| LOCAL LIBERALS TAKE UNUSUAL STEP TO BLOCK STRANDHERD-ARMSTRONG BRIDGE | | | | MPP LISA MACLEOD HITS ROADBLOCK AS MCGUINTY LIBERALS WHIP PRIVATE MEMBERS BUSINESS (QUEEN’S PARK)- Tory MPP Lisa MacLeod took the funding fight to build the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge to the floor of the Ontario Legislature. But the McGuinty Liberals took the unusual step of whipping their members on private business to block funding for the bridge. “I am disappointed the Liberals are ignoring my residents and the priorities of Ottawa Council,” said MacLeod. “The City identified this bridge as a priority and even wrote to the Transportation Minister requesting $35 Million to fund one-third of the bridge.” MacLeod was equally disturbed by Ottawa Liberal MPPs who refused to acknowledge the City of Ottawa’s November 2, 2007 funding request to the Province; which stated the bridge is a major ‘transportation and transit network project’. Ottawa Centre Liberal MPP Yasir Naqvi even went so far as to say, “the facts are simple. This particular bridge is not a priority for the city of Ottawa.” “Liberals might not be able to set priorities, but in this case the City did and so did I,” said MacLeod. “Liberals are also good at making promises then breaking them. Ottawa- Orléans MPP Phil McNeely and Ottawa South MPP Dalton McGuinty once supported this bridge, then they took away the funding, and now they will not even negotiate with the City of Ottawa to build the bridge.” “The Liberals put politics before the people,” said MacLeod. “Without even batting an eyelash the Liberals refused to fund this bridge,” concluded MacLeod. MacLeod’s resolution lost 39-18. It called on the Ontario Legislature to immediately enter into negotiations with the City of Ottawa in order to provide assistance to finally build the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge. April 17th, 2008 | | | |
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