Governments have an uncanny ability to spend billions of dollars on nebulous projects aimed at making us feel warm and fuzzy about forking over half our paycheques. The recently announced $30 million "New Communities of Tomorrow National Resource Council Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure" (NCTNRCCSI) is a new low water mark in the history of pork barrel politics - and every level of government has a finger in this taxpayer-funded pie.

The Regina-based centre was unveiled with fanfare by Liberal Cabinet Minister Ralph Goodale, on behalf of the King of Pork, Industry Minister Allan Rock.

First off, lets examine how the tab was divided up between various layers of government, then we'll see if we can decode the cryptic language the government uses to cloud the fact that this research facility really has nothing to research.

The federal government is kicking in $10 million, the provincial government and Western Economic Diversification Canada (a federal Crown corporation) will throw in another $5 million, and the City of Regina and the University will spend $5 million. That's $30 million spent in the wink of an eye, on what will likely become a puff of smoke.

In a bid to define what exactly the NCTNRCCSI will do for taxpayers, refer to the government news release and related 'backgrounders' that announced the project. This is a confusing document to say the least, with dense prose dotted with mealy-mouthed government-speak. For example, the word 'sustainable' was used no fewer than 36 times.

Here's a great example of some of the language used to describe this facility: "The research program will serve as a catalyst for the growth of a technology cluster in the region, focusing on the theme of sustainable infrastructure and environment that builds on local industry, and research and development capacity. The new centre will be closely linked to regional and national research facilities, and will be supported by NRC's Institute for Research in Construction."

Once you wade through a couple thousand words of government-speak, there is a sentence that may shed some light on this mysterious organization's real mandate - it appears they want to figure out how to ensure safer drinking water. If this is really what they are after, why not just say that One likely reason for the unclear mandate of the centre is that a lack of clarity translates into a lack of accountability. If no one understands what the heck they are trying to do, who is going to call them out for failing to do anything at all Another reason is that it allows Ottawa to simply throw this project in the "meeting-Kyoto-requirements" file.

The bottom line is that our government will spend our tax dollars in a bid to win votes, and we're supposed to thank them for it. Our provincial government throws money away on countless dubious business schemes, so what's the harm in $5 million more How can the City of Regina justify a $5 million investment just weeks after raising property taxes and curtailing planned road maintenance

If there is $30 million to spare for a wonky make-work project like the NCTNRCCSI, thereby creating another layer of government bureaucracy, certainly there are a few dollars to help our cities fix roads and water treatment plants. Or, perhaps we're over simplifying.