Well, today the Prime Minister has thrown up the white flag and appears to be calling for a truce with Ontario. Previously promised federal funds in the amount of $709 million have now been freed up to assist Ontario’s financing of their public transit, hiring of more police and helping workers in industries hit by the high dollar. This means that the Prime Minister has ordered the federal finance minister, Jim Flaherty, who has been leading the attack on Ontario, to back off. I congratulate the Prime Minister on this decision to return to cooperative relations with the province of Ontario.
Saskatchewan should not feel left out as the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Saskatchewan also contained financial considerations. The Government of Canada will contribute $240 million, in trust after legislation is passed, to the Province of Saskatchewan for the funding of clean coal technology. These funds will be matched with $758 million from SaskPower to partner with industry on clean coal and reduce Saskatchewan emissions by an estimated million tones a year and generate 100 megawatts of clean power according to the Prime Minister.
Getting out of political bickering and getting on with governing is good for the Prime Minister and good for Canada. Hats off to the PM on this one.
