Liberals keep the lid on election goodie jar

THE MARITIMES Governing party holds tight grip on vote in region ‘Last election, an obscene amount . . . was promised’

HALIFAX— Where, oh, where are the wharf- fixing grants? Where are the new university research chairs, wider highways and callcentre payroll rebates? Most curious of all, what happened to that classic ritual of Atlantic Canadian pre- election politics, the promise to fatten seasonal unemployment cheques?

Something is fishy in the federal election on the East Coast, and it isn’t the smell of Liberal money.

Atlantic Canada is often seen as the seat of pork- barrel politics. It is here, after all, that Ottawa pols paid students to build a rock wall around a university, funded boardwalks to nowhere across private land, and once hired workers to paint the rusty hull of a sunken ship in the name of “ beautification.” But this campaign appears different. There has been no blizzard of releases hyping cash for community groups, roads, schools or businesses. While Paul Martin was lambasted nationally for announcing $20 billion in new spending in the weeks before the election, very little of that money landed directly in Atlantic Canada.

In fact, Fisheries Minister Geoff Regan told his hometown paper in Halifax not to expect any election goodies. Public Works Minister Scott Brison was blunter. When a constituent bugged him in a restaurant about her failure to get a patronage appointment, he reportedly told her to “ kiss my ass.” Don Desserud is a political science professor at the University of New Brunswick. He is one of several campaign- watchers to notice a shift away from porkbarrel politics in the Atlantic Canadian campaign. “ Last election, an obscene amount of money was promised, but not this time; there is very much a different atmosphere.”

There are several reasons for the sudden lack of Liberal largesse: the economy here is improving; two of the four provinces got a multi- billion- dollar federal windfall between the elections; and, most important, federal Liberals are already strong here, so don’t need to woo voters with the tricks of the past. The stereotype of Atlantic Canada as a region on the patronage dole infuriates people like respected economist Donald Savoie, a professor at the University of Moncton. He points out that grants for transit, day care and industrial research are accepted as legitimate economic development programs in Ontario while money for seasonal workers, wharf repairs and payroll rebates in the Maritimes are not. For example, no one questioned $40 million in federal grants that Blackberry- maker Research in Motion won from Ottawa when it was based solely in Waterloo, but a recent $ 14 million provincial grant for a new Halifax centre drew the familiar charge of pork- barrel politics. The insulting stereotype is that votes are more easily bought on the East Coast than in Central Canada or the West, because the need for basic infrastructure and jobs is greater. In some areas of the East, that is simply no longer true. Halifax, for instance, has the same unemployment rate as Toronto. Federal money announced before the election has mostly been for rural areas. Nova Scotia’s small towns got $37 million for infrastructure, while the province as a whole will get $ 145 million of a $5 billion national gas tax program. One reason Martin cut back on Maritime favours is probably that he lost the fiscal fight of a generation here just five months ago. Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams and Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm are still licking their lips over a $ 3.7 billion change in the royalty system for offshore gas and oil. Newfoundland’s take — $ 2.6 billion — is enough to pay its entire health care budget for two whole years. The deal cost Martin support. Other premiers complained that Atlantic Canada had won a sweetheart deal at the expense of wealthier provinces like Ontario. It’s unlikely Martin wants to be seen showering Atlantic Canada with yet more dough while all- important election allies like Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty are still angry about the billions in energy royalties going to Halifax and St. John’s. The core factor is the numbers. Down East, Liberals are way ahead of the Conservatives and NDP. They currently hold 22 of the 32 seats in Atlantic Canada. Neither the New Democrats nor the Conservatives are willing publicly to write this region off but it’s hard to detect much enthusiasm for their Atlantic campaigns. When Stephen Harper swept through Halifax Wednesday night, his own supporters dubbed it a “ duty call” and predicted he would not return for many weeks. Asked which ridings their party could most easily pick up in Atlantic Canada, one senior Conservative strategist stroked his chin, then finally named just one: “ West Nova?” A prominent NDP strategist also named just one riding.

“ It’s a question of bang for the buck,” said Desserud. “ The best value for the Liberal dollar is going to be in Ontario. There are more seats in play, and they can reach more voters at once.

“ I don’t see Gomery and Adscam resonating in the Maritimes the way it does in Quebec and Ontario. People here are not pretending to be shocked, as people are pretending to be in the rest of the country. What? A politician funnelled money to his cronies? ( It’s not like) I’ve never heard of that before.”