Housing and Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser emphasized on Thursday that Ottawa does “construct roads,” following controversial remarks made by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Fraser told MPs on the House of Commons transport committee that there hasn’t been a change in government position, despite Guilbeault saying on Feb. 12 that Ottawa would “stop investing in new road infrastructure. He would later clarify his remarks after criticism.
“I can reassure you: We continue to support road construction and that there hasn’t been a policy change,” Fraser said. “It’s important to me … that we can show when people have concerns about whether we construct roads, that we do construct roads.”
Fraser was speaking to MPs ahead of Guilbeault, who is scheduled to do so at Noon Eastern. Transportation Minister Pablo Rodriguez also made an appearance.
The issue stems from quotes published in the Montreal Gazette last month. Guilbeault told a crowd in the city on Feb. 12 that Ottawa won’t be funding any projects that “enlarge the road network.”
“The analysis we have done is that the network is perfectly adequate to respond to the needs we have,” he said.
Two days later in the nation’s capital, Guilbeault said “of course we’re funding roads.”
“We have programs to fund roads, but we have said — and maybe I should have been more specific in the past — is that we don’t have funds for large projects like the Trosième lien,” he said on Feb. 14.
The Trosième lien, or third line, refers to a highway tunnel connecting Quebec City to Lévis.
Conservative transport critic Mark Strahl had called Guilbeault’s comments “outrageous,” and was among the signatories of a letter requesting that he explain his comments at the committee.
Liberal MP Chris Bittle, who is parliamentary secretary to Fraser, said he was “surprised” the Bloc and NDP would support the Tories in summoning the trio at a Feb. 21 meeting.
“We saw immediately that the minister of the environment clarified his statements with respect to this. This is not a change in government policy. This has been a government that has provided historic investments in infrastructure, all the while Conservatives voting against,” he said that day. “I can appreciate the opposition wanting to try to squeeze some news out of nothing, during a break week, but here we are.”
Guilbeault’s remarks caused a scramble among officials at Infrastructure Canada – the department responsible for federal public infrastructure policy.
Internal emails obtained by Global News under access to information legislation showed how they worked to respond to the “blowback” the remarks caused.
Outside Ottawa, premiers and mayors who use federal funds to improve their networks also voiced concern.
B.C. Premier David Eby said on Feb. 14 that Guilbeault’s comments “made a lot of us very nervous,” while Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said on Feb. 15 that if Ottawa were ever to cut funding for new road projects, it “would literally be terrible for every municipality in this nation.”
“Making that kind of a public statement and not having any rationale behind it is not ministerial,” she said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford had mentioned that he was surprised by Guilbeault’s comments before he explained them.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith expressed a similar feeling on social media.
“Does this minister realize that most Canadians don’t reside in downtown Montreal? Many of us can’t simply leave the house in the snow and rain and walk 10km to work every day,” Smith said on Feb. 13.
