The issue of the finished-but-not-yet-opened Gordie Howe International Bridge continues to create ripples on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border, and far from the Michigan-Ontario crossing that is its epicentre.
Among the more recent statements comes from Mike Levin, the Democratic incumbent from California’s 49th congressional district, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019.
In a video posted to social media, Levin says: “There’s a brand new bridge between Detroit and Canada that is finished, it’s ready, and it’s sitting there empty because Donald Trump will not let it open.”
He continues: “It would move trucks faster, it would cut delays for American businesses, and it would feed the auto industry that supports jobs in all 50 states.” He then adds: “Canada paid for the whole thing; every dollar. The U.S. already owns half of the bridge for free.”
He asks: “So why is it closed? Well, follow the money.”
Levin explains that the nearby Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ont., “is privately owned by a man named Matthew Moroun. And when the new bridge opens, traffic will shift and Moroun will lose business.”
He notes that Moroun gave $1 million to a Trump fundraiser in January, and then met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Feb. 9. “And then after that meeting Trump went online and announced that he would block the bridge until Canada, in his words, ‘treats us with fairness and respect.’”
Levin refers to the bridge as “sitting behind a padlock,” concluding: “A government should work for the people, not for whoever writes the biggest cheque. Open the bridge.”
But despite the growing chorus, there is little news from the Canadian government on the issue. Canada’s Industry Minister Mélanie Joly was asked if she had an update on the bridge Monday during a press event announcing the RDBP Project, which is aimed at producing extremely pure iron ore in Quebec.
She replied: “So of course we know this is an important bridge that has been supported by Canadian taxpayers and in that sense its opening is important, important for the country. We’ll continue to engage with the U.S. on this very issue.”
She added: “Minister Leblanc has been in contact of course with Howard Lutnick and (U.S. trade representative) Jameson Greer, and also the prime minister has been in contact with president Trump.”
And Levin is not the only U.S. politician beating the drum. Last week, in the wake of a planned opening on June 12 that was scuttled at the last minute, Democratic Senate hopeful Mallory McMorrow released a campaign ad which included “one message for the president: Open this damn bridge. And you’d better believe I approve this message.”
Pete Buttigieg, who was U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Joe Biden and is currently considering a run for the presidency in 2028, was making similar points a month ago at a policy conference in Michigan , to laughter from the assembled crowd.
“The craziest thing about this is that Mexico was never going to pay for the wall, but Canada actually paid for the bridge,” he said to giggles and applause from the audience. “They paid for it!”
He went on: “I remember being briefed on this when I was in transition, getting ready to become secretary. They tell you all the biggest things and the gnarliest problems and the major projects and the things you’re going to have to worry about or talk about in front of Congress and then they mention this bridge.
“It’s like: ‘Oh, how are we going to put the funding together for this?’ ‘Oh, no no, it’s all funded.’ What do I have to do? Basically nothing. They’re getting it done.”
The moderator suggested the only thing would be to show up at the opening.
“Yeah,” replied Buttigieg. “Which I was really hoping would happen on my watch. So yeah, this, it’s almost hard to comment on because it is so blindingly obvious. The bridge should be open and there should be nothing political about it.”
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