Auditor General Praises Economic Action Plan

[Keepitsimple]

One of the largest undertakings in the history of Canada has been deemed a success by the Auditor General. The opposition has been criticizing the plan's execution since the start, salivating over the prospect of having it fail. Instead, it has been a good example of what governments can do when their backs are against the wall. This is not only a success for the Federal government - but also the Provincial and municipal governments who bought into the plan and helped to pull it off. Good job Canada.

Sheila Fraser's praise is a hard-won thing. That's why Canadians familiar with the Auditor-General's scathing reports on government waste and mismanagement should pay attention to her plaudits for the federal government's stimulus package. Her findings point to a case example of how accountable, high-performing government officials can quickly launch major public works projects.

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/sheila-fraser-offers-a-rare-fragrant-bouquet/article1773923/

Edited October 27, 2010 by Keepitsimple

[PIK]

Means nothing , most papers will report heavy on the mess the helecopters are in.

[Keepitsimple]

Means nothing , most papers will report heavy on the mess the helecopters are in.

.....and that's the shame of it. Collectively, all government levels have pulled together to do something that is an amazing accomplishment......and your quote sums up the apathy (or partisanship) of the media...."it means nothing".

Edited October 27, 2010 by Keepitsimple

[William Ashley]

One of the largest undertakings in the history of Canada has been deemed a success by the Auditor General. The opposition has been criticizing the plan's execution since the start, salivating over the prospect of having it fail. Instead, it has been a good example of what governments can do when their backs are against the wall. This is not only a success for the Federal government - but also the Provincial and municipal governments who bought into the plan and helped to pull it off. Good job Canada.

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/sheila-fraser-offers-a-rare-fragrant-bouquet/article1773923/

She is entitled to her opinion - I am not in the opinion the funds were spent properly after the projects I personally encountered including thinning out a public park of its older larger trees - that is not economically stimulating activity. I do favour productivity over inaction - and that is good - but the money ought to have been put into return capital projects positive ROI projects not naught.

Perhaps there was something behind the local harvest that actually did help but I fail to see it. As harvesting trees in the middle of a 300,000 person city doesn't seem normative - the question of what happened to them is all that remains.

Edited October 27, 2010 by William Ashley

[Michael Hardner]

I think this needs to get more attention. As has been pointed out, the small good-news stories are more important than the giant scandals.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

I think this needs to get more attention. As has been pointed out, the small good-news stories are more important than the giant scandals.

I think the scandals are worth hearing about. Every damned penny should have been a good news story!

[ToadBrother]

One of the largest undertakings in the history of Canada has been deemed a success by the Auditor General. The opposition has been criticizing the plan's execution since the start, salivating over the prospect of having it fail. Instead, it has been a good example of what governments can do when their backs are against the wall. This is not only a success for the Federal government - but also the Provincial and municipal governments who bought into the plan and helped to pull it off. Good job Canada.

It's a success for Parliament. The Tories were dragged into it kicking and screaming. Or more to the point, the GG ordered Harper to play nice with the Opposition, and the stimulus package stems from that. In other words, we can thank Madame Jean.

[Keepitsimple]

It's a success for Parliament. The Tories were dragged into it kicking and screaming. Or more to the point, the GG ordered Harper to play nice with the Opposition, and the stimulus package stems from that. In other words, we can thank Madame Jean.

As I said in my initial post - it's more than just a success for Ottawa. It's a colaborative success between the Federal Government who provided the vision and funding, the provinces who fairly allocated funding to municipalities, and the municipalities themselves who selected the projects to be worked on. There's always things to nitpick but it was a mammoth undertaking that deserves kudos to all participants.

[ToadBrother]

As I said in my initial post - it's more than just a success for Ottawa. It's a colaborative success between the Federal Government who provided the vision and funding, the provinces who fairly allocated funding to municipalities, and the municipalities themselves who selected the projects to be worked on. There's always things to nitpick but it was a mammoth undertaking that deserves kudos to all participants.

Except it was Parliament, all of Parliament, that set the groundwork up. The Federal Government played its part, but only because the PM was basically ordered to. It seems he would much have played political games in November 2008.

[Keepitsimple]

Except it was Parliament, all of Parliament, that set the groundwork up. The Federal Government played its part, but only because the PM was basically ordered to. It seems he would much have played political games in November 2008.

What's your point? That's how minority Parliaments work....it doesn't matter if the Conservatives were somehow late to the party. The point is they accepted the will of Parliament and conceived and coordinated what has proven to be a very successful plan.....again - with the cooperation and hard work of the Provinces and Municipalities.

[ToadBrother]

What's your point? That's how minority Parliaments work....it doesn't matter if the Conservatives were somehow late to the party. The point is they accepted the will of Parliament and conceived and coordinated what has proven to be a very successful plan.....again - with the cooperation and hard work of the Provinces and Municipalities.

What matters is that you keep talking about the Government, when it was Parliament and the GG that made it happen. The GG by showing that Stephen Harper is only a Prime Minister, and Parliament by forcing the Tories to do what Canadians wanted.