Airport. She does not support Porter Airlines. This government does, just as the previous Liberal government did.

We also support the thousands of construction workers at Bombardier who are building world-class airplanes which are being used at this airport. Step by step we are committed to getting the job done. All the smears from the member opposite will not improve the situation whatsoever.

[Public Transit, June 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the member opposite exactly when.

We did that when we announced more than a billion dollars to support the expansion of the Spadina subway. We did that when we invested a quarter of a million dollars in GO Transit. We did that when we announced in our budget support to refurbish Union Station. The Prime Minister did it two weeks ago when we committed to support the Sheppard line.

This government is making an unprecedented commitment to public transit in the city of Toronto, and the best is yet to come.

[Public Transit, June 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I was speaking out of frustration and I certainly expressed that. This morning I phoned Mayor Miller and apologized. The mayor and I both agreed to look to the future, to continue to build on the important investments that we need to make in public transit. We have committed to work with him over the next few weeks to make it happen.

[Infrastructure, June 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question.

We are continuing to work with the Province of Quebec to finalize agreements that will get projects off the ground.

In Quebec City yesterday, our colleague, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, announced an agreement with Quebec to invest over $2.75 billion in the province over the next two years. That money will create jobs now, tomorrow, and in the future.

Our government is taking action and getting real results, not just for Quebeckers, but for all Canadians.

[Infrastructure, June 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are certainly prepared to look at projects that would create jobs in Toronto. The member opposite is pushing a plan that would violate the commitment made by her leader to only have made in Canada infrastructure.

What I can tell her is we are investing and supporting the expansion of the Toronto Island airport, where there are new planes being built, made right in Toronto by Bombardier, made by Canadian auto workers, good paying jobs because they build a great product. They can count on the Government of Canada being there every step of the way to help them out.

[The Economy, June 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, if we look at the unprecedented investments made in every region of this country, it is indeed impressive.

We saw today the Minister of Public Works in Quebec announcing a deal where some $2.75 billion will be spent to help create jobs in the province of Quebec.

We are working very well with the member's premier in the province of Ontario, something that the member could never do. I see the Prime Minister working with the premier of Ontario providing leadership, making things happen and creating jobs. That is good news for this economy and that is good news for this country.

[Government Contracts, June 1st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are tremendously concerned and obviously want to ensure that all processes are followed and that the very best value will be made for the taxpayers. That is something we will continue to do.