"Go ahead with the LRT expansion, Ottawa, it's all OK": Baird

Rideau-Vanier Councillor Georges Bedard just stated at today's meeting of Ottawa City Council that the city recently received a letter from federal Treasury Board President John Baird. It said that after reviewing the contract and everything related to it, "all is OK" and that the City of Ottawa can now go ahead with the process without the fear of losing the federal funding commitment.

Interesting. I have not heard anything about this in the news.

When the Ottawa West-Nepean MP decided it was his duty to ensure that Ottawa residents' tax dollars were not being squandered by former Mayor Bob Chiarelli and his Council, his intervention was announced with great fanfare. The story made headlines for days in the middle of the municipal election.

Some people wondered if his move was politically motivated. His relationship with Bob Chiarelli was known to be less than peachy, and it might be conceivable in Baird's mind that it might be better if someone other than Chiarelli were in the Mayor's chair beginning December 1. Well, Larry O'Brien is now there. What a coup! Anybody who paid attention to the election had to see that in the end, this story had a big impact on the mayoral election results.

Now we hear today that Mr. Baird has very recently given the City of Ottawa the green light. This wouldn't only be a mere coincidence, would it? Where was the fanfare and where were the news releases or conferences that accompanied that announcement? Oh. I guess it isn't as sensational or politically beneficial to announce that "all was OK in the first place - run along, children".

To think that so many people have become so cynical when it comes to politics. I wonder why.

Follow-up: When speaking with a member of City Council this evening, I discovered that it wasn't "recently" that the City received a letter from John Baird, it was today. Isn't that convenient as it was very possible that a final vote could have been taken at today's meeting? I hope that this hasn't been political gamesmanship at its best (or worst?!) Perhaps this is exactly what Bob Chiarelli needs to convince him to run against Mr. Baird in the soon to come federal election. I can just see the debate now...