(The following report by Allison Dunfield appeared on the Globe and Mail?s website on October 27.)
TORONTO — Transport Minister David Collenette was attacked Monday by opposition MPs opposed to a $700-million cash injection for Via Rail, especially since Paul Martin has not guaranteed he will allow the deal to proceed once he becomes prime minister.
Last Friday, Mr. Collenette pledged a $692.5-million injection into Via Rail for a high-speed service in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor. The same day, Mr. Martin’s camp said the Liberal-leader-in-waiting would have to review all current government decisions carefully and warned Via against making plans for the money, saying tight fiscal conditions might make the injection impossible.
The opposition used the Via Rail issue as an opportunity once again to point to the discord within the Liberal cabinet.
“So Via gets the green light and the red light at the same time. We don’t have any idea what track the government is on,” Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper said during Question Period Monday.
“Is Via supposed to spend this money or not?”
Mr. Collenette replied that since he is still a minister of the current government of current Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, he has the “duty of Canadians to act in their best interest,” until a new Liberal leader is selected.
The Bloc Québécois said the confusion over the Via announcement is just one more reason why the Liberals should support Tuesday’s Bloc motion, which calls on Mr. Chrétien to step down right after the Nov. 14 Liberal convention. Mr. Martin will replace Mr. Chrétien as federal Liberal leader that day, but doesn’t succeed him as prime minister until February, leaving a difficult transition period of 2 1/2 months.
Mr. Collenette disagreed with the Bloc’s logic.
“They are making the argument that because there will be a transition to a new government and a new prime minister that somehow, the government is paralyzed. The fact is, we are here in the House of Commons with a full legislative agenda. As one minister, I made a very important announcement last week. That is not paralysis. The honourable members cannot have it both ways.”
Bloc MP Michel Gauthier pointed out that some Liberal backbenchers are also questioning the Via proposal, including Stan Keyes, the party’s caucus chairman, and MP Joe Comuzzi, chairman of the transport committee. Both are Martin backers.
“Members are free to have their own views. I respect those views,” Mr. Collenette replied.
Meanwhile, in Waterloo, Ont. on Monday, Mr. Martin repeated his promise to review every one of his predecessor’s spending decisions Monday.
He refused to say whether Mr. Collenette’s plan to spend $700-million to improve Via Rail is on track.
“We are going to review every single government decision,” Mr. Martin said.
“The current government has the right and the responsibility to make decisions, and that’s what they have done. It will be the role and the responsibility of the next government to review those decisions in light of the circumstances it sees and the priorities it feels are there for Canadians.”
(With a report from Canadian Press)