[Bunk]

The explanation from Rempel, Harper and Obhrai is almost too unbelievable. P3 states it's a "coincidence" that sports projects were taken off the P3 website as eligible 2 hours after the Mayor's press conference that pointed out on the P3 website sports projects (rec centers) explicitly are eligible. Uh huh.

Calgary Tory MPs defend rejection of Calgary rec centre grant

Mayor Nenshi wants Ottawa to compensate for $3M cost of application

By Richard Cuthbertson, Calgary Herald November 25, 2011 10:05 PM


CALGARY — A local MP says a federal funding agency never had the legal authority to spend on recreation centres, appearing to contradict federal cabinet-approved documents and at odds with a city claim it was encouraged to apply for money for four new facilities.

The comment comes just a day after Calgary got word that PPP Canada is refusing to fund up to $100 million of the $430-million project, which would see three recreation centres built in the southeast and one in the northwest.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi continues to chide the federal government over its decision to refuse funding and is now demanding Ottawa compensate the city $3.1 million — money he says was spent on the failed bid...

...On Friday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a Calgary MP, also addressed the issue, saying recreation centres do not qualify.

“Those particular projects are not eligible for funding under the PPP program, under the 3P Canada,” he said. “And in fact, no such project of that nature has been funded anywhere in the country.”

But that hasn’t assuaged the frustration of the mayor, aldermen, and community groups, angry that huge amounts of time, effort and money were poured into the failed PPP Canada application for funding.

“It’s very clear in documents that were tabled in Parliament that these were eligible projects,” Nenshi said. “It’s not that the projects were bad — everyone agrees these are fantastic projects.

“If there was a miscommunication between the cabinet and the Crown corporation, then why in the world should the taxpayers of Calgary be paying $3 million for the mistake?”

On Thursday morning, the PPP Canada website said sports facilities were eligible, but the reference was taken down by the afternoon. Policy director Lisa Mitchell said it was simply a coincidence.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Calgary+Tory+defend+rejection+Calgary+centre+grant/5770071/story.html#ixzz1emv5Y0lQ