How Liberals' summer of spending breaks down The summer recess for MPs began after the House of Commons’ last sitting on June 17. By comparison, the Harper Conservatives, during the 83-day long summer after their 2011 majority win, distributed 457 cheques worth a combined $3.8 billion. That fund, known as the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program and worth $150 million a year, was established by the Harper Conservatives in the 2015 budget. At the time, Liberal MPs Judy Sgro and Adam Vaughan derided it as nothing more than a pre-election “slush fund” that Conservative MPs could dip into for some easy publicity via cheque-handout photo opps. That including $2,500 for the purchase of two flagpoles in Harley Township in the northern Ontario riding held by Liberal MP Anthony Rota.

Source: National Post September 18, 2016 19:30 UTC