It looks like the pressure from the press. Article from the G&M in link below.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ontario-premier-requests-meeting-with-harper-after-being-rebuffed/article21648939/

In a reply to Premier Wynne previous request, the Prime Minister’s letter begins. “I am pleased to see you focus on the priorities of economic growth and job creation in Canada and Ontario. I encourage you to work with the responsible federal ministers to make further progress in these priority areas over the coming year.”

During the meantime the Fed Minister Rickford has been saying that any request for Fed money for infrastructure should include that for the RoF...and just recently the Prov Minister (responsible for infreastructure) was saying...no,no, no, the infrastructure does not include the RoF (see comments on my previous post). It looks like a discussion between the 2 solitudes who are not on the same page. In fact, Minister Gravelle should be the one addressing Rickford's suggestion of submitting details for the RoF infrastructure since Fed money is available for this purpose. So, where was/is Minister Gravelle, and what seems to be Ontario's problem?

The strategy of hitting people over the head with a piece of 2x4 during a negotiation for them to cough up some free money would not work for almost all cases, especially with PM Harper, keeping in mind that he's the one that has the dough. Being nice (and telling ministers not to say the wrong/bad things against the Fed before the requested meeting) would not hurt in this negotiation, and don't bring the piece of 2x4 to the meeting in Ottawa. Btw, picking up the phone to have a nice personal chat (texting may work as well) with the PM would also help, instead of just sending a (cold) formal letter.

goldhunter