[Ottawa]

It isn't politics, it's a fact. I for one am very happy that the Halifax booster group AIMS isn't running the country...

N.B. is key player in Atlantic Gateway

Paul Zed
Commentary
Published Friday October 26th, 2007
Appeared on page A7

Saint John and New Brunswick are on the move with many new and exciting projects underway. There is a real sense of optimism about the future.

Recently, I participated in a steering committee convened by Mayor Norm McFarlane at City Hall to study the possibility of establishing a Southern New Brunswick Gateway Council. I believe strongly that if we are to fully capitalize on our opportunities we need to look at how we can best use our marine, road, rail, and air transportation infrastructure. We are uniquely positioned to harness our transportation assets to facilitate more efficient North American and global trade.

The creation of a Southern New Brunswick Gateway is one way that this could be accomplished.

I am pleased that the federal government has announced a $2.1 billion national trade gateway fund which builds on the concept that was developed by previous Liberal governments for Pacific and Atlantic Gateways. I am also pleased that the federal government has now signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the development of Canada's Atlantic Gateway with all Atlantic Canadian governments.

Against this backdrop of such positive news, it is irritating to read such ill-informed comments of Charles Cirtwill, President of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) who stated that "New Brunswick is very much a secondary area" of a gateway and that Halifax is likely to be a central peg of a gateway worthy of millions in government funding. These types of comments are divisive and reflect a profound ignorance of New Brunswick and our historic trading relationships, and that of the other eastern provinces.

Let's look at the facts. New Brunswick has a very busy border crossing with the United States, a strong port with plenty of room to grow, an expanding airport and good rail connections. The Port of Saint John is one of Canada's most diverse marine gateways, and one of Canada's largest ports for cargo, even though it is currently underutilized. The Chair and Board of the Port Authority have shown important leadership by driving the establishment of a southern gateway concept. We are looking at increased bulk cargo, the opening of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, the expansion of potash, as well as in increase in the number of cruise ship arrivals.

Clearly, Cirtwill's comments in no way reflect the capabilities of our infrastructure in New Brunswick.

Southern New Brunswick and greater Saint John have the elements of an integrated transportation system necessary to be a prime partner in any gateway strategy. Further comments by Cirtwill that he sees "no pressing need for federal money for port or transportation infrastructure in Atlantic Canada right now" simply does not reflect the reality. Currently our port needs a major investment to upgrade the western docks in our harbour and this is the whole point of the gateway strategy; harnessing and improving our infrastructure assets to facilitate greater international trade. We also need to improve rail service and enhance competition to give shippers better and more choices.

While Cirtwill and AIMS may like to look at gateway funding as nothing more than a competition amongst regions for money, we look at it as an investment in our communities. Re-investment of our tax dollars into infrastructure helps us to move our community forward.

I agree with the Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Minister Peter MacKay who has made this clear by signing this agreement with all Atlantic Provinces. I applaud Mr. MacKay's comments that New Brunswick will play a major role in the Atlantic Gateway and that the gateway project encompasses the entire Atlantic region, not just Halifax.

It is a shame that an organization like AIMS that purports to be a catalyst for informed debate would make such uninformed comments. We will always win as a region by working together as a team.

This is what we have been doing in Saint John with the important work of Team Saint John.

Politicians of all levels and stripes need to stick together as this is about building a better self-sufficient economy in our region. The Atlantic Gateway has the potential to create more than 60,000 jobs for the region and could result in billions of dollars in economic growth over the next two decades. Labour, business and governments are coming together to understand that trade and immigration gateways are a part of our history, and a party of our future. Let's continue to work together to make this project a reality.