Halifax Regional Municipality gets a lesson in Harper politics

Ice arenas are as Canadian as Moosehead beer. Getting federal stimulus money out the door on a shovel-ready arena project shouldn't be a problem then when the local government involved has done all the planning, has committed local funds, has secured provincial funding and was approved for federal cash.

Well, maybe not.

A decision to pull $15 million in federal funding has the Halifax Regional Municipality on thin ice.

Regional council found out Tuesday that it is no longer getting the money to help pay for a four-pad arena in Hammonds Plains — the municipality's top capital project.

Coun. Sue Uteck was shocked to learn the news at the closed-door session.

"We've spent close to $8 million on this piece of land with the assurances that this project was a go, that it qualifies [for] funding. And for no apparent reason they're telling us today that it doesn't," she told reporters after the meeting.

Council expected the money to come from the federal government's economic stimulus fund. The province approved its share based on that federal contribution. The municipality was planning to spend up to $10 million.

The reason given by the Harper feds? (Emphasis mine)

Uteck said council was told that the federal Conservative government has concerns that the four ice surfaces might not meet environmental tests.

Might not?! We're talking the government of the Tar Sands here. What environmental test do they require? In any case, environmental impact would be a provincial responsibility shared with the regional municipality. If the province has already approved its funding, it suggests provincial environmental standards in the construction plan have already been met.

But she suggests shady politics are at play, given Nova Scotians recently elected an NDP government.

"This project was a go before the election, and now that the election is over we were informed this [project] is not a go," Uteck said.

Yeah, well that too. But I would have a closer look at the broad political ground, Sue. Halifax Regional Municipality (which, by the way, I enjoyed living in) isn't exactly ripe Harper territory. Of the core federal electoral districts which encompass HRM, including the one in which Hammonds Plains resides, Harper vote buying doesn't look like it's getting much of the desired result.

Halifax West - MP Geoff Regan, Liberal.

Halifax - MP Megan Leslie, NDP.

Sackville-Eastern Shore - MP Peter Stoffer, NDP.

Dartmouth-Cole Harbour - MP Michael Savage, Liberal.

On the other hand, take a look at what's happening in Central Nova where nothing is being cancelled and Peter "Airshow" Mackay just keeps shovelling in money. And in the Harper-held riding of South Shore-St. Margaret's, Conservative MP Gerald Keddy, (Atlantic Accord sell-out artist), watched the provincial NDP carry out an electoral sweep which literally delivered a provincial NDP majority to Halifax. The most serious message to Keddy (and Harper) though was what happened in the provincial riding of Chester-St. Margaret's where Keddy's spouse, Judy Streatch, a high ranking cabinet minister in the NS Conservative government going into the provincial election, was thoroughly trounced by NDP Denise Peterson-Rafuse... in Chester, of all places. That was a Conservative stronghold! The message to Harper (and Keddy) is clear: No length of lifeline is going to save Keddy in the next election.

Now, if you were wandering around L'Aquila, Italy early today you heard Harper announce a $5 million contribution to a youth centre in L'Aquila. Keep in mind, L'Aquila was flattened by an earthquake and is still in the process of cleaning up, much less rebuilding.

Before entering the working lunch on the first day of meetings, Harper stood at the foot of a rubble-strewn street today and announced a modest contribution to the massive earthquake reconstruction job here. With a federal government building crumbling behind him, and nervous Italian civil security officials barking at reporters to keep back, Harper pledged $5 million for a youth centre in this university town at the heart of the Abruzzo province, 90 kilometres northeast of Rome. Harper is one of a parade of world leaders who would pledge funds here today for the rebuilding of L'Aquila, a project estimated to cost between $12-16 billion.

That funding was approved by all parties and, when compared to the overall cost associated with rebuilding L'Aquila, is mere peanuts. It does however, stick in the craw of places which have had their approved federal funding withdrawn for no apparent valid reason. Except that Harper, always the politician and never a statesman sees more value in presenting L'Aquila, Italy with 5 million bucks than he does giving Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia $15 million.

The Canadian prime minister toured the damaged city centre, stopping at a university residence where 13 students died in the collapse of their dormitory. "Your tears were our tears" Harper told a small gathering of local dignitaries including L'Aquila Mayor Massimo Cialente. Harper who attended the funding announcement. The Canadian contribution was welcomed by L'Aquila Mayor Massimo Cialente, who said the university is the "future of the city and at the same time the economic engine of the region."

In truth, the job appears overwhelming, even to several Italian Canadians who travelled here with Harper, but they insisted it was worth the effort, even in a zone still subject to tremors.

Not that L'Aquila shouldn't receive the Canadian contribution to its reconstruction, but the councillors of Halifax Regional Municipality must be able to recognize a possible voting block and the attempt to buy it.

It's just that after promising all that money to build an arena, the people of Halifax Region (and huge chunks of Nova Scotia) still aren't showing Harper what he considers to be the appropriate amount of gratitude. And if you really want to get a Conservative kick in the groin, try asking for federal Marquee Event Funding for this event.