Dion Gets Warm Welcome in Calgary

[jdobbin]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...y/National/home

Mr. Dion said a Liberal government will develop a 20-year strategy to deal with Canada's infrastructure deficit.

However, he said he disagreed with the municipalities' call for 1 per cent of the GST to be given to local governments.

Mr. Dion would rather see that $5.5-billion put towards dealing with child poverty.

Mr. Dion got a noticeably warmer reception from delegates than Prime Minister Harper, who addressed the conference Friday, despite Calgary being Harper's hometown.

Some other delegates to the conference were less that impressed with Harper's appearance.

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/220839

Toronto Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker was much less diplomatic. "I was embarrassed. I thought I had wasted my time," he said. "I thought I had come to hear the prime minister of Canada speak, and wasted 45 minutes of my life. There was nothing there, just absolutely nothing there."

[fellowtraveller]

I do not believe a single word printed by the Star , when the subject is Canadian politics.

The Grope and Flail is marginally better.

Let's see what sort of reception Dion gets in Calgary at the next election.

[Michael Bluth]

I do not believe a single word printed by the Star , when the subject is Canadian politics.

The Grope and Flail is marginally better.

Let's see what sort of reception Dion gets in Calgary at the next election.

The title of this thread is pretty misleading. Surprise, surprise.

Remember the group Dion was speaking to was lead by Jack Layton until Jacko jumped to federal politics.

Probably a group whose politics aren't representative of Calgarians as a whole.

[jdobbin]

I do not believe a single word printed by the Star , when the subject is Canadian politics.

The Grope and Flail is marginally better.

Let's see what sort of reception Dion gets in Calgary at the next election.

How about the National Post news service?

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics...11902fa&k=70717

The minister told delegates to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference Saturday that Ottawa is still working on a coast-to-coast policy to develop urban transit systems, something FCM members have been demanding.

But many mayors said they were disappointed Cannon gave them no concrete federal funding figures.

"There's no new money and the money that does exist seems to be coming from the provinces," Toronto Mayor David Miller said.

"The people of a city have a right to make their own decisions about the infrastructure they need. To do that, money needs to flow directly to cities."

Cannon said the federal government is providing $33 billion for infrastructure projects over the next seven years and has begun to negotiate agreements with provincial and territorial governments.

"Once these agreements are in place, we can then discuss priorities and funding..." the minister said in his speech.

Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier, meanwhile, isn't waiting for Ottawa to open its wallet. He said he's exploring new ways for the city to fund crucial infrastructure projects - including revenue bonds, revenue sharing and tax-exempt bonds - which would eliminate some of the need to go begging to other levels of government.

I guess the alternative to this is to read the Tory website for honest news of how successful the Tory urban policy was.

[Michael Bluth]

How about the National Post news service?

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics...11902fa&k=70717

Your quote doesn't say anything about Dion getting a warm reception.

[runningdog]

I do not believe a single word printed by the Star , when the subject is Canadian politics.

The Grope and Flail is marginally better.

Let's see what sort of reception Dion gets in Calgary at the next election.

How about the National Post news service?

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics...11902fa&k=70717

The minister told delegates to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference Saturday that Ottawa is still working on a coast-to-coast policy to develop urban transit systems, something FCM members have been demanding.

But many mayors said they were disappointed Cannon gave them no concrete federal funding figures.

"There's no new money and the money that does exist seems to be coming from the provinces," Toronto Mayor David Miller said.

"The people of a city have a right to make their own decisions about the infrastructure they need. To do that, money needs to flow directly to cities."

Cannon said the federal government is providing $33 billion for infrastructure projects over the next seven years and has begun to negotiate agreements with provincial and territorial governments.

"Once these agreements are in place, we can then discuss priorities and funding..." the minister said in his speech.

Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier, meanwhile, isn't waiting for Ottawa to open its wallet. He said he's exploring new ways for the city to fund crucial infrastructure projects - including revenue bonds, revenue sharing and tax-exempt bonds - which would eliminate some of the need to go begging to other levels of government.

""I guess the alternative to this is to read the Tory website for honest news of how successful the Tory urban policy was.""

What?? You go other places than the Conservative website to find factual information about our New Government?? Why shop anywhere else?.......

[jdobbin]

What?? You go other places than the Conservative website to find factual information about our New Government?? Why shop anywhere else?.......

I think the Tory website is currently saying that Harper will be the leader at the G8 meeting that is the best looking. Probably courtesy of his make-up artist.

[Keepitsimple]

People should understand that Cities fall under the juristiction of the Provinces, according to the Constitution. Harper and the Conservatives have always maintained that they believe in the Constitution and respect the Provinces' domain. If money is to flow from Ottawa, it should flow through the provinces. Over and above the fact that the Conservatives respect the Constitution, it makes a good deal of senses bacause it's more than just Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal - there are many, many cities with populations over 50,000 and the Provinces are the ones who are best positioned to dole out the money - some originating from Provincial taxpayers and some from the Feds.

[jdobbin]

People should understand that Cities fall under the juristiction of the Provinces, according to the Constitution. Harper and the Conservatives have always maintained that they believe in the Constitution and respect the Provinces' domain. If money is to flow from Ottawa, it should flow through the provinces. Over and above the fact that the Conservatives respect the Constitution, it makes a good deal of senses bacause it's more than just Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal - there are many, many cities with populations over 50,000 and the Provinces are the ones who are best positioned to dole out the money - some originating from Provincial taxpayers and some from the Feds.

I suppose Harper could take up that policy. He hasn't though.

[Alexandra]

Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier was on a crusade yesterday to sell the feds on creative ways to get sorely needed infrastructure dollars flowing more quickly.

Tax-exempt revenue bonds, for example, could entice people to invest in the community and help fund projects from new roads to LRT extensions, he said at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2007/0...230280-sun.html

At least Bronco is suggesting/creating productive solutions to the infrastructure funding for his City.

Bronconnier's comments arrived on the heels of an announcement by federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon, who unveiled plans for a national urban transit strategy pushed by big-city mayors during Thursday's sessions.

Bronconnier, who met with Cannon later in the day, said the minister was open to looking at creative cash-generating solutions to solve chronic infrastructure woes.

It is noted the Mayor of Toronto and the Mayors of the cities of those 'Have Not' Provinces such as Winnipeg, etc. have not come up with any solution to their infrastructure financing other than, as Miller of Toronto complained, ...."the monies should come directly to the cities ..." from the Feds, of course.

Miller and the other 'have not' Mayors should perhaps take another long, hard, look at their spending and budget for their new Green Environment - smog reduction - programs. It's called innovation. What a novelty.

`

[geoffrey]

At least Bronco is suggesting/creating productive solutions to the infrastructure funding for his City.

Bronco's whining is just an annoyance now. When he becomes a leader and takes responsibility for the situations he has created, then maybe I'll considering him more than that.

Right now though, he just seems to think that every other level of government owes him something... realistically we have a reasonably low property tax rate for a city our size. If he needs money, raise taxes and let's see if Calgarians think he's spending our money wisely.

I think many will find he is not.

[jdobbin]

It is noted the Mayor of Toronto and the Mayors of the cities of those 'Have Not' Provinces such as Winnipeg, etc. have not come up with any solution to their infrastructure financing other than, as Miller of Toronto complained, ...."the monies should come directly to the cities ..." from the Feds, of course.

Miller and the other 'have not' Mayors should perhaps take another long, hard, look at their spending and budget for their new Green Environment - smog reduction - programs. It's called innovation. What a novelty.

It should be noted that cities like Winnipeg have been forbidden from raising money from anything other than property and few other areas by the province. Every innovative idea has been rejected and the provincial government has all the legal power to bully the city as "municipalities are creatures of the provinces" according to the constitution.