Globe: Federal Infrastructure Bank to Call Toronto Home

[steveintoronto]

Today's Globe reports the latest on the InfraBank:

Senators are privately discussing whether they should split the Liberal government’s omnibus budget bill to spend more time studying the proposed Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Independent Senator André Pratte has circulated an e-mail to all senators asking them to consider removing the section creating the bank from the budget bill so that it “can be studied at length, as is justified by its importance.”

Liberal Senator Percy Downe, a former chief of staff to prime minister Jean Chrétien, said in an interview Tuesday that he supports the suggestion from Mr. Pratte to split the bill.

“I think the infrastructure bank is a totally different matter [than the budget] and I think he makes a very valid argument that it needs what the Senate is here for: a very detailed study,” he said.

With a growing number of senators sitting as independents, the chamber has become less predictable. Some senators told The Globe and Mail on Tuesday that it was too early to say whether a majority of senators would support splitting the government’s budget bill.

As the senators weighed the issue, a House of Commons committee completed its one-day study of the legislation to create the $35-billion bank. The meeting was the only stand-alone committee study of the government’s plan. It was held in addition to the finance committee’s hearings on the budget bill as a whole. [...]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ank-from-omnibus-budget-bill/article35011859/

I support creating a free-standing Bill, but with highly mixed feelings, and most Cdns haven't any idea of what the concept is and how it works. One only hopes that if the legislation is split from the Omnibus Bill, then it's a chance for Cdns to at least have a semblance of understanding on it.

A number of crucial infrastructure projects hinge on this.

 

[Northern Light]

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-c...-puts-canadians-on-the-hook-for-investor-risk

The National Post now lacks enthusiasm for this scheme, as proposed.

I'm noticing a real change in tone in coverage of the bank as of late.

 

[BurlOak]

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-c...-puts-canadians-on-the-hook-for-investor-risk

The National Post now lacks enthusiasm for this scheme, as proposed.

I'm noticing a real change in tone in coverage of the bank as of late.

Looks like people are figuring out is for a slush fund for the Liberals.
And those who were around under the last Liberal government know how corrupt they can be.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

To me it just sounds like Conservative Party spin bleeding from their Postmedia outlets. I'd much rather we taxpayers being on the hook for decisions that an inherently conservative group of investment bankers make following BCA and EA presentations, than plain old politician vote-buying on the tax-dollars dime. (Scarborough Subway for instance)

That being said, both Bernier and O'Leary were steadfastly against the bank. Anyone have a link to either of them providing an articulated retort against the bank?