Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Welcome.
I have a few questions that relate to, first of all, the references you made to the changes in the access to federal contribution funding. I see that terminology used, and you say the port authorities will have access to contribution program funding, and then you mention the three things: infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and security. It takes away the existing access to federal grant programs and replaces it with these three. I'm wondering who they will be competing against for these funds. Or are there going to be specific funds earmarked for port authorities?
Part of the background for that question is that on the west coast—I can speak with some experience—we have a natural advantage of a sea route anywhere from one to one and a half days from Asia; for example, from Shanghai. We can take advantage of that, particularly with the new port at Prince Rupert and with Vancouver port. And then with the appropriate rail connections we can get goods into the midwest, into Chicago for example, and parts of Canada, central Canada, up to two days faster than it can coming from other routes. The U.S. has been responding over the last few years in anticipation of some of this by updating their ports. They're not sitting back idly while we're moving ahead. And there was competition coming from Central America and South America in terms of international trade.
On the package of the funding that's available, I think the restructuring is good in terms of allowing the ports to have additional borrowing capacity. I guess I'm concerned that if they are going to get this, are they going to be then competing with municipalities? Are they going to be competing with other bodies for these funds? Is there going to be the proper emphasis required from the federal government on this?
The other question I have that flows out of that is in terms of the use of their lands. I know that, for example, again, on the north shore, my riding of North Vancouver, the port authority had the opportunity to acquire land as it became available. I'm thinking of what later became an auto mall right on the waterfront. If they had had the capacity to purchase that land in advance of their needs, but within their anticipated needs, they could have then leased that out for some other use for a period of time, but purchased it well in advance, and that wasn't possible.
I'm wondering if you can comment on that.