MPs call Guilbeault to explain road funding remarks at committee

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has been asked to a House of Commons committee to explain his controversial remarks on federal road funding.

Last Monday, Guilbeault told a crowd in Montreal that Ottawa will “stop investing in new road infrastructure,” according to quotes published in the Montreal Gazette.

When pressed by reporters two days later, Guilbeault said he “should have been more specific,” clarifying the government doesn’t have the funds for “large projects.” He referred to the trosième lien, a highway tunnel connecting Quebec City to Lévis, as an example.

MPs on the House of Commons transport committee voted Wednesday to have Guilbeault appear within 14 days, as well as Housing and Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser and Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez.

The committee met at the request of the Conservatives, Bloc Québécois and NDP. Conservative transport critic Mark Strahl has called Guilbeault’s comments “outrageous,” and was among the signatories of a letter requesting for Guilbeault to explain his comments at the committee.

Strahl moved a motion at the start of Wednesday’s meeting to have no fewer than six hearings on infrastructure in Canada, and wanted Guilbeault, Fraser and Rodriguez to appear, as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, the CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and any witnesses deemed necessary by members.

Liberal MP Chris Bittle, who is parliamentary secretary to Fraser, walked MPs on the committee through several infrastructure investments the Liberals have made since 2015.

“I’m not surprised the Conservatives have brought this forward. I’m very surprised the NDP and Bloc have supported this feigned outraged by the Conservative Party. We saw immediately