Harper gov’t made $14 billion worth of commitments in six weeks before writ drop: report
Posted August 10, 2015 9:26 am.
Last Updated August 10, 2015 5:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – It appears the Harper government was handing out cheques like candy in the lead-up to the election.
The Hill Times did the math and reports in the six weeks leading up to the federal election call, the government made funding commitments worth $14 billion.
The Conservative party says the money was already budgeted for.
Aaron Wudrick with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says the number is eye-popping, especially just before the writ drop.
“Whether or not some of these announcements have value, in terms of the spending, the time coming as they did — right before an election call — certainly does raise the eyebrows and it’s disappointing.”
Wudrick hopes the next government — no matter which party forms it — will take a good, hard second look at the commitments. “If we are in a situation where we are facing a revenue shortfall, which is what all signs are pointing to, there are going to be some tough questions… Do we run a deficit or do we find a way to reduce spending?”
Over the summer, there were 670 funding announcements, most of which were for infrastructure projects. The biggest day of handouts was July 31st — two days before the election call — when there were 109 commitments made.
The Conservative party released a statement saying . “These already budgeted infrastructure investments are reducing congestion, strengthening the economy and helping create quality jobs for Canadians.”
