Transport Committee on Feb. 5th, 2008

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

I will let Mr. Di Sanza respond to that question. But fundamentally, I'm happy that you raised the issue of the continental corridoor. Basically, the Windsor-Detroit crossing is the most important trading corrridor that exists, in terms of our relations with our commercial partners in the United States. If you look at auto manufacturing, which is an important sector of the economic activity back and forth on not only a regular but a continual basis, it is extremely important.

As a government, our dedication is to make sure that it continues and that we are able to enhance it and are able to maintain the vigour and the dynamism of our economy in that area.

Maybe on the other issue, Emile, you can make some report.

[Emile Di Sanza]

Briefly, with respect to what is in the proposed amendments for the port of Windsor, certainly the potential access to infrastructure funding for capital projects and environmental sustainability and security would be a key element for the port.

You mentioned short sea shipping. One of the first examples of short sea shipping was between Windsor and Detroit—in fact, the truck ferry that operates there. More importantly, the department has just completed a fairly comprehensive study of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes in terms of new cargo opportunities in the Great Lakes and along the seaway, specifically targeting short sea shipping as an area to further develop.

There is considerable interest among our counterparts in the U.S. in looking at that. Indeed, as you may be aware, the Building Canada plan also provides for funding for short sea shipping, depending on the programs that would exist to that effect.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

To your question, Mr. Watson, for the board of directors and the members there are going to be enhanced governance structures for the smaller ports. So the board of directors will have.... I think that's section 25 of the piece of legislation.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I wonder whether the minister would like to make a brief comment on Churchill before I adjourn the meeting.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

I will be more than pleased—

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It was asked by Mr. Zed.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

I will be more than pleased to comment on Churchill.

There are the borders and gateways—as we say in French, des portes d'entrée—and that means that there's a door. While in this case I think the door is wide open, we have to be able to come forward. We are going to prepare a study. We are going to work on that so that we have a fourth gateway in Canada.

That is of course part of our Arctic strategy, which is led by our colleague Minister Strahl, who is responsible for that file. I am quite sure that in the coming months we will have a very happy chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you very much. Thank you for appearing; we appreciate it.

Just as advice to the committee, on Thursday we will be going clause by clause on this bill. Amendments are in. So we can deal with that at that time.

Thank you. The meeting is adjourned.