Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Here, then, a loophole

by Aaron Wherry on Monday, September 13, 2010 3:45pm - 0 Comments

Keeping in mind that the Transport Minister’s spokesman has said the government is “very interested” in the possibility of a hockey arena being built in Quebec City and another cabinet minister has said the government “cannot ignore the wishes of the population” and a half-dozen Conservative MPs have donned Nordiques jerseys for the cameras and the Prime Minister’s spokesman has talked of the larger benefits of sports venues and the Prime Minister himself has both spoken hopefully of a professional hockey team for Quebec City and mused openly of funding sports venues across the country, here today the Prime Minister raises the small matter of a certain adjective in discussing the proposed hockey arena for Quebec City.

“If there is to be any role for the federal government, first of all, that role would have to be equitable across the country, treat everybody the same, and it also has to be affordable, recognizing that this country is going to be moving into a period of fiscal restraint,” Harper said.

Tags: arena, dimitri soudas, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, nordiques, Quebec, Quebec City, Stephen Harper

More by Aaron Wherry

Patchouli

Throwing out cold water in the face of populist anger.

Yeah, full of conviction, that guy harper.
MostlyCivil

"And that's a wrap, people. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. Please return your jersey to Dimitri on the way out.. He's going outside, and needs a disguise in case that warrant is still out there."

LdKitchenersOwn

Seriously though, is the bailiff still looking for him???

Whatever happened with that?

MostlyCivil

Technically, yes, he's still being pursued. Unlikely that it's actually happening in real time.

By now, the committee that issued the subpeona can issue a report to the House of Commons, where the Speaker can take action, including a finding of contempt of parliament and sanctions.

So, Dimitri Soudas may well be part of the unreported crime wave they keep talking about.

bennji1977

So, does this mean that we are closer to Harper 2K who was against subsidies to support professional sports teams – but not quite there as he is still willing to do it just so long as it is equatable from coast to coast to coast?

This man is like an ideological chameleon.
captcold

funny how ideas for wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on private enterprise always starts in Quebec.

Could you imagine the Saskatchewan Cons donning jerseys for an unauthorized photo shoot? It would never happen.

John

If you believe that was unauthorized, I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you.

MPs cant even give a comment to the local newspaper without running through a mock interview with PMO comms dept first.

You think a big media event like this was done without authorization? PMO fed that story to QMI for damage control purposes.
captcold

oh yeah: 'unauthorized'.

hahaha
Step5555

Given the tendency for Sask. MPs to wrap themselves in Rider gear at any available opportunity, yes. Yes I could. If the Conservative seats in Sask. were in as much jeopardy as they are in PQ, we would have had one of these carefully structured "unauthorized" photo ops there as well.

Well, except that Regina has one of the main preretquisites to funding an arena… namely, a team.

captcold

shame every region in the country doesn't whore politicians like frenchy, huh?

madeyoulook

Dammit Steve, IT'S A DUMB IDEA! You know it's a dumb idea. Just bloody well say so!

You used to be able to think more clearly. Makes me wonder: As rundown as 24 Sussex is, is your drinking water running through lead pipes? You've got kids there, too, please get the NCC on this!
Emily

First Harper would have to know the meaning of the phrase 'fiscal restraint'.
hollinm

Emily….I'll be watching after the next budget when some of your pet projects get cancelled. Hypocrisy thy name is Emily.
burlivespipe

There's no 'h' in emily's name, hollowm….
hollinm

burlivespipe…..are you referring to the h in hypocrisy. If so we shall. Wait until we see all the Libs bellyaching about some of their favourite projects hitting the chopping block.