Twinned Ambassador Bridge 'makes no sense'
Liberal Sen. Colin Kenny and Conservative Sen. Pamela Wallin tour plaza
By Chris Thompson, The Windsor StarJuly 16, 2009
The Windsor Star
WINDSOR, Ont. -- The twinning of the Ambassador Bridge isn’t needed, the chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence said during a whirlwind tour of the bridge’s Canadian security operation Thursday.
“I don’t think it should be at this location,” said Liberal Senator Colin Kenny, who toured the bridge plaza along with committee deputy chairwoman, Conservative Senator Pamela Wallin.
“The idea of twinning this facility makes no sense because if this facility went down, you’d lose both of them,” he said.
So, let’s have it at another location.”
Kenny and Wallin toured the passenger and commercial processing facilities, including the VACIS truck examination unit, and held a working lunch with representatives of the Canada Border Services Agency and other agencies.
“Essentially, we’re going (from) Halifax to Vancouver looking at different border crossings.” said Kenny.
“We’re very concerned that we have as effective a system as we can have. We see it as jobs in Canada and we think it is very important that our border is robust and effective.”
Kenny said security will have to be a major consideration at the new border crossing.
“We think another bridge, not necessarily an Ambassador Bridge, we think another bridge is very important,” said Kenny.
“I’m very concerned that it’s been delayed past 2013 but if it’s coming it’s very good news for people in southern Ontario and Windsor in particular.
“We need to make sure that we do have capacity as trade grows. Secondly, if you’re relying on a single crossing and something goes wrong with it, things shut down, and that could have a devastating effect on the economy of Ontario.”
Kenny would not identify his preferred location for the new crossing, citing the ongoing DRIC process.
Wallin, who previously served as the Canadian consul general in New York City, said she understands the U.S. concerns about security precluding those of trade.
“You’re asking somebody who lived in the United States in the weeks and months and years after 9-11 so I’m very sensitive to their mindset about that,” said Wallin, a former television journalist and host.
“They do see the world through the security lens. We tend to see the world through the trade and sovereignty lens so we need to go a long way to ensure that each understands what is crucial to that other person.”
Kenny said he was impressed with the changes he saw at the bridge since his last visit in 2007.
“They have it where they are able to clear a lot more trucks through right at the primary inspection line than they could before, so that’s a different thing than before,” said Kenny.
“Prior to that, far more trucks were sent to a secondary location that is up the road and here the trucks are being cleared more rapidly, which is an encouraging sign. It’s a very positive thing.”
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