The U.S. owners of a popular bridge that is a vital artery between Windsor and Detroit are behind an advertisement aimed against Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Dubbed a “Road to Nowhere,” the television ad claims the Windsor Essex parkway, about to be built by both Ontario and Ottawa, is a $2.2 billion waste of money.
The parkway will eventually lead to a new bridge over the Detroit River linking Windsor and Detroit.
The ads are paid for by the Canadian Transit Company, the firm that owns the Canadian half of the Ambassador Bridge. The Ambassador is owned by wealthy U.S. businessman Manuel Moroun and family.
The ad claims that Michigan has not given final approval to the bridge.
“But what does that matter?” the ad asked. “The Ontario politicians are still building their road. Let’s not build a road to nowhere. Call Dalton McGuinty. Tell him to spend our $2.2 billion on things we really need.”
Ontario election laws do not allow foreign companies to buy third party advertisements.
However, the ads — set to air in the Toronto and Ottawa markets — are paid for by Canadian Transit, said Mickey Blashfield, director of government relations at the Ambassador Bridge.
“We are not trying to participate in the (Oct. 6) election,” Blashfield said on Tuesday. “We are trying to ask a relevant public policy issue.”
Third party ads became an election issue in 2003 after the coalition of union groups helped topple the Progressive Conservative government. The unions have come together again under the Working Families umbrella to warn Ontarians how things could change if the Liberals lose power on Oct. 6.
But Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan called the Ambassador Bridge the “monopoly bridge” and dismissed the ad campaign.
“I say the Ambassador Bridge can play that game and we are going to fight them,” Duncan said on Monday. “They want to continue a monopoly on a bridge that is antiquated.”
Duncan said the province has the support of Michigan, Washington and Ottawa to build a bridge.
“This is all about the bridge company, in my view, trying to maintain a monopoly,” he said. “I don’t think Canadians will be intimidated by these kinds of scare tactics.”
Duncan, who’s seeking re-election in the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh, charged the Ambassador Bridge is clearly trying to influence the election.
“Bring it on,” he challenged. “This is American money. You know what, they moved all their employees to the American side. I am going to fight them. I’ve been fighting them for seven years and they’ve fought us every step of the way.”
Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives said the Ontario Liberal Party accepted $28,755.48 in donations from Canadian Transit from 2003 to 2007.
The Tories say they have only received $2,000 from Canadian Transit in 2007.
“Dwight Duncan also criticized the information in the CTC ads as ‘scare tactics.’ ” the Tories said in a release. “However, Dwight Duncan and the McGuinty Liberals have closely colluded with the Working Families coalition in their campaigns of lies against Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak to try and scare Ontario families.”
Origin
Source: Toronto Star
Dubbed a “Road to Nowhere,” the television ad claims the Windsor Essex parkway, about to be built by both Ontario and Ottawa, is a $2.2 billion waste of money.
The parkway will eventually lead to a new bridge over the Detroit River linking Windsor and Detroit.
The ads are paid for by the Canadian Transit Company, the firm that owns the Canadian half of the Ambassador Bridge. The Ambassador is owned by wealthy U.S. businessman Manuel Moroun and family.
The ad claims that Michigan has not given final approval to the bridge.
“But what does that matter?” the ad asked. “The Ontario politicians are still building their road. Let’s not build a road to nowhere. Call Dalton McGuinty. Tell him to spend our $2.2 billion on things we really need.”
Ontario election laws do not allow foreign companies to buy third party advertisements.
However, the ads — set to air in the Toronto and Ottawa markets — are paid for by Canadian Transit, said Mickey Blashfield, director of government relations at the Ambassador Bridge.
“We are not trying to participate in the (Oct. 6) election,” Blashfield said on Tuesday. “We are trying to ask a relevant public policy issue.”
Third party ads became an election issue in 2003 after the coalition of union groups helped topple the Progressive Conservative government. The unions have come together again under the Working Families umbrella to warn Ontarians how things could change if the Liberals lose power on Oct. 6.
But Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan called the Ambassador Bridge the “monopoly bridge” and dismissed the ad campaign.
“I say the Ambassador Bridge can play that game and we are going to fight them,” Duncan said on Monday. “They want to continue a monopoly on a bridge that is antiquated.”
Duncan said the province has the support of Michigan, Washington and Ottawa to build a bridge.
“This is all about the bridge company, in my view, trying to maintain a monopoly,” he said. “I don’t think Canadians will be intimidated by these kinds of scare tactics.”
Duncan, who’s seeking re-election in the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh, charged the Ambassador Bridge is clearly trying to influence the election.
“Bring it on,” he challenged. “This is American money. You know what, they moved all their employees to the American side. I am going to fight them. I’ve been fighting them for seven years and they’ve fought us every step of the way.”
Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives said the Ontario Liberal Party accepted $28,755.48 in donations from Canadian Transit from 2003 to 2007.
The Tories say they have only received $2,000 from Canadian Transit in 2007.
“Dwight Duncan also criticized the information in the CTC ads as ‘scare tactics.’ ” the Tories said in a release. “However, Dwight Duncan and the McGuinty Liberals have closely colluded with the Working Families coalition in their campaigns of lies against Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak to try and scare Ontario families.”
Origin
Source: Toronto Star
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