Budget Predictions About DRIC

Do not expect very much in the Budget for the DRIC project. I would be surprised in fact if there was any mention of it.

Part of Canada’s objective is to make it appear as if that project has disappeared to fool the Bridge Company. It has not been mentioned for example in the stories as to what is on the agenda when President Obama meets with Prime Minister Harper:

• “Obama and Harper again talked about the countries' friendship and economies, Afghanistan and climate change, the White House said.
  
  "They had an initial discussion on the agenda which will include the economic situation globally, in our two countries and specifically in the auto sector. They also discussed the importance of the environment and energy as well as international issues including Afghanistan," said Dimitri Soudas, a Harper spokesman.
  
  Another Harper spokesman, Kory Teneycke, said the call lasted 15 minutes.”

I trust that our Mayor will not be offended. His personal call with the Prime Minister only lasted 10 minutes. It is the President of the United States after all.

It is not likely to be in the Budget because it is not a “shovel ready” project. Moreover, one when one looks at the comments made by Transport Canada and Infrastructure Minister Baird, the money to be provided in the amount of $7 billion is for the following types of projects:

• “Infrastructure Minister John Baird said Tuesday’s budget will contain details on $7 billion in new infrastructure spending.
  
  Baird said Ottawa would set aside $4 billion for an infrastructure stimulus fund that provinces and municipalities could tap into for new projects; a $2-billion fund for infrastructure improvements at the country’s colleges and universities; and a $1-billion ‘green’ infrastructure fund.”

The DRIC project alone would eat up a vast majority of those funds. That would be political suicide for the Conservatives at this time. Accordingly, those funds are not going to be applied in this region except for municipal projects. And I do not mean the Tunnel deal or the Tunnel Improvement Project either since both of those projects have a long way to go, even if they ever get done.

In the Speech from the Throne, the Government made it clear that the projects would be immediate ones even if they have a benefit for the long-term. DRIC is nowhere near ready for a shovel to go into the ground.

• “The economic stimulus plan will be a plan of action.
  
  Our Government is stimulating the economy, both through direct government action and by encouraging private expenditure.
  
  Our Government is taking immediate action to build Canada through new investment in infrastructure…
  
  These actions will be targeted, they will inject immediate stimulus while promoting long-term growth and they will avoid a return to permanent deficits.”

Note particularly the use of the word “immediate.”

In any event, the excuse to be given by the DRIC apologists is that the monies have already been budgetted for the project, or at least $400M has been for the road by the Feds, so it is not necessary to mention it again.

The Government of Canada is much more subtle, dear reader. As I Blogged before, they will sacrifice our soldiers in Afghanistan so that we can be friends with the Americans. What is it few more bodies in exchange for the economic health of this Country and a new bridge in Windsor so P3 companies can make a fortune at taxpayer expense. The Europeans are proposing to do it so we had better do it as well:

• “Good luck, Gordon Brown, in trying to portray yourself as the economic wise man who can offer avuncular advice to the novice. It won’t make up for Britain’s reluctance to offer many more troops in Afghanistan – and the US suspicion that even if Brown wanted to, he couldn’t…
  
  When Tony Blair decided to throw his support behind Bush in the Iraq invasion, he put Britain in the front row of world powers. He was right that without that commitment Britain would have been in a junior league…
  
  Fine for Gordon Brown to link himself to Obama a dozen times in Prime Minister’s Questions this week, but if he doesn’t back that up with money and troops, he’ll find himself outrun by Nicolas Sarkozy. France’s newish President is making a strong pitch to be the most reliable candidate for Obama’s best European friend.”

Canada will try and set up the Permanent Joint Border Commission as set out by former Canadian Ambassador to the US, Michael Kergin. Of course, he would expect to be Canada’s representative

• “to prepare recommendations to modernize our shared border and to secure our economic competitiveness, including devising a bi-national body to coordinate the implementation of new border measures.”

It would not surprise me at all to see former American Ambassador to Canada and ex-Michigan Governor, Jim Blanchard, try to be the American representative. After all he was a participant in the Carleton Roundtable.

Shhhh, let’s not give it away about these two individuals. Ambassador Kergin worked for the Ontario Government on the border matter and he wrote the Report with respect to DRIC which he praised. Jim Blanchard’s firm also worked for DRIC. Let us just pretend that they will not have a built-in bias.

It will all be done nice and quietly with hardly a mention about the DRIC bridge at all. After all, President Bush ignored what the Prime Minister wanted to do with respect to the DRIC project. Harper cannot afford to have President Obama turn him down cold either. If Obama does, then the Bridge Co. wins the race don't they.

It is much better to have lower level bureaucrats work out the situation and just have the Leaders rubberstamp it. Such a savings in time and effort for the Leaders.

It is Super Bowl weekend coming up. Let us see how the UltraSecret Canadian Playbook is used to try to score a touchdown. Let's see if Canada can win one for the DRICer.