As some readers here know, I maintain a database which tracks every spending announcement made by every federal government department. (Most, but not all, entries in that database, incidentally, get tweeted at #ottawaspends. Learn more.)
As the issue of getting stimulus out the door is an issue here in Ottawa right now, here's what the numbers from my database tell me:
Since the budget was tabled on Jan. 27, there have been 679 press releases issued by the federal government, announcing projects which have a combined value $33.87 billion.
Nearly $10 billion of that, though, was for extending employment insurance benefits and implementing the government’s skills and training strategy. That money will be paid out over the next two years.
Infrastructure Canada, the department responsible for implementing the $12-billion infrastructure spending plan announced in the budget, has made 46 announcements since the budget for projects totalling $2.7 billion.
When we count press releases, we don't care if it's new money, old money, or recycled money. We just care that a press release was issued announcing that the government is spending money on something.
The biggest ticket item: On March 13, 2009, Human Resources Minister Diane Finley laid out the details of the government's $8.3 billion Canada Skills and Transition Strategy. That money had been announced in the budget but Finely was calling our attention to that spending.
The smallest funding announcement since Jan. 27: Public Works Minister Christian Paradis announces, on behalf of Finley, a grant of $1,530 to help the Cercle de Fermieres de Courcelles in Courcelles, QC with a building project for seniors there.
David,
Interested as to why you don't care if it is 'old money' or re-announcements. It seems to me a there is a valuable distinction between money that was flowing and new funds if one is attempting to stimulate.
Couple of points: Firist, almost all of it is “old money” in the sense that the budget that's presented every spring is where the government announces its spending plans. These announcements are essentially the budget “rubber” hitting the “road.”
Secondly, the point of this particular database is track politicians taking political credit for spending. I'm more interested the number, scope, and geographic distribution of the releases. For example, using this database, we were able to spot a trend of what looked like pork barrel politics: Almost all the announcements (and much of the funding) for a seniors program appeared to go to Tory-held ridings.
Thanks for the response. The second point makes perfect sense.
I had mistakingly thought that the more concentrated point of tracking was more to do with the actual effort at stimulus (though some of the issues you identify in the second point could do this too e.g., geographic distribution).
Had it been, I think that the the distinction between 'new' and 'old' money would have been worthwhile. generally we have used that distinction to disaggregate current budget year commitments and previous budget commitments that have not been pushed out the door to be recycled in the next budget or on the ground. if used in this way it also helps to identify where the deficit actually started to emerge.