BLOGEXTRA: SPP Declaration

Our Border crossing made the big time, 2 1/2 lines in the Joint Statement of Prime Minister Harper, President Bush and President Calderón at the North American Leaders’ Summit:

• "Canada and the US will maintain a high priority on the development of enhanced capacity of the border crossing infrastructure in the Detroit-Windsor region, the world's busiest land crossing."

I really wish I knew exactly what that meant since capacity is hardly the issue with reduced volumes of traffic. Notice the word "enhanced"....that ought to tell you something about what the leaders are thinking!

In a document I read on the Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America website I note that it dealt specifically with Windsor/Detroit when it stated:

• "The SPP benefits the American people in many ways, and much progress has already been made...
  
  To reduce the cost of trade, the United States and Canada decreased transit times at the Detroit/Windsor gateway, our largest border crossing point, by 50 percent. "

They could have easily said instead that capacity was increased by 50%! And remember, only the Bridge Co. does NOT need a US Presidential Permit to build its Enhancement Project.

It would seem that Ambassador Wilson has signalled well that he understands what now needs to be done and the US is onside. The DRIC road with a short right turn leads right to the Ambassador Bridge. Is the border mess finally over now that the Provincial Government has told Eddie he is irrelevant. Will we get finality right after the election!

We can only hope.