BURLINGTON- Prior to meeting with the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Liberal Finance Critic John McCallum stopped by one of the city’s announced federal Infrastructure Stimulus Fund projects only to find no shovels in the ground.
“Canada is in a jobs crisis, yet Stephen Harper has missed his opportunity to create the new jobs we need,” said Mr. McCallum. “Jim Flaherty said that these projects had to be going within 120 days after the budget in order to stimulate the economy. 211 days later, at the end of summer construction season, the budget has been an abject failure.”
McCallum stopped by the park at Dundas Street and Kerns Road to view the progress that had been made with the $2.3 million promised by the Conservatives to develop it. There was no evidence of any construction.
“Stephen Harper is obviously stuck. He said back in early June that 80% of the Economic Action Plan was already implemented,” said Mr. McCallum. “But millions of Canadians are scratching their heads wondering why they can’t see any of it actually happening.”
Liberal Infrastructure Critic Gerard Kennedy has been phoning across the country to determine the status of hundreds of announced infrastructure projects. Mr. Kennedy’s research shows that out of the eight projects announced under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund for Burlington, only two have actually started the construction phase.
”Instead of creating jobs in Burlington, the only job that Stephen Harper cares about is his own,” said Mr. McCallum. “By choosing to dole out projects for political gain instead of using the fast, efficient gas tax transfer method advocated by the Liberals, projects that could be underway and creating jobs are stalled. We can do better.”
According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities infrastructure calculator, a formula also used by the Conservatives, had the projects all been underway they would have created 300 jobs in Burlington.
-30-
Contact:
Office of the Hon. John McCallum
(613) 996-3374
