Prime Minister Mark Carney has acknowledged that he “should have been clearer” in his description of the new deal to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge, after the text of the agreement appeared to contradict his original explanation. The prime minister, speaking at a news conference, said he “imperfectly” described the deal and that the new revenue-splitting arrangement with the United States doesn’t account for debt repayment. “Could I have explained it better on a Sunday morning at Stampede, with a cowboy hat on? Yes, I could have explained it better,” Carney said.
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The controversy began when Carney, speaking at the Calgary Stampede shortly after the deal was struck but before the text was made public, told CTV that bridge toll revenue would only be split with the U.S. after accounting for operating costs, including repaying the debt. However, the text of the agreement, which was only made public late Tuesday, made no reference to Canada’s debt, contradicting the prime minister’s original comments. The discrepancy raised questions from the Opposition Conservatives, who called for the deal to be released publicly.
The deal, described as a “proposed agreement in principle,” says that for the first 15 years, Canada will split half of the bridge’s net revenue with an economic development fund “established and solely controlled” by the U.S. government. The new deal was reached even though Canada and Michigan struck an initial agreement to build the bridge in 2012. Under that original agreement, Canada fronted the money for the construction of the bridge, which came in at $6.4 billion, and Canada was set to collect the tolls until the cost was repaid, after which the revenues would be split with Michigan.
