What Tony Clement meant when he said those things

Last month, Tony Clement seemed to raise the possibility of new or higher user fees. A day later he seemed to disavow the possibility of new user fees. And a few days after he seemed to categorically dismiss the possibility. And so here is how his office now explains plans by various departments to increase user fees.

Mr. Clement’s office explains that the minister was only ruling out higher user fees as part of his Strategic and Operating Review process, which will be detailed in the 2012 budget. That doesn’t prevent government departments from raising fees outside of that plan.