[Canada] Feds will stop investing in 'large' road projects

[dmuzika]

Feds will stop investing in 'large' road projects, environment minister says
Steven Guilbeault revised his comments after saying Ottawa would stop investing in new road infrastructure
John Paul Tasker · CBC News · Posted: Feb 14, 2024 12:10 PM AST | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/guilbeault-no-new-roads-1.7114867

"There will be no more envelopes from the federal government to enlarge the road network," Guilbeault said, according to quotes published in the Montreal Gazette.

"We can very well achieve our goals of economic, social and human development without more enlargement of the road network."

Guilbeault said the federal government is intent on moving people out of their cars and into public transportation, which the government has spent billions to build.

He said the federal government also wants to encourage "active transit," which means getting people to walk and cycle.

Steven Guilbeault is at it again....

[cbeach40]

Let's think about what is more likely - a government that has contributed billions of dollars to road projects over the years suddenly stops, or a low level Minister says something outlandish and culture war-y to deflect from a scandal?

[Genghixiani]

I am not surprised it is an environmental person saying this.

[kalvado]

Just a friendly suggestion: include CANADA in the title. Otherwise there will be a non-zero number of US posters getting a heart attack over the title alone... 

[Rothman]

Just a friendly suggestion: include CANADA in the title. Otherwise there will be a non-zero number of US posters getting a heart attack over the title alone...

Meh, it's at least where it's supposed to be forum-wise, so kudos on that front.

[RoadMaster09]

He's getting pushback from even his own backbench for that. He represents downtown Montreal, which is a far cry from the suburban and rural areas where such are needed.

[LilianaUwU]

Reminder that Steven Guilbeault is an ex-Greenpeace activist. I'll let y'all come to your own conclusions.

[dmuzika]

Just a friendly suggestion: include CANADA in the title. Otherwise there will be a non-zero number of US posters getting a heart attack over the title alone... 

Fixed.

He's getting pushback from even his own backbench for that. He represents downtown Montreal, which is a far cry from the suburban and rural areas where such are needed.

Agreed. Driving from Montreal to either Ottawa, Toronto, or Quebec City involve decent freeways that cover most of their voter base. From their perspective there's no need to travel by car beyond that.

Reminder that Steven Guilbeault is an ex-Greenpeace activist. I'll let y'all come to your own conclusions.

Steven Guibeault is ex-Greenpeace, but for better or for worse is one of the more influential people in cabinet.

[LilianaUwU]

Just a friendly suggestion: include CANADA in the title. Otherwise there will be a non-zero number of US posters getting a heart attack over the title alone... 

Fixed.

This is the Canada subforum, so I don't see why this would be a problem.

He's getting pushback from even his own backbench for that. He represents downtown Montreal, which is a far cry from the suburban and rural areas where such are needed.

Agreed. Driving from Montreal to either Ottawa, Toronto, or Quebec City involve decent freeways that cover most of their voter base. From their perspective there's no need to travel by car beyond that.

Tell that to the people in the Minganie region of Québec, where last year Pont Touzel had to close, cutting the only road connection between towns such as Havre-Saint-Pierre and the rest of the world, and still isolating them to an extent thanks to the current weight limits.

Reminder that Steven Guilbeault is an ex-Greenpeace activist. I'll let y'all come to your own conclusions.

Steven Guibeault is ex-Greenpeace, but for better or for worse is one of the more influential people in cabinet.

It's definitely for worse.

[kalvado]

Just a friendly suggestion: include CANADA in the title. Otherwise there will be a non-zero number of US posters getting a heart attack over the title alone... 

Fixed.

This is the Canada subforum, so I don't see why this would be a problem.

It shows up in "recent posts" with sub-forum in small font. It's all technically correct - but it's not humane to overstress not-so-attentive people!   

[cbeach40]

He's getting pushback from even his own backbench for that. He represents downtown Montreal, which is a far cry from the suburban and rural areas where such are needed.

Agreed. Driving from Montreal to either Ottawa, Toronto, or Quebec City involve decent freeways that cover most of their voter base. From their perspective there's no need to travel by car beyond that.

The voting block that would be impacted by this announcement is going to be the suburban right wing of the Liberal Party's tent. If they actually stuck to this (and spoiler: they won't) they'd be handing the suburbs and the whole election to the Conservatives. The left side of the Liberal Party's voters that would flip to the Bloc or NDP isn't going to have the needle moved much by this.

Reminder that Steven Guilbeault is an ex-Greenpeace activist. I'll let y'all come to your own conclusions.

Steven Guibeault is ex-Greenpeace, but for better or for worse is one of the more influential people in cabinet.

If he's that influential and that green he wouldn't be a Cabinet Minister in a government so hell bent on building oil pipelines. And would have a more prestigious post than Environment (B-list portfolio at best). Now's he's using his old activist boisterousness to be a mouthpiece who stirs the pot to distract the public from whatever rake his party have stepped on this week.

[Stephane Dumas]

Just a friendly suggestion: include CANADA in the title. Otherwise there will be a non-zero number of US posters getting a heart attack over the title alone... 

Fixed.

This is the Canada subforum, so I don't see why this would be a problem.

He's getting pushback from even his own backbench for that. He represents downtown Montreal, which is a far cry from the suburban and rural areas where such are needed.

Agreed. Driving from Montreal to either Ottawa, Toronto, or Quebec City involve decent freeways that cover most of their voter base. From their perspective there's no need to travel by car beyond that.

Tell that to the people in the Minganie region of Québec, where last year Pont Touzel had to close, cutting the only road connection between towns such as Havre-Saint-Pierre and the rest of the world, and still isolating them to an extent thanks to the current weight limits.

Reminder that Steven Guilbeault is an ex-Greenpeace activist. I'll let y'all come to your own conclusions.

Steven Guibeault is ex-Greenpeace, but for better or for worse is one of the more influential people in cabinet.

It's definitely for worse.

Indeed, it's the worse of the worse as if we thought to reach the bottom of the barrel who suddenly collapses and we fall in a big hole. I stop there what I think of him since my opinions about him isn't suitable for a younger audience.

[Road Hog]

I love how Canadian political discourse is so tame (quaint maybe?) compared to Britain. Forget the US. Parliamentary consitituencies in Canada are called "ridings" (guess candidates "rode" their district back in the day). And Canada still calls its administrative cabinet heads "ministers" rather than "secretaries," which the UK switched to sometime ago other than the Deputy PM and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which is No. 3 on the leadership ladder.

[vdeane]

I love how Canadian political discourse is so tame (quaint maybe?) compared to Britain. Forget the US. Parliamentary consitituencies in Canada are called "ridings" (guess candidates "rode" their district back in the day). And Canada still calls its administrative cabinet heads "ministers" rather than "secretaries," which the UK switched to sometime ago other than the Deputy PM and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which is No. 3 on the leadership ladder.

You should see the House of Commons in session.  They yell at each other.  Maybe it helps them get it out of their system so they can be polite in front of the media... kinda the opposite of how it is here!

[kalvado]

I love how Canadian political discourse is so tame (quaint maybe?) compared to Britain. Forget the US. Parliamentary consitituencies in Canada are called "ridings" (guess candidates "rode" their district back in the day). And Canada still calls its administrative cabinet heads "ministers" rather than "secretaries," which the UK switched to sometime ago other than the Deputy PM and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which is No. 3 on the leadership ladder.

You should see the House of Commons in session.  They yell at each other.  Maybe it helps them get it out of their system so they can be polite in front of the media... kinda the opposite of how it is here!

The thing I loved most in Ottawa was a walk around the government complex. Some lady with 2 kids behind me was explaining "and this is where our politicians work. At least they call it work".
I had to turn around to remember the experience!

[Richard3]

For those who don't know Steven Guilbault, he's known to have made some "coups d'éclat" in his Greenpeace years.

https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet/honourable-steven-guilbeault

But in fact, including his government years, what he says, what he poops,...

[The Ghostbuster]

Large road projects will likely always be needed in Canada (and the United States). Whether it is constructing new roads or reconstructing existing ones, the road system is the backbone of non-rail and non-flight transportation. I'm not saying every road project proposed will need to be built, but the funding for the ones that are needed has to come from somewhere (if that funding needs to come from the feds, so be it).

[mgk920]

We'll just have to see what happens after the next federal election.

Mike