NL: Marine Atlantic a ‘toll road,’ says MP

[ST. JOHN’S, NL] – The Liberal MP for Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte says recent comments by Federal Transportation Minister John Baird amount to a promise from Ottawa that increased funding for Marine Atlantic will be in the upcoming federal budget.
Baird was in North Sydney, N.S., over the weekend and told the Cape Breton Post discussions for Marine Atlantic funding will be held with his fellow cabinet ministers before the budget comes down March 4.

“There’s no doubt that the age of the fleet and the cost for keeping it in operation is significant,” Baird said. “Obviously, this isn’t only important for the region. It’s really part of the national highway system; it’s part of the Trans-Canada Highway. It’s important for both Nova Scotia and, particularly, for Newfoundland, so I don’t need to be convinced of its importance.”

Gerry Byrne told The Telegram Tuesday that’s the first time a Stephen Harper cabinet minister has publicly stated what many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been saying for years.

“When the federal transportation minister openly agrees that (Marine Atlantic) is indeed an extension of the Trans-Canada Highway, then it has certain implications,” Byrne says.

Byrne says considering no one pays to use the Trans-Canada, the Marine Atlantic ferry service between this province and Nova Scotia should be free or delivered at a very minimal cost to travellers. But, he adds, the realty is that Ottawa pays 35 per cent of the cost of the service, while travellers are on the hook for the other 65 per cent in the form of fares.

“That’s not the Trans-Canada Highway. That’s a toll road,” Byrne says.
Considering Canada’s Auditor General (AG) said in a September report the government should spend $1.6 billion on fleet renewal and onshore infrastructure, coupled with Baird’s comments, Byrne suggests Ottawa has no choice but to put some serious budget money toward Marine Atlantic this year and table a long-term plan to move toward meeting the AG’s recommendations.

“In my 14 years of being a Member of Parliament, I’ve never heard an auditor general actually come forward and say the government must spend $1.6 billion. I’ve heard the auditor general say where we should stop spending money,” Byrne says. “I’d be shocked; quite frankly, I’d be livid if there isn’t a major, major announcement in the budget (for Marine Atlantic).”