An online archive could help, argues Jeff Polowin

The topic of the week is selective amnesia on the part of many politicians at the federal and provincial levels of government. In addition to that discussion, I thought I'd also dispel the myth that's been around for quite a while – it's the same taxpayer at every level.

If it is indeed the same taxpayer for all three levels of government, why do MPPs and MPs suffer from selective amnesia when it comes to remembering what their constituents wanted when they – the decision-makers – were municipal politicians?

I could name names, but we all know who they are. When they served as city councillors around the horse show at city hall, they were passionate defenders and advocates for their "constituents" and the "people of the city of Ottawa." In passionate speeches, they decried the lack of provincial support for the city, speaking at length about how the city couldn't handle the downloads from the province and debating, at length, how to lobby the province for more money. That was then.

And this is now. Those same great defenders of the municipal level move on and forget how downtrodden the municipality was. They are now provincial politicians and have to defend what the province does. Never mind what is right for the taxpayers who foot the bill. Never mind what they said before. Never mind the constituents they spoke so highly about.

It happens at the federal level, as well. Back then, they were advocates for Ontario and how it wasn't getting its fair share from their federal counterparts. That is, until the MPP became an MP, the federal counterpart. All of a sudden, it's "Never mind what I said a few years ago – let's talk about what I think now."

It's no wonder that there's a common frustration amongst taxpayers when it comes to government.

Let's take the case of the planned Armstrong/Strandherd Bridge, proposed to be built over the Rideau River. It's been on the books for years, and is a critical part of the transportation network. That should obvious to everyone on council and who's been on council, you'd think. But not so, according to local provincial Liberals.

For some reason, despite the fact that three of the area's Liberal contingent to Queen's Park formerly sat around the horseshoe at city hall, the provincial government has decided the bridge isn't that important.

There must be something the electorate can do to make these politicians accountable. One would think that once a municipal politician moves into another tier of government, that he or she would be able to represent the needs of the municipality. After all, the former municipal councillor has experience and knowledge gained at city hall to bring to Queen's Park. Those former municipal politicians would be able to rectify the financial situation in Ottawa because of their newfound access to the provincial treasury. One would think.

There should be a permanent record of all of the comments, speeches, releases and whatever, for quoting all municipal politicians, on a website dedicated to topics related to municipal funding from the province. Every politician who moves from municipal to provincial could have a special section, one that could be referenced at any time.

In that way, each and every time the MPP or MP makes a statement or ignores a municipal need, these quotes from his or her former life could be brought back to life and placed in the spotlight.

When are these politicians going to learn that it is not their money? It is ours. We have not changed. Our needs have not changed. The situation has not changed.

Something has to be done to look after the taxpayers.

Jeff Polowin is senior vice-president with Hill and Knowlton Canada where he heads up its Ottawa municipal public affairs practice. In addition, he is the municipal affairs analyst for CTV Ottawa. He served as director of communications for mayor Jim Durrell.