Port merger plans still not a good fit for Nathan Cullen

“This feels like an Ottawa solution and we need a Northern response to it.”—NDP Bulkley Valley-Skeena MP, Nathan Cullen

As we reported on our Podunkian portal back on February 7, Nathan Cullen is hauling out the cold water bins on any idea of a port merger between Vancouver and Prince Rupert port authorities.

The Daily News devoted a portion of their Thursday paper to catching up with Cullen and his thoughts on the future of the Port of Prince Rupert.

Merged port doesn't hold water with MP
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Pages one and three

Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen sees no merit in the idea of amalgamating the Port of Prince Rupert and the Port of Vancouver.

The idea was most recently floated in a report to International Minister of Trade David Emerson. It was authored by Jeff Burghardt, president of Prince Rupert Grain, Arthur DeFehr, a furniture manufacturer out of Winnipeg and T. Richard Turner, chairman of the Insurance Corp. of B.C.

"The idea of merging with Vancouver, I believe, would push many of the interests of the Northwest aside," said Cullen.

"Vancouver sucks up a lot of the oxygen in the atmosphere as it is.".

The report, which was submitted to the Minister for review in January, suggested that continued amalgamation of B. C.’s port authorities would offer shippers a more flexible regime and offer port authorities economies of scale.

“This is the only way to assure complete collaboration of Canada’s West Coast ports and allow them to compete effectively with other North American ports. This would also assist in maximizing the collective vision of the Pacific Gateway,” they said, in the 27 page report.

However, Cullen said he believes Vancouver already controls too much of the political momentum.

“I am one that believes that the Northwest can stand up on its own and do a good job on its own. It doesn’t need to amalgamate with Vancouver. This feels like an Ottawa solution and we need a Northern response to it.”

Meanwhile, the House of Commons has finished a second reading of a bill that would expand the amount of money port authorities could borrow and allowing the federal government to fund specific capital improvements at Canadian ports.

Bill C-23 would amend a number of acts and the Canada Marine Act to allow ports access to federal contributions for capital costs for infrastructure, as well as for environmental sustainability and for security projects.

“This is great news for Canadians,” said Brian Jean (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

“This approach would put CPA’s on an equal footing with other transportation models that have access to contribution funding. It would make them competitive.”

He said the change would allow ports with more than $25 million in annual gross revenues to borrow funds and that it would streamline the process for smaller federal ports, including Prince Rupert, that are seeking changes to their borrowing limits.