Transport committee  My name is Matt Moroun, and my family owns the Ambassador Bridge.

Transport committee  Thank you. My name is Matt Moroun. Of course my family owns the Ambassador Bridge, and has since 1979. Thank you for the opportunity to meet this distinguished committee to discuss the proposed legislation, Bill C-3. The Ambassador Bridge has a distinguished record of serving t

Transport committee  Yes, that is correct. Transport Canada has not met with me, my father, or any member of my family. I don't remember giving them a tour of the Ambassador Bridge, and they have much to learn about our operation. I would be very reluctant to perform surgery on anyone prior to having

Transport committee  Yes. Bill C-3 would require the transport minister's approval, for example, to pass my interest in the bridge to my family, or my son, or my two daughters. It would also require the transport minister's or the government's approval to sell the bridge to the highest bidder in an a

Transport committee  There are no transfer clauses in that agreement. As we maybe stated not so well, what gave rise to the litigation itself was my family's initial ownership of the bridge in 1979. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce at the time felt that a U.S. company's owning the Canad

Transport committee  The market forces that control the toll rates are, of course, the Detroit--Windsor tunnel, which is our competitor for automobile traffic. If our toll were to be out of line, we'd lose traffic to them, and vice-versa. Then, of course, with regard to commercial traffic, the Blue W

Transport committee  So we aren't going to go around the management.

Transport committee  They attributed it to us.

Transport committee  This was a 180-degree expansion and a whole new site of facilities on 30-plus acres as well, sir.

Transport committee  Yes, sir.

Transport committee  That's what the settlement agreement said, and we carried it out, yes.

Transport committee  You're right. If the government were to infringe on the toll rates, there would be a disenfranchisement that would require compensation. I have to ask why they would want to hurt us like that.

Transport committee  As a follow-up to that, enough cannot be said about service with regard to wait-times and adequate infrastructure and facilities. As you know, commercial drivers are paid by the hour or by the mile. The cost for the driver and the truck is in excess of $50 an hour. As a bridge op

Transport committee  Sir, my response to that would be for the last 77 years of our history, market forces have determined the toll rates. If we raise ours too high we lose traffic and revenue. If we put them too low, in an extreme situation, we could choke the bridge or not get enough revenue to cov

Transport committee  Dan, you can correct me, but I don't believe Transport Canada has ever visited us to ask specifically about those measures at the bridge, but we'd be happy to advise them, work with them, and cooperate with them if they were interested.