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No matter who forms the government after the Oct. 19 federal election, the capital should know what to expect.
The four main political parties have already made clear their stances on key local issues, and the responses to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s questionnaire to Canada’s federal party leaders, released Thursday, contain few real surprises.
Stephen Harper, Elizabeth May, Tom Mulcair and Justin Trudeau all say governments led by them would fund one-third of the cost of the second phase of the city’s ambitious light-rail transit project.
As they have previously, the Conservatives defended the location of the proposed Memorial to the Victims of Communism, while the Liberals, New Democrats and Green party all agree with the city’s demand to find a “more appropriate location.”
But only the NDP definitively pledges to allot two seats on the National Capital Commission board of directors for elected representatives from both Ottawa and Gatineau city councils, as the mayors from each municipality have actively pushed for.
On helping fund a rail link to the Ottawa airport as part of the LRT expansion, which is estimated to cost an additional $155 million (over and above the project’s $3-billion price-tag): The Conservatives say they will commit “up to $1 billion” to phase two of LRT, while the Liberals say they will quadruple federal spending on public transit over the next decade and “be flexible to municipalities’ priorities and requirements, in order to maximize the number of projects built.” The NDP and Greens both say, unequivocally, they would commit to partially funding the airport link.
On the call for a national housing strategy: The three opposition parties — Liberals, NDP and Green — all commit to such a strategy. The Conservatives says their Investment in Affordable Housing initiative, worth close to $2 billion, allows provinces and territories to cost-match the federal spending while designing programs that meet local housing needs and priorities.
On more representation on the NCC board from Ottawa and Gatineau: The Conservatives say they “always welcome suggestions for appointments to the board,” while the Liberals say they are “committed to working in partnership with both municipalities” to ensure that the NCC board has “sufficient local representation.” The Green party says the independence of the NCC has suffered during Harper’s tenure, adding it will “consider” letting Ottawa and Gatineau name reps to the board, as nominated by the respective councils. The NDP is much clearer: It supports Ottawa and Gatineau’s request to each name an elected representative to the board, saying “it is critical that we enhance the decision-making authority of the region’s elected officials.”
On long-term funding to create more affordable child-care options for families: The parties are all over the map. The Conservatives say they have enhanced the Universal Child Care Benefit, a monthly payment that “goes directly to moms and dads who know their family’s needs best.” The NDP’s child care commitment is to create a million spaces across the country, where parents will pay no more than $15 a day. The Liberals are pledging a new National Early Learning and Child Care Framework that would see them work with provinces and territories, which have already created a mix of different models. The Liberals say they would also expand parental benefits and create a new monthly child benefit. The Green party says it would phase out the Universal Child Care Benefit and reallocate the money to substantially increase the number of regulated, affordable child care spaces.
On providing full details about the government of Canada’s 2017 programming and funding contributions no later than March 2016: The Liberals and NDP both slam the Tories for keeping everyone in the dark about the government’s plan to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial. Each party says, if elected, it would get the ball rolling ASAP. The Green party says the federal government must view the City of Ottawa as a partner. The Conservatives didn’t answer the question, saying only that Canadian Heritage “always works collaboratively with the City of Ottawa on national events in the Nation’s Capital.”
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
The four main political parties have already made clear their stances on key local issues, and the responses to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s questionnaire to Canada’s federal party leaders, released Thursday, contain few real surprises.
Stephen Harper, Elizabeth May, Tom Mulcair and Justin Trudeau all say governments led by them would fund one-third of the cost of the second phase of the city’s ambitious light-rail transit project.
As they have previously, the Conservatives defended the location of the proposed Memorial to the Victims of Communism, while the Liberals, New Democrats and Green party all agree with the city’s demand to find a “more appropriate location.”
But only the NDP definitively pledges to allot two seats on the National Capital Commission board of directors for elected representatives from both Ottawa and Gatineau city councils, as the mayors from each municipality have actively pushed for.
On helping fund a rail link to the Ottawa airport as part of the LRT expansion, which is estimated to cost an additional $155 million (over and above the project’s $3-billion price-tag): The Conservatives say they will commit “up to $1 billion” to phase two of LRT, while the Liberals say they will quadruple federal spending on public transit over the next decade and “be flexible to municipalities’ priorities and requirements, in order to maximize the number of projects built.” The NDP and Greens both say, unequivocally, they would commit to partially funding the airport link.
On the call for a national housing strategy: The three opposition parties — Liberals, NDP and Green — all commit to such a strategy. The Conservatives says their Investment in Affordable Housing initiative, worth close to $2 billion, allows provinces and territories to cost-match the federal spending while designing programs that meet local housing needs and priorities.
On more representation on the NCC board from Ottawa and Gatineau: The Conservatives say they “always welcome suggestions for appointments to the board,” while the Liberals say they are “committed to working in partnership with both municipalities” to ensure that the NCC board has “sufficient local representation.” The Green party says the independence of the NCC has suffered during Harper’s tenure, adding it will “consider” letting Ottawa and Gatineau name reps to the board, as nominated by the respective councils. The NDP is much clearer: It supports Ottawa and Gatineau’s request to each name an elected representative to the board, saying “it is critical that we enhance the decision-making authority of the region’s elected officials.”
On long-term funding to create more affordable child-care options for families: The parties are all over the map. The Conservatives say they have enhanced the Universal Child Care Benefit, a monthly payment that “goes directly to moms and dads who know their family’s needs best.” The NDP’s child care commitment is to create a million spaces across the country, where parents will pay no more than $15 a day. The Liberals are pledging a new National Early Learning and Child Care Framework that would see them work with provinces and territories, which have already created a mix of different models. The Liberals say they would also expand parental benefits and create a new monthly child benefit. The Green party says it would phase out the Universal Child Care Benefit and reallocate the money to substantially increase the number of regulated, affordable child care spaces.
On providing full details about the government of Canada’s 2017 programming and funding contributions no later than March 2016: The Liberals and NDP both slam the Tories for keeping everyone in the dark about the government’s plan to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial. Each party says, if elected, it would get the ball rolling ASAP. The Green party says the federal government must view the City of Ottawa as a partner. The Conservatives didn’t answer the question, saying only that Canadian Heritage “always works collaboratively with the City of Ottawa on national events in the Nation’s Capital.”
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
