Rafferty furious over diversion of border bucks

News Release
John Rafferty, MP

New Democrat John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) rose during Question Period in the House of Commons last week and asked the Conservative Government to apologize for diverting money, set aside for relieving border congestion, to beautification projects at last year’s G8 meeting in Muskoka.
Rafferty rose early on in Question Period to demand an apology from the government for the irresponsible re-allocation of border funds. “… the government diverted $50 million from the border infrastructure fund to beautify communities in the minister's riding, using the fund as a private wish list, while ignoring border regions like Northwestern Ontario. Is the President of the Treasury Board finally ready to apologize?” In response to Rafferty’s question, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird offering the following; “Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to correct the record. No such funds were diverted.”
Following the Question Period exchange, Rafferty accused the Conservatives of attempting to mislead the Canadian public noting that Baird’s response directly contradicted the findings of the Auditor General in spring 2011 report. “In response to my question, Minister Baird said that no money was diverted from the Border Infrastructure Fund, but this is at odds with what Auditor General Sheila Fraser found,” Rafferty said.
“The Auditor General made clear that money was taken from the Border Infrastructure Fund which was intended to relieve congestion at our borders, and was instead spent on ‘beautification’ projects as part of the G8 Legacy Fund. She was crystal clear in her report when she noted;”
“At that time, the government decided that the Border Infrastructure Fund (BIF) would be used as the vehicle to administer and deliver the funding for this G8 initiative. Approval was also given to exempt G8 Legacy Infrastructure projects from meeting the existing terms and conditions of the Border Infrastructure Fund.” (Spring Report 2011, Auditor General of Canada – Chapter 2 G8 Legacy Infrastructure Fund, page 36)
We have some real issues with border congestion at the three crossings in Thunder Bay – Rainy River, and it kills me to see $50 million taken from the Border Infrastructure Fund and blown on gazebos,” Rafferty said.
Rafferty said resolving the many problems at the three border crossings in our riding will be a major focus of his work in Ottawa. “Whether it is the unacceptable wait-times, the need for better signage, or what seems to be an extraordinarily high level of denial of entry cases I will keep working to ensure that our borders remain open for business.”
Spring Report 2011, Auditor General of Canada – Chapter 2 G8 Legacy Infrastructure Fund
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/docs/parl_oag_201104_02_e.pdf