Martin: Tories not open about G8 spending

NEWS RELEASE

TONY MARTIN NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATE SAULT STE MARIE & AREA

************************* Redirecting border money to Conservative pet projects a disgrace: NDP

WINDSOR - Recent revelations that millions of federal dollars mismanaged in the G8 spending scandal were redirected away from border infrastructure shows the Harper Conservatives' contempt, says New Democrat Windsor candidate Brian Masse.

"The Harper Conservatives redirected money meant for relieving border congestion to Conservative pet projects in Muskoka," said Windsor West NDP candidate Brian Masse. "Spending money on gazebos and toilets at the expense of border infrastructure is a disgrace. This is not the way to run a government."

Sault Ste. Marie New Democrat candidate Tony Martin slammed the latest Conservative scandal, recalling how hard he had to work to secure the $44 million from that same fund that properly went to the city’s International Bridge new customs plaza.

“That was border money that we helped secure for Sault Ste. Marie, not this Conservative end run around rules,” Martin said. “Voters here understand you can vote for an Opposition MP with integrity who will respect the law and still deliver results.”

Martin lobbied in Ottawa for local bridge funding since 2006, by sending letters and meeting with then Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon in identifying the bridge plaza as an “excellent candidate for the new Gateways and Border Crossing Fund.”

He followed that effort with meetings with Federal Bridge Corporation President Micheline Dube.

“The auditor general is an independent, impeccable voice who even in the latest reports Conservatives are releasing indicate they were not open with Parliament on this summit spending,” Martin said. “It’s a sad day for Canada when a government elected on a promise of integrity is happy to be telling Canadians they lacked openness to Parliament. Border funds are for border communities, period.”

Yesterday, a leaked report revealed that the auditor general slams the Conservatives for using $50 million of the Border Infrastructure Fund - meant for "investments to reduce border congestion" - for unrelated G8 projects.

They include $275,000 on public toilets far away from the summit site, $100,000 on a gazebo an hour away, and $1.1 million on sidewalk and tree upgrade 100 kilometers away.

The leaked report states: “In our view, this categorization did not clearly or transparently identify the nature of the approval being sought for G8 infrastructure project expenditures or explain that these expenditures would not have to meet the existing terms and conditions for the Border Infrastructure Fund.”

Masse said this scandal should remind Canadians of previous Liberal governments.

"Stephen Harper said he would clean this mess up, but have continued the Liberals record of patronage,” said Masse. “Ottawa's broken and only New Democrats are prepared to fix it."

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