Even with provinces and Ottawa not always seeing eye-to-eye these days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Friday that his federal Liberal government would keep working with municipalities to deal with the effects of extreme weather, housing shortages and climate change.
In a speech to members of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities with an election-style tone, Trudeau also warned those gathered against Conservative policies.
B次元官网网址淲e are an election away from going back to the days when austerity was the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 only policy,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e seen conservative politicians do this before, so we canB次元官网网址檛 act surprised when we see them do it again.B次元官网网址�
His speech came ahead of Conservative Leader Andrew ScheerB次元官网网址檚 own address to the gathering of mayors and councillors later Friday.
Trudeau said the actions of provincial conservative governments show how far theyB次元官网网址檙e willing to go to pursue small-government ideology.
B次元官网网址淥ver the last year, weB次元官网网址檝e seen Doug FordB次元官网网址檚 Conservative government withhold federal dollars from their citizens,B次元官网网址� Trudeau told the municipal politicians in Quebec City, saying that in some Ontario communities, federally funded public construction projects have slowed or stopped completely.
B次元官网网址淧remier Ford is playing politics with money that belongs to your communities and your citizens are paying the price.B次元官网网址�
This week, the Ford government cancelled retroactive funding cuts to municipalities, but Trudeau said heB次元官网网址檚 not convinced the Ontario premier has really heard what local lawmakers are telling him.
In response, OntarioB次元官网网址檚 Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton shot back that Trudeau was B次元官网网址渄ead wrong.B次元官网网址�
In a statement, McNaughton said 54 projects have been submitted to the federal government B次元官网网址� critical work that includes $28.6 billion in road, bridge and transit projects that have yet to be approved by Ottawa.
B次元官网网址淭he federal government has said OntarioB次元官网网址檚 priorities are their priorities,B次元官网网址� McNaughton wrote. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time Prime Minister Trudeau put his money where his mouth is.B次元官网网址�
Trudeau said his government has pushed ahead on more projects than the previous Conservative government did. While he said heB次元官网网址檇 prefer to co-operate with provincial governments, Trudeau said he is committed find a way to get funding to municipalities if the provinces donB次元官网网址檛 want to play ball.
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He pointed to a one-time measure in the latest federal budget that doubles the federal gas-tax transfer to help municipalities with infrastructure work this year.
B次元官网网址淲e got elected on a very clear promise to collaborate, to work together, to believe in co-operative federalism,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said. B次元官网网址淏ut if the provinces donB次元官网网址檛 want to work with the federal government and municipalities on infrastructure, weB次元官网网址檒l figure out ways B次元官网网址� of working with you, getting shovels in the ground.B次元官网网址�
The Canadian Press
