CENL, in an effort to keep Canadians informed, is now posting some of the financial give aways the liberals are signing off on, in an attempt to buy the next election.
In the past weeks alone the Liberal Government has announced over 70 new projects. Some estimates put the spending spree currently underway at between $100 and $200 million dollars a day since Paul Martin addressed the nation.
We will never be able to list them all, but from now until the election call, we will be updating this article whenever new items come to light. Feel free to send us any you might hear about and we'll add them to what we expect to be a quickly growing list.
Check back often for updates. Here we go, let the money flow:
Late April - Liberals cut deal with NDP worth in excess of $4.6 billion. This deal buys NDP support to prolong the election call and softens the Liberal image in the eyes of many by including money for low income housing and lower tuition fees for post secondary education, pension fund protection, an increase in the gas tax rebate for municipalities and more for foreign aid. Something to buy votes from just about everyone.
Late April - Liberals announce 1.2 billion under various infrastructure initiatives in Quebec. Including money for Highway improvements. This must be to help the folks in Quebec get to the polling stations and vote Bloc.
Late April - Liberals announce $25 million and $60 million for Toronto Film Festival and Parks respectively. That should help buy a few hundred yuppies.
Friday May 6 - Liberals announce $510 million in research grants - $5.4 million of this was announced for distribution in NL by John Efford on May 9th in an attempt to help him buy his seat. $13.2 million is slated for Manitoba. I wonder if Manitoba has double the number of seats contained in NL? Oh wait, they do: 14 vs. 7
Friday May 6 - $6.3 million for crime prevention initiatives in Quebec.
Friday May 6 - Liberals sign provide Ontario with $1.8 billion in day care funding over 5 years, ($272 million to be available this year). In fact in the past couple of weeks they have signed day care deals with Ontario, Manitoba and Sask. All contingent on the current budget being passed.
Friday May 6 - $230 million U.S. in high risk loans to two Delta Airlines subsideries so they can purchase planes from Bombardier. This brings this type of loans to Delta and up to around the $2 billion mark. All in support of Bombardier.
Saturday May 7 - Liberals announce $5.8 billion to placate Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty with regard to his arguments over Federal Transfer embalances and soften up vote rich Ontario.
Monday May 9 - Liberals announce $200 million for a joint transit system project in conjunction with the government of Ontario and the city of Ottawa.
Monday May 9 - Liberals announce $8 Billion in rent reductions for the nation's airports.
Tuesday May 10 - According to an article published today in the Ottawa Citizen, Liberal election spending has now reached a staggering $22.3 billion in the 18 days since Paul Martin addressed the nation on national television. This equates to $1.24 billion a day with no signs of slowing down. I think we have a new record.
Tuesday May 10 - Ralph Goodale announces $4 million for neighbourhood renewal programs in Regina, Sask. This money is to be provided through multiple government agencies.
Friday May 13 - Prime Minister Paul Martin and Social Development Minister Ken Dryden today ink a $100 million dollar 5 year child care deal with the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. This, like all the rest is contingent on the Liberal budget passing. According to reports, the money is intended to provide higher quality child care facilities and to provide raises to child care workers. Way to go guys, dangle the carrot of wage increases in front of some of the most underpaid in our society so you can get a few more votes.
Friday May 13 - Liberals announce $262.5 million to aid Bombardier in building a new plane. With all the money spent on this company in the past decade, the government could probably have purchased a real company like Lockheed-Martin outright.
Saturday May 14 - Liberals announce $300 million for Saskatchewan to go to several uses including education, labour development and city infrastructure projects.
Monday May 16 - Paul Martin signs $137 million dollar child care deal with Nova Scotia.
I think the fishermen should just get back to work. They think they own the province. They don't. A lot of people are getting hurt here. Now they are splitting ranks and some are going to sea to sell to NS. How do they think the small boat fishermen and plant workers are going to survive
ReplyDeleteSadly this Liberal tactic, which they employ everytime there's an election looming, will probably work. And it will work because of the money being given too voters in Ontario. This parliementary systems of ours is a joke. One or provinces in this confederation can basically dictate who the government for the rest of us will be, and there isn't much we can do about it.
ReplyDeleteHere we have a government being exposed as corrupt. The opposition is gearing up to take them down (and rightfully so), so they go on a spending spree to buy votes without caring how obvious it looks and Ontario voters are probably still going to let them have the keys to 24 Sussex Drive.
It makes no sense.
I think you are absolutely right Wince. Its a great choice we have:
ReplyDelete1 party that is obviously corrupt
another party with a leader that comes off like a closet nazi and a third party that has about as much chance of forming the government as an austin mini full of circus clowns (no comparison to the party itself intended except for their chances)
OH Canada!!!
Buy your way into trouble and buy your way out. Typical. By the time this government is replaced we'll either be very happy Candians or very broke Canadians. I'm not sure which. Maybe both.
ReplyDeleteFriday, May 13. All the big guys (Martin, Efford, etc.) are heading to good old NL today. Looks like another attempt to buy some votes is on the way.
ReplyDeleteOn the election spending issue, what about the bi-election in Labrador. The Conservatives are offering to setup a quick response squadron of 750 military personnel at 5 Wing Goose while the Liberals are offering to spend $20 million to upgrade the runway there.
ReplyDeleteI've got news for Paul Martin, you can spend $20 billion if you want too, but what good is a runway if there is nobody around to use it. Everytime there is an election, the Libranos pull that cat out of the bag. What 5 Wing Goose needs is a base with personnel and equipement, not just money. Sh## or get off the pot!!!
This disgusts me on so many levels. It has been nearly four months since Martin promised Newfoundland our fair share of our oil and we still have not seen a cent of that, which has us lossing millions a day.
ReplyDeleteNow Martin rolls into town and commits hundreds of millions for child care. SHOW US THE MONEY FIRST!!!
It is very sad and at the same time funny what the Liberals have been doing for the past month. The problem that I have is that as much as I would like to get rid of Martin and the rest of the Liberal Mafia who else is there to vote for??? Stephen Harper and the rest of the Conservatives are an extension of the Bush administration, The NDP seem OK, but will never come into power and the Bloc can kiss my ass with their tounge out...
I couldn't agree more MrChills. I also have HUGE reservations about the Conservatives and Stephen Harper, but what choice do we have. The only thing we can hope for is that the members of the party who used to belong to the old PC party can keep the group from sliding even further from center.
ReplyDelete