Mulcair addresses FCM in Winnipeg

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This article was published 05/06/2016 (3429 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NDP leader Tom Mulcair delivered a message of cautious optimism for the future of the federal-municipal relationship at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities meeting in Winnipeg Sunday.

Mulcair highlighted the importance of municipal leadership — and federal-municipal partnership — on climate change, social infrastructure and reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples.

“The municipal level can lead with regard to green, renewable energy,” he said, as well as building retrofits and capturing methane coming out of landfills. “We think that’s a wonderful opportunity that we could be fulfilling.”

“Many of you (Canada’s mayors) have First Nations communities within the limits of your cities, and I think the federal government should be playing a major role there, helping cities to adjust and deal with that.”

Mulcair was less enthusiastic about the Liberal initiative to create a new infrastructure bank.

“I’ve been in politics a long time, and I know that there’s nothing easier than to tell people what you think they might want to hear,” he said. “I don’t think that it’s so much a new structure that we need, as to actually just make sure the money’s there, the program makes sense, that we don’t impose one-size-fits-all (policies).

“I’d be a bit more reticent about creating a new structure, because it sometimes takes up a lot of energy that should be better spent making sure the money is flowing and that the purpose is being attained,” he said.

Mulcair also took time to praise what he called a change of tone in Canadian politics regarding federal-municipal relations and climate change ushered in by the new Liberal government, although he remained cautious, saying the NDP would continue to pressure the government to ensure the Liberals “deliver” on promises.

Mulcair’s speech was the first of two keynote speeches on the final day of the four-day-long conference. Green leader Elizabeth May spoke later Sunday.

The national conference was held at the RBC Convention Centre and included addresses by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

aidan.geary@freepress.mb.ca