Conservative MP questions Carney's bridge toll claims after records released

CALGARY — Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing accusations of misleading Canadians after newly released federal records contradicted his public claims about how toll revenues from the $6.4 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge will be shared with the United States.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Canada agreed to share 50% of the bridge’s net revenue with the US for the first 15 years of operation, despite repeated assurances from Carney that toll-sharing would not begin until the bridge’s construction debt had been fully repaid.Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar (Calgary Heritage) said it was difficult to believe the Prime Minister and his finance minister were unaware of the agreement's actual terms.“He’s a very smart man who has a background in finance and banking,” Majumdar told reporters. “It’s hard for me to believe he and his finance minister did not know what they were saying at the time, hoping scrutiny would erode and that ultimately they would be able to escape.”Asked whether Carney had simply misspoken, Majumdar declined to speculate.“I’m not here to make excuses for Prime Minister Carney,” he said, adding the agreement represented “a bad deal for Canada.”.WATCH: Carney clams up on Gordie Howe bridge deal.The newly released Agreement In Principle, published by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, states Canada will share “50% of net Bridge and crossing-related revenue for the first 15 fiscal years of Bridge operations.”The agreement defines net bridge revenue as all toll and crossing-related income after operating costs have been deducted.Under the arrangement, the US share of the revenue will be directed toward job creation in Michigan. The agreement also gives the United States veto authority over toll rates for the first 15 years.The documents directly contradict public statements Carney made earlier this month.Speaking with CTV News on July 12, Carney said Canada would first use toll revenues to service the bridge’s construction costs before any money was shared with the US.“We are sharing after Canada is paid back,” Carney said. “So, we get the revenues, then the servicing of the cost of the Bridge and paying the debt of the Bridge, and then what’s left over, there’s a split of that for 15 years.”Carney repeated the same claim on July 16 during an appearance in London, Ontario.“It’s not splitting the tolls of the Bridge,” he said. “It is an agreement for 15 years to split net revenues. Splitting of tolls, any sharing of the toll revenue, won’t happen until all of the debt, all of the debt, is repaid.”Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne also defended the agreement on July 15, saying Canada would repay its bridge debt before sharing revenues with the US.“It’s a win-win,” Champagne told reporters. “The key word is ‘net,’ because it’s net of the expenses, of the cost of capital with the US side.”.Poilievre demands Carney release Gordie Howe deal after conflicting toll claims.Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre said the newly released agreement exposes a clear contradiction between Carney’s public comments and the actual terms negotiated with Washington.“This is the exact opposite,” Poilievre said in a statement. “After such a contradiction, how can Canadians trust you on anything related to your dealings with the United States?”The revelations have also raised new questions about why Ottawa abandoned provisions contained in the original 2012 Crossing Agreement.Under that agreement, Canada retained 100% of toll revenues to recover the billions it spent to design, build, finance and maintain the international crossing, including the US Customs plaza and highway interchange in Detroit.The federal government has not explained why it agreed to give up part of that revenue under the new toll-sharing arrangement or why its public description of the deal differed from the terms contained in the agreement.

Conservative MP questions Carney's bridge toll claims after records released

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