I called Mr. Hicks when I read Bill C-3 and asked what the intent of Bill C-3 was. I got an explanation that the deputy minister was concerned about security and...maintenance, health, and safety issues.
I said to Mr. Hicks that Bill C-3 went way beyond that and asked why he didn't pick up the phone to call me and let me know what their issues were in reference to our bridge. I said we'd be glad to respond to them. The answer I got was that they were having more problems with their own bridges than with ours.
Skip and I did meet with Transport Canada about three weeks ago. I gave the same kind of presentation to them at the time--that we appreciate and understand the concern on health, safety, and security issues; we've lived up to or exceeded our obligations beyond what everybody else has done at the border; we would work with Transport Canada to develop legislation that governs those things correctly.
The balance of Bill C-3--as it relates to a private operator who has invested their life, their money, their responsibility--just doesn't make any sense. We ought to take a step back, sit down, and work together to create legislation that accomplishes the government's goals.