A day after GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney refused to take a stand on the proposed new bridge between Canada and Detroit, the Romney campaign issued a statement that provided some answers, but not a definitive position.
"Governor Romney believes that it is up to the people of Michigan to decide if another bridge is in the best interest of their state. Governor Romney has confidence that Governor Snyder and the Michigan legislature will come to an agreement on this issue," read the statement by Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams.
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The statement went on to say that Mr. Romney supports having a border with Canada that is free of unnecessary delays.
"Such delays would interfere with a variety of industries, including the auto industry," Mr. Romney said, according to the statement. "Governor Romney would support efforts to ease those delays and have an open and working border with our most important trade partner."
Roy B. Norton, the consul general of Canada based in Detroit, said he was not concerned about Mr. Romney's statement.
"I am not the least bit concerned and I don't think anybody should be concerned," Mr. Norton said. "I think Governor Romney well understands the importance of transportation linkages and his statement made that very clear. He understandably is not going to insert himself into a debate in Michigan that has been somewhat controversial and he can't be blamed for that."
Mr. Norton added that Mr. Romney "has expressed the hope that an agreement will be reached soon and that is a hope that we share."
A new bridge crossing has the support of Mr. Snyder and the Canadian government, which has put up $550 million toward the cost of a new crossing. The Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation have authorized the $550 million that Canada has put up to count as Michigan's local share for matching federal road dollars.
Progress on a new crossing has been held up by opposition from the owner of the 83-year-old Ambassador Bridge, billionaire Manuel "Matty" Moroun, who sued in 2010 to block bridge construction.
Supporters says a new bridge would provide a big economic boost from construction jobs in the short term and in the long term by providing trucks with a faster and easier border crossing.
Mr. Norton said a new bridge is important to ensure continued, efficient trade between the two nations.
"The owner of the existing bridge … they like the status quo and they find it very lucrative, but they are holding hostage the livelihood of millions of Americans and Canadians and they want an unfettered monopoly."
In October, 2011, Mr. Norton wrote an editorial in The Blade expounding on the importance of the new bridge for Ohio.
"But this is an Ohio issue too -- which presumably is why the state Senate unanimously passed a resolution [in 2010] endorsing the New International Trade Crossing," he wrote. "Canada is the leading trade partner of the United States and Ohio. More than 300,000 Ohio jobs depend on trade with Canada -- almost 20,000 of these in Lucas, Wood, and Hancock counties. Exports from Ohio to Canada increased [in 2010] by more than 20 percent over 2009. As it has for many years, Ohio continues to enjoy a significant trade surplus with Canada. Modern border infrastructure linking the Midwest to Canada is essential to moving existing and future trade."
There has been a slew of advertising in Detroit and Windsor by opponents and backers of the proposed bridge.
Mr. Romney spoke at a Tea Party event in Milford, Mich., about 25 miles northwest of Detroit Thursday night. He declined to respond to a question put to him by The Blade. In his email to The Blade Friday morning, Mr. Williams said Mr. Romney directed him to respond to The Blade's question.
The Blade attempted to ask Mr. Santorum his position on the bridge issue at an appearance in Lincoln Park, Mich., Friday night, but his handlers said he would not take questions from the media. It was unclear whether the senator heard the question shouted to him after his speech.
Blade Politics Writer Tom Troy and staff writer Tony Cook contributed to this report.
Contact Ignazio Messina at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171.
First Published February 25, 2012, 5:00 a.m.
