Jason Kenney Might Want to Explain the G8 Spending Blitz

In 1995, a representative of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation went public with his objections to an international summit being held in Halifax.

The federal government was wrong to put next month's G-7 summit in Halifax because the city needs too many government-funded fixups, says a national taxpayers' lobby group. The heads of the leading industrialized nations meet in the Nova Scotia capital June 15-17 and the federal, provincial and local governments are spending $8.1 million to spruce it up.

The federal government "should have chosen a location which wouldn't cost that kind of money," said Jason Kenney, spokesman for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, a watchdog group promoting cuts in taxes and government spending. "There are conference facilities available, I'm sure, in that part of the world as well as across Canada that could have hosted an event like this without spending several million dollars to upgrade them."

I wonder what he's saying today, when we learn that the Harper government allowed an American owner of a resort to determine how stimulus money was to be spent.

And that much of the money was spent on his resort and the surrounding area, preparing it to be sold.

Or that $10 million was spent to upgrade the North Bay airport, only to have the world leaders bypass it?

And what about all the other pork that went into Tony Clement's riding? What have you got to say about that Jas?

And while you're at it you might like to explain why John Baird claims to have seen the Auditor General's report. Peeking in her window is he?

Oh Jason. So much hot air and so little time.

Sources:

1. Halifax wrong choice for G-7, By Steve Lambert, Canadian Press Newswire, April 30 1995