Feds fund public infrastructure – are public schools included?

“Curling rinks, arenas, walking trails and bike routes, theatres and community halls in small towns and big cities alike, these are places where people come together. They are literally the beating hearts of the communities we live in.”

Stephen Harper’s quote above suggests how the new Canada 150 infrastructure plan might be spent to benefit Canadians. Earlier this month, Harper announced that $150-million will be spent over the coming two years to support existing community and cultural infrastructure across the country as one way of marking Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation.

Public schools across the country are in a state of disrepair and surely also serve as the “beating hearts of the communities we live in”. Yet public schools are notably absent in any lists of potential projects that could be approved for this Canada 150 infrastructure plan.

Hmmm…those who see this infrastructure spend as merely a pre-election PR tactic might say that public school children aren’t voters yet so why would the Feds bother spending money on them leading up to the Fall election?