Gordie Howe bridge: Tories blast Carney for caving to Trump on $6.4B deal
· Toronto Sun
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OTTAWA — The Liberals promised a bridge over troubled trade waters, but the Tories say the PM instead sold Canada down the river.
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Speaking to reporters in Hamilton, Conservative Shadow Minister for Canada-U.S. Relations Shuv Majumdar demanded the government reveal what concessions Canada made to the Donald Trump White House to convince them to open the long-delayed Gordie Howe International Bridge in Windsor.
“As we’ve learned the details of the Gordie Howe International Bridge late last night, we’ve discovered that not only has the prime minister caved, the Liberals have indeed lied,” Majumdar said during an early afternoon news conference. “Tragically, they had said that there were no concessions that Canada should be concerned about. The prime minister made the case that he’d made a good deal for Canada. He had said there would be a sharing of revenue after the net debt. But instead we’ve seen something very different.”
New deal forces Canada to give up half of promised bridge revenues
Construction of the $6.4-billion Gordie Howe International Bridge — which was paid for entirely by the Canadian government — was completed in June, but pressure from the Donald Trump White House forced officials to delay the opening.
Since a new deal to open the bridge was announced July 10, with an opening date now set for next Monday, the Conservatives put pressure on the Liberals to reveal what concessions were made to the United States to allow the bridge to open.
Details about the deal, which were quietly posted to the Gordie Howe International Bridge website late Tuesday , affirms that Canada is only entitled to 50% of net revenues from the bridge. The original deal signed in 2012 said Canada would be entitled to 100% of bridge revenues until the $6.4-billion Ottawa paid in its construction was paid off, estimated to take up to 50 years.
As well, the new deal excludes debt servicing from the net revenue calculations — meaning Canada must pay down its construction debt out of our 50% share.
Revenues were to be split equally between Canada and the U.S. once Canada’s construction debt was paid off and fund local infrastructure funds in both Ontario and Michigan, but instead will be invested in a U.S. government controlled development fund.
The new deal also forces Canada to give up its ability to control tolls on the bridge.
Previously, setting tolls was entirely in the hands of the The Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) — the Crown corporation tasked with constructing and operating the new crossing — but now Canada must seek permission from the U.S. government for any toll increases exceeding 10% in a single fiscal year.
Majumdar said Canada’s stunning capitulation to the Donald Trump White House is part of a larger trend of concessions being carried out by the Carney government.
“The prime minister has made Canada vulnerable to ad hoc negotiations by an aggressive United States administration, President Trump has launched unjustifiable tariff attacks on our people, our livelihoods, our way of life,” Majumdar said.
“We have seen a year-and-a-half of squandered opportunities to fight for Canadian interests, and tragically we have not seen the results that Canadians expect and demand.”
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