Share this Story: Editorial: For Ottawa, two cabinet ministers are better than one
Editorial: For Ottawa, two cabinet ministers are better than one
There's logic in shifting Catherine McKenna, the former top climate-change champ, into the job of infrastructure minister. And Ottawans can reap the benefits from it.
Ottawa Citizen Editorial Board
Nov 22, 2019 • November 22, 2019 • 2 minute read
Federal ministers Mona Fortier (left) and Catherine McKenna. jpg
Both Catherine McKenna and Mona Fortier were among the posse of politicians crowded in behind Justin Trudeau as he unveiled his 2019 cabinet outside Rideau Hall Wednesday. The prime minister has doubled this city's cabinet representation from the 2015 model. But the news is mixed.
McKenna has moved out of one of the highest-profile cabinet jobs – environment – to one of the least sexy – infrastructure. Still, there's logic in giving the former top climate-change champ this new job, and Ottawans should expect the benefits from it.
Editorial: For Ottawa, two cabinet ministers are better than one Back to video
Infrastructure Canada doles out money in a range of areas that play to McKenna's environmental passions. It administers the gas tax fund, and the clean water fund. It handles programs for flooding mitigation (which Ottawa knows a lot about these days), and it's in charge of the Green Infrastructure Fund. Infrastructure Canada also manages the federal Public Transit Fund. There's lots here for a clean-planet advocate to work with.
Infrastructure Canada doles out money in a range of areas that play to McKenna's environmental passions.
And there's lots for the national capital to ask for. Discussion of funding for LRT Stage 3 has barely begun, but the city has already signalled its expectation that higher levels of government will pay for it. Congratulations on your new job, minister!
There's also the affordable housing file, very top of mind with Ottawa councillors. The last federal budget allocated $300 million to the "Housing Supply Challenge" – with Infrastructure Canada and CMHC in charge of the competition. Hello again, minister!
Meanwhile, McKenna herself pledged during the campaign to work on turning the Prince of Wales Bridge into a pedestrian and cycle crossing. The estimated price tag is $10 million. A trifling amount, surely, minister!
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Somewhat more awkwardly, the Liberals promised in the last budget to reopen the possibility of building a new bridge over the Ottawa River. That infrastructure elephant drew fire from the locals, given the bitter battles that have been fought over it in the past. On Thursday, our new infrastructure minister was understandably cautious on the file. Plus, new minister Fortier represents the riding where one landing for such a controversial bridge might be built. But you get the general idea. McKenna has money and a mandate for smart infrastructure – and she's our regional minister.
All is not perfect, though. Neither McKenna nor Fortier has oversight of the National Capital Commission, despite its key role in development. And neither will be directly involved in resolving the Phoenix pay fiasco. That task goes to another portfolio.
Still, two ministers are better than one. If Ottawa is going to keep voting for the Liberals, it might as well reap the rewards.
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