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CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES Tel: (519) 255-1631
masse.b@parl.gc.ca Fax::(519) 255-7913

Brian Masse
MP/ Député
Windsor West

May 4, 2009

Minister of Transport
Honourable John Baird, M. P.
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Baird,

We are writing you today about the allocations of infrastructure funding, the
process of approving particular municipal projects and the involvement of
individual members of parliament interfering in the determination of federal
spending.

According to recent media reports (please find attached) the events surrounding the
City of Windsor’s proposed infrastructure funding requests have created significant
concern and consternation. At the last city council meeting held on Friday May 1,
2009, a federal member of parliament who is a part of your caucus, Jeff Watson
(Essex), claimed that the projects submitted would not meet the criteria of the
federal spending program even though they are for essential infrastructure needs
taken from the capital budget the city had in place. These road, sewer and water
projects included for example the underground retention basin to end sewage
overflows into the Detroit River. Additionally, Mr. Watson made a claim that the
federal government would guarantee funding for a project, the so-called marina-
canal, which had not been vetted by the public or city council instead of the needed
infrastructure proposals.

We are requesting that you detail the procedures and protocols for municipalities
submitting projects and state the criteria by which the determinations of the
department are made regarding which projects receive funding. It is deeply
troubling that the appearance of political interference by an individual member of
parliament is allowed to take place in the allocation of federal spending.

What may be more disturbing however is the insinuation that infrastructure

decisions are not being made by professionals at the department using clear and
objective standards but rather by individual members of parliament in the

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government’s caucus. Is this episode to be repeated in communities across the
country?

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Brian Masse, M.P. Joe Comartin M.P.

Windsor West Windsor Tecumseh

cc: Mayor Francis, City of Windsor

City Council of Windsor

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