OTTAWA, ON – Today the Liberal majority on the heritage committee voted against studying the federal government’s delay of the Ottawa Hospital’s new Civic Campus, protecting minister Catherine McKenna from testifying on her controversial role in the matter.
Carleton Member of Parliament Pierre Poilievre tabled the motion earlier in the week and spoke about his motion today. His motion called on the committee to look into why McKenna slammed the brakes on the hospital and then asked the Heritage Minister to have the National Capital Commission conduct a review – delaying the hospital by at least a year. It would have called both ministers to the committee to give testimony. Poilievre also presented the same motion to the health committee last week, but was shut down by the Liberal Chair before his motion could be considered.
“In the election, Liberals promised openness and transparency, but today we saw the Liberal majority vote against a study in order to protect Minister McKenna,” Poilievre said. “The NCC didn’t just wake up one morning and decide it wanted to review a hospital’s placement – it only did so after Minister McKenna intervened and told them to do so.
“The Liberal majority on the heritage committee is protecting the minister from testifying about her political interference in the hospital’s construction,” said Poilievre. “They are covering for the minister in her evasion of accountability, inquiry, and transparency.”
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