[Halifax] Nova Centre | 65-58-58 m | 16-15-14 fl | Completed

[sdm]

Originally Posted by spaustin

The feds will undoubtedly fund the convention centre. They've provided money to pretty much every other municipality across the country that has asked (Ottawa, Charlottetown, Fredericton etc). Halifax may be a strong NDP bastion, but there are Tory seats in NS. Although people may be divided on the convention centre, there is nothing like being treated unfairly by an external party to bring everyone back together. There are no political points for the Tories in funding the convention centre, but there is a lot of risk if they opt not to.

I disagree, if anything them saying no to the funding they will gain more seats(or maintain) in the rural areas of the province. Have you noticed how much money is going into rural nova scotia in the past few weeks?

[halifaxboyns]

It will certainly be interesting to what happens this week. It looks like the conservatives are going to have to navigate a minefield this week...

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

It will certainly be interesting to what happens this week. It looks like the conservatives are going to have to navigate a minefield this week...

I agree... all the debating is really pointless now.

Budget comes out tomorrow? I assume we will know then?

[beyeas]

I can't imagine that it would be a direct line item in the budget, but who knows?!

To be honest I am pretty pessimistic at this point... I would think that if they had plans to fund it that they would have done it in the lead up to the budget, knowing that they may be lose a confidence vote (as with how they announced the funding for the PEI one).

I hope I am wrong on this one.

[someone123]

I am pretty pessimistic as well. If it were a priority it would have been funded by now -- kind of crooked but that's the reality.

I'm worried that this will be another permanent hole. I think elaborate plans downtown are part of why nothing happens there. If Rank had just proposed some nice mixed-use midrise buildings for this site they'd likely be under construction right now.

[Jstaleness]

I wish we had some more promising news about this to bring back the optimism. It is looking very much like this is just going to fade away. At least that's what I think the government wants to have happen.

[-Harlington-]

Does anyone think this can maybe be done without fed money ?
i doubt it but you never know right

[sdm]

Originally Posted by -Harlington-

Does anyone think this can maybe be done without fed money ?
i doubt it but you never know right

In light of the recent concert scandal i doubt council would authorize it.

Remember, council still has to deal with a 13 million budget shortfall in the next few weeks.

[fenwick16]

Personally, I don't think that federal funding will be turned down. I just think it might be derailed by a federal election. Even that might not derail it, but simply delay it.

If a federal election isn't called this week then I think there is a good chance of this proceeding.

[fenwick16]

Since an election will negatively affect the chances of the Nova Centre proceeding, I think that this story is related to this thread. I can't see the NDP wanting an election that they cannot win, so my feeling is that there won't be an election for another year. If so then I think the Nova Centre will go ahead (just my opinion).

(source: http://www.thespec.com/news/canada/artic...illing-olive-branch-to-ndp-in-the-budget )

Flaherty to offer election-killing olive branch to NDP in the budget

March 10, 2011.
Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

OTTAWA Leaks from Ottawa suggest the governing Conservatives hope to hold off a spring election by offering incentives to the NDP in the federal budget.

A government source says the minority Tories will re-introduce the home energy retrofit program at a cost of $400 million a year.

The government is also prepared to forgive some loans for doctors and nurses who work in rural areas.

Both are key demands made by the New Democrats as the cost for their support of the budget.

The Harper government needs the support of just one opposition party to survive a budget confidence vote.

And it appears the government’s got the money to pay for such vote-winning incentives.
.
.
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[MonctonRad]

Maybe Dexter should get on the blower with his pal Jack Layton in Ottawa suggesting that federal funding for the convention centre should be a precondition for NDP support for the federal budget.

[beyeas]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Maybe Dexter should get on the blower with his pal Jack Layton in Ottawa suggesting that federal funding for the convention centre should be a precondition for NDP support for the federal budget.

A few years ago I was flying back from Ottawa on the Thursday evening flight (which is the one that is packed with politicians). In addition to the normal groups of MPs there was some speaking thing going on in Halifax so Preston Manning, Jack Layton etc etc were all on the plane as well.

It was snowing heavily and basically no cabs showed up. I looked over at Layton and said "Hey Jack, any chance you could get on the phone to the teamsters union and fix this cab problem for us?" He laughed and said "That sounds to me like a local issue".

[-Harlington-]

Federal budget unlikely to fund N.S. projects

By STEPHEN MAHER Ottawa Bureau
Tue, Mar 22 - 4:54 AM

OTTAWA — Nova Scotia MPs aren’t expecting today’s federal budget to respond to the province’s two main requests to Ottawa: funding for a new Halifax convention centre and a loan guarantee for a subsea cable for electricity from Labrador.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tables his budget in the House of Commons this afternoon. If all three opposition parties vote it down, Canada would be plunged into an election campaign.

» SEE ALSO: Tories hope budget goodies can fend off federal election

That prospect appeared to diminish Monday as the Tories leaked items from their budget wish list, which suggests the NDP would likely vote for the budget.

But the budget is not expected to bring good news for another New Democrat: Premier Darrell Dexter.

He is disappointed that the province has yet to hear from the federal government on the two big requests.

"We expect to see strong and consistent economic leadership in tomorrow’s federal budget," he said in a statement Monday.

"We were hoping to already have heard back on our requests for federal support in the Lower Churchill development and the new convention centre, and we have not given up on either proposal."

He held out hope that they would appear in the budget.

"Investment in these projects would certainly show strong economic leadership on behalf of the federal government."

Few MPs expect to see either item. The money for a convention centre would come from the Building Canada Fund, which was already budgeted. And the federal government could mention a loan guarantee for a subsea cable, but that doesn’t seem likely.

"I would expect that there would be ongoing discussions between the federal government on both of those issues," said Tory MP Gerald Keddy (South Shore-St. Margarets) on Monday. "It’s not impossible for the government to put those kinds of things in a budget document, but they certainly don’t have to."

Liberal MP Geoff Regan (Halifax West) isn’t expecting to see either item in the budget.

"I doubt it," he said. "You have seen times when there’s kind of a side mention that says this new project we’re creating could be used for such things as . . . So, watch for that."

NDP MP Megan Leslie (Halifax) said she isn’t expecting to see either item in the budget. And it’s not what voters are talking to her about.

"It’s almost all about seniors," she said. "That’s constant. That’s all I hear: GIS, CPP, seniors being in poverty. I know that’s a general thing across Canada but I think that would be really good for Nova Scotia."

The NDP has said it wants to see improvements to the GIS — the Guaranteed Income Supplement — and the government has indicated it is looking at that, although it won’t expand the Canada Pension Plan as the NDP has requested.

( [email protected])

[Wishblade]

I think it would be pretty damn sad if the convention centre in Charlottetown got its federal funding and this didn't.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Hmm... Building Canada Fund already budgeted? Is this implying that the Atlantic project was PEI's CC? I didn't think the fund worked exactly like that... I sort of question how this was written.

Anyway, this is rediculous... we should at least get that underwater power deal, I mean NFLD needs to export that energy and we are right here. I can't see how that is a bad business case, unless you're Hydro Quebec that is.

I didn't think the federal contribution for NC was coming in yr. 1 anyway???

Would the conservatives yay or nay just be a guarantee for funding? Would this also mean if the approval came before an election that whoever was in power would be obligated to fulfill the contribution?

[DigitalNinja]

Budget was not passed. Looks like no convention center and another election. I think I may vote NDP this time, just because our province is NDP seems like we may get a better deal

[beyeas]

Originally Posted by DigitalNinja

Budget was not passed. Looks like no convention center and another election. I think I may vote NDP this time, just because our province is NDP seems like we may get a better deal

Ok I have to admit that I laughed hard when I read that!
Well done.

[TheNovaScotian]

Ha I would never vote NDP federally. Not that good ol' Taliban Jack isn't worth listening to, I just feel that NDP sways too easily for special interest groups and unions.
And this project isn't dead yet because the request was made awhile ago and the Build Canada fund can still be dispensed until the actual election call, which is still acouple days away

[fenwick16]

The budget hasn't actually been voted on but the opposition parties are saying that they won't support it, so it looks like it will be defeated in a couple of days when it is voted on. It is starting to look like Halifax will be stuck with another hole in the ground. (maybe it is time for Rank Inc. to move on with another proposal, they seem to be having more success at other sites without government partnership).

I guess the Save the View group will be getting their view, unfortunately (or fortunately) some of them and their descendants will be looking at it on the internet from Ontario, Alberta, BC and elsewhere (or maybe they can go back to Nova Scotia every few years and see it in person from the Citadel Hill).

[worldlyhaligonian]

And I'll be moving to Toronto...