Hon. Jim Quinn: Minister LeBlanc, unlike Ontario and Quebec, New Brunswick has an unequal responsibility for the upkeep of international bridges that fall under federal jurisdiction. New Brunswick bears 100% of the costs for all 10 international bridges in the province, and New Brunswick has more international bridges than any other province.

In 1990, the federal government transferred the ownership and maintenance of five of those bridges between Maine and New Brunswick to the Government of New Brunswick, who also received a one-time payment of $5 million. In hindsight, this was a very bad deal for the province, but as we all know, bad deals have been undone and changed by governments in the past.

To put things in perspective, Ontario and Quebec combined have responsibility for only 3 of their 16 international bridges. Today, the federal government is paying 100% of the cost for both the Canadian and American portions of the Windsor Gordie Howe International Bridge.

As a fellow New Brunswicker, do you not agree that federal support for New Brunswick’s international bridges should be reassessed as a matter of fairness?

Hon. Jim Quinn: Good afternoon, Minister LeBlanc. My question relates to the Chignecto Isthmus Climate Change Adaptation Project. Historically, the federal government paid 100% of the capital costs for dikes and dams in the Tantramar area under the 1948 Maritime Marshlands Rehabilitation Act.

The Parliament of Canada has the declaratory power such that the federal government will assume responsibility for works that are for the general advantage of Canada. This is a vital trade corridor and transportation link that benefits our national economy. The new Champlain Bridge, although located solely in Quebec, has been declared to be for the general advantage of Canada, and the federal government is paying 100% of the $4.2 billion cost of the bridge rather than 50%, and there are other examples.

The premiers of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia wrote to you on March 14 asking for the federal government to pay 100% of the cost of the Chignecto Isthmus project as part of the federal government’s constitutional obligations. As a fellow New Brunswicker and a key member of the federal cabinet, will you promote and support the premier’s request for 100% funding for the Chignecto Isthmus project?