N.S. premier surprised at sole-credit infrastructure signs
Last Updated: Friday, November 13, 2009 | 8:32 PM AT
CBC News
Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter says he was surprised by the federal government's recent decision to put its own sign on infrastructure projects without provincial or municipal logos attached.
Signs announcing projects, such as new buildings and highway improvements, previously featured logos from various levels of government to show who provided the funding.
Over the summer, the federal government told the provinces that if the provincial or municipal governments want to be credited, they need to get their own signs.
"I can say that it was a bit of a surprise to me," Dexter told CBC News on Friday. "I've never had any problem sharing the credit for undertakings by the government with the various levels."
The costs of such projects are generally shared among the three levels of government.
Sherm Embree, the warden of Shelburne County, said new Economic Action Plan signs — featuring only Ottawa's logo — arrived at the county's offices along with a bill.
"We received an invoice for $117 and our share of that is about $40," he said.
The new infrastructure signs show only the federal government's logo. (CBC)But Embree said municipal officials don't mind paying for a project that gives others credit.
"When you look at the $40 … we've got bigger issues and, obviously, bigger interest in making sure that the project goes through," he said.
Dexter said he believed putting up the different signs did not cost a "very big amount," compared with the overall cost of the project.
"What I want to see, of course, is that these projects that benefit the people of the province go ahead," said the NDP premier.
One of the conditions for receiving federal funding is to provide photographic proof that the signs have been erected.
Gerald Keddy, Conservative MP for the riding of South Shore-St. Margaret's, said people will associate the projects with all levels of government, even without their logos.
"Any Canadian or any constituent who sees the Economic Action Plan sign automatically understand that all three levels of government are involved," he said.
