Federal Tories are denying a "boondoggle" over a summer sponsorship program for local arts and culture festivals announced in the March budget.

The program became the centre of controversyon Thursday, when NDP MP Charlie Angus found a memo to Conservative MPs from Heritage Minister Bev Oda inviting them to suggest festivals in their ridings for sponsorship.

Angus charged that Oda was creating a backdoor process to give Conservative MPs first dibs on the $30-million program.

"Are we watching the birth here of a brand spanking new, little baby boondoggle?" Angus asked at a news conference.

"Is this money that belongs to Canadians or is it the personal purse of the minister herself?"

No criteria, applications or timelines have been posted by the Heritage Department for the fund, and an aide in the minister's office said the call for applications is unlikely to be issued for another two months.

The fund provides $30 million annually over the next two years to cover local festivals. It was supposed to be available this summer.

In the House of Commons on Thursday, Oda said all MPs would soon receive the same memo that had been sent to Tory MPs. All ridings will have equal access to the program, she said.

Letter included questionnaire

Oda's letter to Conservative MPs includes a note about the program and a questionnaire about summer festivals in their riding. Replies were to be returned to her office.

The process suggests that Oda's office would be managing the fund and would vet applications against a list provided by MPs from the Conservative caucus, Angus said.

"This government talks about accountability, but the first principle of  accountability is fair and equal access to government funds," Angus said.

"This minister must explain herself immediately. She must assure arts and culture festivals and local museums across Canada that she intends to hand out this money without the vetting or suggestions from Conservative MPs."

On Friday the Tories denied the program would be used as a slush fund and said all cultural festivals would have an opportunity to apply.