Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today. I want to note that the member for Thunder Bay—Superior North will be up for a question very shortly and I hope he takes the opportunity to apologize on the record at his first opportunity for the smear that he perpetrated against Conservative members from our New Brunswick caucus.

To the question at hand, the House will know that a new international crossing between Windsor and Detroit is an absolute necessity. Our trade relationship is expanding. We are focused as a government on building long-term prosperity and economic growth. With our trade deal with the European Union there are opportunities for the United States through Canada to benefit from that. It will only expand the use of that type of a facility.

The construction of the project will create between 10,000 to 15,000 construction jobs. Canadian and U.S. steel side by side, Canadian and U.S. workers side by side will build this bridge that will secure prosperity. Of course for those of us in Windsor and Essex County we know how important it is, how critical it is for long-term business investment that the border no longer be unpredictable or a cost of delay for businesses such that they locate their investment on the U.S. side of the border instead of right in Windsor and Essex County. This is very critical.

There is only one party that actually not only says it supports this project, but that when the time comes to actually stand and be counted on this measure, stands continually to vote for the legislation that is necessary, that stands and votes for the funding allocations that are necessary. In fact, there really is only one party that is on the job on this file and that is the Conservative Party and this Conservative government.

I note when the member opposite had a chance to vote on budget 2006 with all that funding for the borders and gateway crossing point, said no to it. That is what his vote said, not mine, I voted in favour of that.

When we made a significant down payment on what is now the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway in budget 2007, the member voted against it. We voted for it.

The funding to purchase the Canadian plaza lands, the member voted against it. We actually voted for it.

When it came to the inter-country agreement that was signed in 2012 right in the shadow of that agreement between Canada and Michigan, the Bridge To Strengthen Trade Act, one member was in Guatemala at the time. The rest of us were here voting. His colleagues voted against it. We actually voted in favour of it and that is to insulate this from any frivolous lawsuit by anyone seeking to delay this particular project.

Of course, economic action plan 2014 allots $631 million, putting muscle behind the commitment to accelerate this project forward. How did the member vote? He voted against it, even in the face of so many benefits for the Windsor Essex region.

That inter-country agreement obviously not only was historic, but it was between the governments of Canada and Michigan. Obviously, in an agreement we could not obligate the government of the United States to a financial commitment in the language of the document. That is why it was written the way it was, subject to an agreement by the U.S. government to pay for the inspections plaza.

I note after the minister visited March 25 with the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, reading from The Windsor Star, Secretary Jeh Johnson said this is something they are actively working on. He went on to say:

The Canadian government and state of Michigan have done a remarkable job supporting the region. It's up to us as the federal government to do our part, as well.

And they expect to do so. We are getting the job done, unlike the member opposite.

Jeff Watson

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Adjournment Proceedings

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