Raise the Hammer

It's a great idea but my concern is that even though it's got merit, the federal government would say no because they wouldn't want to set a precedent. If they pick up an expensive project like this because the province has tossed it on the floor and walked away, it's almost an open invitation to Ford and any other premier to do the same thing with other expensive things and send them upstream along with the bill to the federal government. The federal government wouldn't want to get stuck with provincial projects with bills that were supposed to have been paid with provincial taxes out of the federal budget without the additional tax revenue that provinces would get to keep.

So, as I said, I think it's a great idea and I have my fingers crossed because I think it's the only thing that'll save the LRT at this point but I acknowledge it's a long shot.

Bob Bratina isn't just a lost cause when it comes to LRT, Bob Bratina is a lost cause when it comes to Hamilton, period. I live in his riding not to far from two of the LRT stops and this major infrastructure project passing through a good chunk of his riding going up in a puff of smoke on Monday by Trudeau's arch-rival and key campaign plank Doug Ford has elicited nothing out of Bratina. Zip. Zero. Nothing. I've been unable to find any comment from him on this at all.

In the four plus years he's been my member of parliament all I've heard and seen are mailing and statements that he's up there in Ottawa fighting for us. And that's it. There's been no evidence of him producing anything for us, just statements that he's fighting for us. Honestly, if I was him, when Trudeau announced infrastructure money during his first term as prime minister, I'd have been pushing for a cut of that to take the B line LRT further into Stoney Creek and/or start building the A line to more fully complete the rapid transit system in Hamilton. But Bob? Nothing. No movement on securing any of that infrastructure money for any project in Hamilton. I held my nose and voted for him in the previous election but it was a strategic vote. Unless he shapes up fast and comes out swinging hard in favour of getting the federal government to take over the LRT and get it done, I won't be voting for him again. Members of parliament are supposed to represent their constituents. Not be missing in action for four years plus and counting.