Carney says he looks forward to Gordie Howe bridge opening after Trump threatened to block it

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney says he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday morning to explain the mutual benefits of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will soon connect Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, after the president threatened on Monday evening to block the opening of the new border crossing.

Carney said he told U.S. President Donald Trump that Canada paid for the bridge and the construction of the bridge included U.S. workers and steel.

“This is a great example of cooperation between our countries. Look forward to it opening,” said Carney, on Tuesday morning before a cabinet meeting in Ottawa. “And what is particularly important of course is the commerce and the tourism and the voyages of Canadians and Americans that will go across that bridge.”

Carney also told reporters that Trump asked that Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada who is from Michigan, “play a role in smoothing the conversation in and around the bridge.”

Carney said that he expects this issue will be resolved.

In a post on Truth Social Monday evening, Trump said he would not allow the bridge to open until “the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them” and until Canada treats “the United States with the fairness and respect we deserve.”

The bridge, which has been financed by the Canadian federal government, began construction in 2018 and has cost an estimated $6.4 billion. The new border crossing named after the hockey legend will open later this year, with Canada expecting to recuperate its costs through toll revenue. The state of Michigan will be a joint owner of the bridge with Canada.

Back in 2017, Trump and then prime minister Justin Trudeau released a joint statement that said they looked forward to the bridge’s completion “which will serve as a vital economic link between our two countries.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters on Tuesday he is very confident the bridge will open.

“I’ll tell you the reason it’s going to open, because it’s in the best interest of the American economy, the Americans,” said Ford, during a press conference at Queen’s Park.

“The deal was struck that Canada, the federal government built it, if President Trump didn’t want this to go forward, why did he fast-track it?”

Trump’s post on Monday also took aim at Canada’s recent agreement with China, which will allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada at a 6.1 per cent duty rate instead of the current 106.1 per cent. The “strategic partnership” also aims to increase two-way investment and trade between Canada and China.

Trump has previously threatened a 100 per-cent U.S. tariff on Canadian goods if Ottawa pursues a free trade deal with China. The Liberal government has made it clear to their American counterparts they are not pursuing a free trade deal with Beijing.

On Tuesday morning, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said her government has “eyes wide open” when it comes to the relationship with China, after the agreement has been met with some skepticism here at home.

“You have to have in mind that every time there’s a major investment in Canada, it has to go through the Investment Canada Act, and the minister of industry of the time is the one that will put in place the different conditions for any investments,” she said, on her way into the cabinet meeting.

“Including in these conditions would be, obviously, high-quality jobs and supporting unionization, supporting also supply chains that are local, so basically our small and medium-sized businesses here at home, and at the same time everything that would be linked through the security of the software.”

The federal government released its auto strategy last week, which included scrapping the EV mandate and the return of rebates for EVs priced under $50,000. The federal government is also courting investments from European and Asian auto manufacturers.

The Canada-United-States-Mexico-Agreement (CUSMA) is scheduled for a review in July, with autos expected to be a key focus in negotiations. Just last month while touring an auto plant in Detroit, Trump called CUSMA “irrelevant.”

Trump also continued to express his criticism over Canada’s dairy supply management system in his social media post on Monday, although the federal government has said it remains off the table.

Canada’s new ambassador to the United States, Mark Wiseman, is expected to take up his new post on Feb. 15. Wiseman will be a key contributor in the upcoming CUSMA review and has been brought in to foster a stronger trade relationship with the U.S.

In his call with the president, Carney also said he discussed the upcoming Olympic women’s hockey game between Canada and the United States.

“It was a positive conversation. It’s a big game today. And we’re going to win.”

National Post

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