Growing chorus of U.S. politicians calls for the Gordie Howe Bridge to be opened

A growing chorus of U.S. politicians are calling for the Gordie Howe Bridge to be opened. Photo by Dan Janisse /The Windsor Star

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A growing chorus of U.S. politicians is calling for the Gordie Howe Bridge to be opened.

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The bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan was supposed to open in June, but U.S. President Donald Trump has gotten in the way, vowing in February on social media to block it from opening.

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Shri Thanedar, a Democratic congressional representative from Detroit and Bennie G. Thompson, a Democratic representative from Mississippi, who is the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, as well as Lou Correa, a Democrat from California held a press conference along the Detroit River on July 7, calling for the immediate opening of the bridge.

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The lawmakers have accused Trump of carelessly delaying the project, which they say is critical for Michigan’s economy, reports MLive.

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“Shame on Donald Trump. Shame on anybody else who wants to deny the citizens of this area an opportunity to have a publicly owned bridge,” Thompson said according to the Michigan news website.

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Trump’s threat to block the bridge’s opening came earlier this year, shortly after a US$1 million campaign contribution was made in January by the Moroun family, which owns the competing Ambassador Bridge, as the National Post has reported.

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Canada loaned the bridge authority $7 billion to build the bridge, but as previously reported by National Post, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra recently said that merely makes Canada the bank. Ultimately, he said, the users will pay for the bridge with their tolls.

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He neglected to mention that Canada is to be repaid for the construction costs from the tolls over the next 35 years or so. And it’s not until after that happens, Canada and the state of Michigan will share equally in the revenue.

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Thanedar said political maneuvering has come at the expense of the U.S. economy, according to the news site.

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“The bridge is essential for commerce between the United States and Canada,” Thanedar said at the press conference. “The bridge would be instrumental for our auto industry. The bridge would be instrumental to retain and increase our auto jobs, and the bridge is essential for Michigan’s economy.”

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Thanedar suggested that legal victories against other Trump administration policies are a potential sign that the president’s delay of the bridge opening could be met with the same fate.

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“We will use every possible means. We will not hide behind the fact that we are currently in the minority,” Thanedar reportedly said.

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Correa suggested giving Trump public credit for opening the bridge, when it happens.

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“I would say let President Trump be in the first car that comes across that bridge,” Correa said. “Let him cut the ribbon, let him come across, that’s the deal, and all the taxpayers would benefit from that, and he can take credit for that as well as he should.”

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Echoing President Ronald Reagan’s famous Cold War challenge to former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev, Thanedar said: “Mr. Trump, open up the Gordie Howe Bridge. Mr. Trump, open up the bridge, because Michigan needs it, the people of the United States need it, Michigan needs it for the commerce, for the jobs, for our economy.”