How can these councillors be trusted?

RE: LRT

Hamilton council has repeatedly voted in favour of the B-Line light rail project from September 2011 to the approval of the project’s environmental assessment last year. Councillors Tom Jackson, Lloyd Ferguson and Terry Whitehead have all voted in favour of the project over that period.

Since then, as a direct result of those votes, Metrolinx has spent $74 million with an additional $29 million committed as of February, for a total of $103 million. The province gave council years of latitude and options when it came to higher-order transit, and this LRT project is what they chose. Without the support of these three councillors, that $103 million never would have been spent.

Now Doug Ford, no doubt at the urging of Ward 7 councillor and Progressive Conservative candidate Donna Skelly, has made a clearly hollow promise to let Hamilton have the full $1.3 billion to spend elsewhere, essentially cancelling the LRT project. That decision would render $103 million already spent a total waste. We can’t get that money back, and you can bet none of these politicians will offer to reimburse the public.

Jackson, Ferguson and Whitehead, all self-described fiscal conservatives, have been quoted saying they’re reconsidering their support of the project — perhaps the most egregious statement of political cowardice in Hamilton history. Why should they be entrusted with $1.3 billion? Why should they be further entrusted with public office? How can they claim to be conservative, in any sense of the word?

Matt Jelly, Hamilton