Question in the House of Commons
Monday, June 4, 2007

Investing in our Cities

Hon. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, when it comes to investing in our cities, the Conservative government will not put its money where its mouth is.

The previous Liberal government had invested over $800 million in public transit, but sadly, transit has fallen off the Conservative government's radar screen. The minister said this past weekend that the government's national transit strategy is not about new funding.

I wonder if the minister could tell me how many buses and rail cars he thinks cities can buy with his empty speeches?

Mr. Brian Jean (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we are getting the job done. We are moving forward with real action. Over the coming months we will be consulting with the municipalities, territories, the FCM and other interested parties because, unlike the previous Liberal government that did not get the job done, we actually consult with stakeholders and do get the job done.

Hon. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it was the Liberal government that put cities on the agenda. It would never be there if it were not for the work that we did. The minority Conservative government has no plan for the future sustainability of our cities. The minister's flawed initiative to make monthly transit passes tax deductible does nothing to increase ridership.

Could the minister point to a single city where an increase in public transit use can be attributed to the introduction of his meagre $3 a week transit pass deduction? How does the minister expect transit use to go up when the only incentive he is offering amounts to the sum total of one free bus ticket a week?