Are bureaucrats that cut off in Ottawa that they have no idea what is going on in the rest of the country? Or perhaps they feel so secure they do not care!
Haven't they figured out that any political party that would seriously consider Bob Rae as its Leader will remain in Opposition for a generation? They are stuck with the Conservatives, like it or not, and they just embarrassed the hell out of the second most powerful man in Government, Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon. HE SITS BESIDE THE PRIME MINISTER ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS FOR HEAVENS'S SAKE! Didn't they get the memo and the seating plan? How else to explain the rush for the Conservatives introducing as its second Government Bill, Bill C-3: International Bridges and Tunnels Act.
It is almost hilarious since the Windsor border crossing did not even show up as one of the Conservative's FIVE areas of interest. Yet there is the Bill right after the Accountability Bill, a key Conservative measure. Someone in Ottawa was in a hurry!
I will explain tomorrow the mess that has been created for the new Minister and the Conservative Government in more detail. I'll also go through the Act so you will understand what is being proposed. For Windsor it may years of truck traffic that will not get solved because some people think THEY know the answer to everything. For now, let me comment on Bill C-3, which grew out of Bill C-44 which had been introduced by the Liberals previously.
It just goes to prove that a new Government ought not introduce Legislation without thinking it through first
ANOTHER SHOT AT THE U.S.: CANADA MOVES TO TAKE OVER CONTROL OF THE BORDER
It is like a script in the Yes, Minister sitcom from BBC TV about politicians and bureaucrats, except that it is not funny.
Since the Federal Government could NOT beat the people of Windsor, they introduced changes to the Canada Transportation Act (Bill C-44) and now Bill C-3 as the means by which they can get their own way.
Interestingly, with a great sense of timing, just days after the announcement of Bill C-44, DRTP announced its “enhanced” project even though they had worked on it for quite some time.
Bill C-44 and Bill C-3 go far beyond previous proposed amendments. The Bills clearly are pointed at the Ambassador Bridge Company and may be the way the Federal Government bureaucrats try to force them out at both Windsor and Niagara.
But it is more than that. Here is the Government who has done little at the border at Windsor while private enterprise and the Americans have spent almost $200 million on the Ambassador Gateway project, trying to tell the Americans what will happen at all of the border crossings between Canada .
No wonder the Feds are "respecting" the Bi- National process. They needed the time to get Bill C-3 passed! No wonder nothing is being done, not even a Phase 2 agreement. The PLAN is all ready for execution. And it is even retroactive too!
WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING!
Expect a huge reaction out of Washington once the details become known. Expect massive litigation that will further delay the border crossing construction if the Bill becomes law. The Feds are almost egging on the Americans and the Bridge Company it seems to sue so that they will be the "fall guys" for any inaction or border problems and not the Government!
While those who support a "public" crossing may rejoice, the people of Windsor should not be so pleased. We may lose big time. For proof of that, we need only remember the JMC initial proposal and the Nine Point Plan. It can be easy as well to make E C Row part of the "works for the general advantage of Canada" since it can be declared as part of the route to the border.
Windsor may become a truckstop on the NAFTA superhighway after all!
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