Gerard Kennedy

Published On Wed Oct 21 2009

Toronto’s 38 Liberal ridings got 38% fewer dollars for recreational facilities than Ontario ridings held by Conservatives, analysis reveals

OTTAWA – Federal Conservatives have short-changed Liberal-dominated Toronto millions of dollars in a high-profile program to fund upgrades to recreation centres, playgrounds and rinks, a Liberal MP charges.

Toronto 23 ridings — all held by Liberal MPs — got about 38 per cent less than the average Conservative riding in Ontario, prompting accusations that the government was again playing favourites as it doled out its massive stimulus fund.

The Toronto ridings got an average of $1.3 million, compared with an average of $2.1 million that was approved for Conservative ridings in Ontario — a difference of $777,787, according to Liberal MP Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale—High Park).

“This is simply unfair. We have these needs that are at least as good as the needs anywhere else in the country. Why would this government play this game with Toronto,” Kennedy said in an interview Wednesday.

“They are being biased against Toronto,” he said.

Established as part of the Conservatives’ spending plan to fight the recession, the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program (RinC) pledged $500 million nationwide to construct or repair recreational facilities such as hockey arenas, soccer fields, tennis, basketball courts and pools.

Of that, $190 million was earmarked for Ontario projects. But Kennedy’s office analyzed the government’s published list of approved projects, determined what ridings they were in and concluded that Conservative ridings had more projects and more money.

But Industry Minister Tony Clement dismissed Liberal suggestions of a government plot to favour Conservative ridings, saying that the Liberal government in Ontario was involved in picking the projects.

“There is a rigorous process to determine need and obviously to spread it around to all areas of Ontario that had infrastructure in recreational area that needed fix-ups,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/713919–toronto-was-short-changed-millions-by-tories-kennedy-charges

Timmins-James Bay federal Liberal candidate Marilyn Wood and Parkdale-High Park Liberal MP Gerard Kennedy — his party’s critic for infrastructure, cities and communities — wanted to assure them, however, that their views still count.

Gerard Kennedy has written directly to every community organization in the riding, asking for their help to save national gun control by expressing their support and he appealed to area residents to do the same.

Regina – Federal Liberal Housing Critic Gerard Kennedy called on the Harper government today to increase funding for the Saskatchewan programs to prevent and reduce homelessness in the face of rising rents and a tight housing market.

Conservative Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has a different bottom line on his refugee reform bill after all. After having his “last, best, take-it-or-leave-it” offer rejected by the Liberal Party last Thursday, the Minister blinked and moved the yardsticks much closer to fair territory.