Provinces and territories say they are being kept in the dark about a $1.5 billion Eco-Trust and Clean Air Fund announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week that's supposed to be destined for their coffers.Needless to say, the conditions surrounding the funding are bound to be at least as important as the numbers involved. After all, excessively onerous terms would make it unlikely that the funding will actually be taken up for anything, while weak ones (which appear more likely given the Cons' apparent desire to offload responsibility for the issue) would almost guarantee that the money won't accomplish much.
Anne O'Hagan, a spokeswoman for Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten, said the province had not been consulted about the new climate and clean air fund, and has no idea how it will work.
She noted that the previous Liberal government in Ottawa pledged $538 million to help Ontario retire its coal-fired power plants, and the province has been trying in vain to determine whether that promise will be kept.
Joe Gillis, a spokesman for the Nova Scotia government, said it had no details about the Eco-Trust and was simply hoping for the best...
"We're really interested in finding out more details about the program, finding out what the federal government's expectations are in return for the funding," said Sherri-Dawn Annett, spokeswoman for Alberta Environment Department.
But the Cons don't seem to think that the actual terms for the spending are worth either discussing with the provinces prior to making the funding announcement, or at least presenting publicly to enable provinces and voters alike to evaluate the program on its merits. And that can only hint at just how empty the announcement is - and how little interest the Cons really have in either real consultation or effective action on the environment.
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