Following reports that two components on the Canadian side of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project can use foreign materials, the MP for Windsor West is speaking up.
The bulk of the $5.7 billion project is subject to US rules that require the use of North American steel, but a customs plaza and an approach bridge on the Windsor side are not.
Brian Masse says the public was led to believe it would be all Canadian and American steel, especially considering our federal government is footing the bill.
"That we wouldn't want to use our own resources is absurd and it's very infuriating. It's one of the downsides of a public-private partnership and one of the issues I raised which was dismissed. But now we see it coming to fruition seeing them dance around whether they'll bring in foreign steel or not, and given the circumstances we have right now, I think it's unacceptable," he said.
Masse says on top of the potential for importing foreign steel being a bad idea, it would also have negative climate outcomes.
"You'd expect this Prime Minister to at least even put the carbon footprint for shipping in foreign steel as part of the cost. We're supposed to working on climate change and a number of different things, so moving steel from foreign nations especially given the complications right now is just not acceptable. Second of all environmentally it's a question mark but most importantly this is your taxpayers' dollars."
He says it's time for Canada to consider domestic procurement rules of its own, a Buy Canadian strategy, like the Buy American rules that exist south of the border.
But Masse adds that it's still not seen as the way for Canadian politicians to address the issue, where he would rather a more mature approach to sit down and talk from a position of strength.
"The delegations that have been going to Washington, including the ministers, have been basically going and saying 'listen you're going to hurt your own supply chain and so you shouldn't do this, please don't hurt us' but that message has been there for as long as I can remember," he continued. "What we need is to actually have a counterproposal in terms of the cost benefit analysis of what our country is going to do."
Masse says putting in place a proper strategy is needed, but they don't want it to be reactionary.
Because if it's reactionary, it'll be viewed as emotionally motivated, and Masse says ironing out a proper plan would give Canadian representatives something tangible to sit at the table with the Americans to discuss.