Train trumps NHL arena in Quebec City: Ignatieff
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 3:28 PM ET
The Canadian Press
A new NHL franchise in Quebec City would be nice, but a new arena would never get federal funding from a Liberal government before a high-speed rail link, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Tuesday.
Ignatieff said his funding priority would be the often-discussed and never-built high-speed rail link between Quebec City and Windsor.
The popular idea of bringing the Nords back to the provincial capital arose when the city's incumbent mayor began campaigning on a promise to build a modern arena that could attract a National Hockey League team.
Régis Labeaume, who is in the midst of a municipal election, has unveiled an ambitious plan to build a $400-million arena.
But he wants Ottawa and Quebec to kick in $175 million each while the city covers only the remaining $50 million it would cost to build an 18,000 seat arena.
Quality transport infrastructure should come first, Ignatieff said.
"You have to do one thing at a time in my opinion," Ignatieff said. "But I'd really like there to be a hockey team in Quebec City, that's for sure."
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