"Spring Stupidity hits Ottawa"

May 21, 2003

 Last week I listed what I thought to be the month of May’s most ridiculous new ideas for spending your federal tax dollars.  I should have waited until the month was over. 

Now, from deep within the Liberal party, comes a plan to help the City of Toronto through the economic fall-out of the SARS outbreak by using up to $10-million in taxpayers’ money to pay for, among other things, washrooms and a stage for a free concert by the Rolling Stones.  This in addition to the $10-million federal taxpayers have already spent to advertise what a great place Toronto is to visit! 

Toronto tourism and its related industries are experiencing significant losses as Canadians and international travelers avoid the city following weeks of SARS-related publicity.  The short-lived travel advisory issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) didn’t help.   

Torontonians have repeatedly complained they “can’t get no satisfaction” from the federal government when it comes to SARS relief.  However, I doubt even they seriously expected the Liberals to respond with a taxpayer-funded plan to bring Mick Jagger to town. 

It was the Liberals’ failure to establish WHO-recommended SARS screening procedures at Canada’s international airports that prompted the negative travel advisory and the ensuing public relations crisis.   The Rolling Stones plan is typical of the knee-jerk reactions that come from the Liberals after their failure to act makes an already bad situation even worse. 

The Rolling Stones concert plan received wholehearted support from Liberal heavy-hitters like Transport Minister David Collenette, Industry Minister Allan Rock and the newly-minted Secretary of State Steve Mahoney. 

Last week in the House of Commons I asked the government why such caring – along with the federal chequebook – is not extended to the families whose livelihoods depend upon British Columbia’s forests. 

The mountain pine beetle and the softwood lumber dispute with the United States have had a devastating impact upon entire B.C. towns.  Yet despite years of efforts by Canadian Alliance MPs to educate the Liberals about the economic damage inflicted by these two disasters, the federal government continues to show neither action nor compassion. 

Powerful cabinet ministers charging to the rescue and waving millions of dollars in federal assistance might surface in Toronto, but they remain little more than a wild rumour in B.C.  An area supporter of Liberal leadership candidate Paul Martin boastfully suggested that Mr. Martin could deliver a multi-million dollar beetle-funding package.  

As usual, Mr. Martin has been careful to say little and commit to absolutely nothing.  When he was Finance Minister, Mr. Martin gave scant attention to the troubles facing the B.C. lumber industry.   

Statements by his eager campaign workers may boost sales of Liberal party memberships, but B.C. forest workers are unlikely to receive such a boost or a financial break from Mr. Martin or any other federal Liberal … unless of course they’re interested in a good deal on a trip to Toronto to see a free rock concert.