According to
Metro’s online poll, barely half of the respondents intend to vote
in the June 28th election. While not scientific, the results
indicate that while some may not want to participate in the national
election, they cared enough to tell us. Compared to the last few
federal campaign’s, Monday’s ballot choices demand more calculation
on the part of voters, mixed with emotional considerations and a
good bit of guesswork. Do the Liberals deserve to return to power in
Ottawa -- for a fourth time? Is the newly merged Conservative party
organized enough to govern, and which of its predecessors would it
emulate -- the Canadian Alliance or the old Progressive
Conservatives?
How much power
will the New Democratic Party garner on June 28 -- will they have
enough seats in Parliament to help form a minority government? What
effect would a strong Bloc Québécois have on decisions affecting the
whole country? And fundamentally -- to what degree will each party
follow through on its claims and promises?
Commuting and
transportation issues usually play a tiny role in elections. In
fact, it was months ago that citizens spoke up about the problems
getting around Canada’s big cities. In Toronto alone, hundreds of
thousands of commuters signed petitions and postcards, letting their
politicians know about inadequate transit service.
The effect in
Toronto, and Ottawa, was impressive. In announcement after
announcement, federal politicians joined their local and provincial
counterparts across the country to unveil new transit projects and
reinvestment programs. After years of slow deterioration in both
infrastructure and travel times, any announcement was welcome --
including the one in late March 2004 giving the TTC a billion
dollars over five years to maintain the system.
Compared to the
status quo, even a pre-election promise was better than nothing.
Reality set in of course -- like other political pledges, the TTC is
having trouble actually getting the expected funds from government
officials. Yet all those postcards and petitions can be linked to
the campaign promises facing voters right now -- especially the
pledges to share a portion of the federal gasoline tax.
In addition to
cash for specific projects, the Liberals under Paul Martin say they
will eventually direct five cents per litre of the tax to local
governments, calling it their "New Deal" for cities. The scheme was
later watered down to include “communities” -- which probably means
a smaller share for large transit systems like the TTC and GO. The
NDP, led by former Toronto councillor Jack Layton, claim the
Liberals will not follow through on the pledge after the election,
and say their "Real Deal for Municipalities" will offer $5 to $6
billion a year over four years to municipalities -- exceeding the
gas tax promise of both the Liberals and Conservatives.
Stephen
Harper’s Tories believe Ottawa should not be directly involved in
deciding how cities deal with transportation needs. They would shut
down the existing Liberal infrastructure programs, and promise "at
least three cents of the gas tax to the provinces." James Moore, a
BC MP and the Conservative transport critic, says his party would
honour all existing Liberal announcements on highways and transit,
and would sit down immediately with provincial governments to
negotiate the transfer of gas revenues. If finances allow --
presumably after a new Harper government sorted out the full cost of
promised tax cuts and higher defense spending -- provinces could
receive more than the promised three cents per litre.
Similarly, the
federal Green Party would direct money to lower governments, but
defer transportation decisions to municipal and provincial
representatives. I know commuting is only one of many considerations
this election, but these are your choices -- direct federal
involvement in local transportation, or simply sending cheques to
the provincial government. Whether the promised money will indeed
arrive is another question entirely.
Send e-mail to
transit@eddrass.com.
Include address and phone number.