N.B. an N.S. join push to see feds take over land connecting provinces

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The provincial legislatures in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are joining a push by a New Brunswick senator to see the feds take ownership of the vulnerable strip of land connecting the two provinces.

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New Brunswick Senator Jim Quinn’s Bill S-273 aims to bring the vital Chignecto Isthmus corridor under federal jurisdiction, in efforts to see Ottawa safeguard the low-lying land under threat by rising sea water.

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A private members motion to soon be introduced by Progressive Conservative MLA Michelle Conroy will call on the New Brunswick provincial legislature to “urge” the passing of Quinn’s bill and then forward that message of support to the prime minister of Canada, several federal ministers, and regional MPs.

That’s as the Nova Scotia House of Assembly passed the same resolution unanimously without debate last week.

Senator Quinn’s bill would declare the dyke network to be “for the general advantage of Canada,” which would bring it under federal jurisdiction and spur the federal government to fully finance the multimillion-dollar fix that’s needed.

That’s as the provinces and federal government squabble over who pays what.

In an interview, Quinn said the two motions by the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia legislatures are about keeping alive pressure on Ottawa to act.

“So often in the east coast of Canada we get left behind, we get forgotten about, and yet here we are, equal partners in the federation, and we have a critical piece of infrastructure important to the entire country,” Quinn said.

If the Chignecto Isthmus was wiped out, it would dramatically curtail the transportation of goods into and out of Canada on the east coast.

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It would cut off the Port of Halifax, which is reliant on the single rail line that traverses the isthmus, connecting it to the rest of the country. The other way, it would impact goods reaching Newfoundland and Labrador by ferry after travelling through New Brunswick and into Nova Scotia.

Meanwhile, it would cut off New Brunswickers from key regional services like the Halifax children’s hospital.

Quinn contends that makes it in Canada’s interest to address.

Precedent also exists. In 1948, Parliament passed the Maritime Marshland Rehabilitation Act, which saw the feds reconstruct dykes, aboiteaux and breakwaters that now need repair.

Meanwhile, more recently, amid pressure, the feds funded the building of Champlain Bridge in Montreal, declaring it for the general advantage of Canada to do so.

Arguably politically advantageous to do so in voter-rich Quebec, Quinn said the regionally weighted Senate gives him the opportunity to press for the same support for Atlantic Canada.

“It’s one of those roles that the Fathers of Confederation had in mind when they decided ‘we’re going to have a Senate and the Senate is going to be appointed because of the regional representation that we bring to the table,’” he said.

Quinn’s bill is still yet to make it through second reading in the Senate.

That’s as other senators attempt to strike deals to see several pieces of legislation gain approval at the same time.

“I believe there’s broad support for my bill, but it’s been caught up in these different packages that have failed at the last minute,” Quinn said. “It’s been quite frustrating, actually.”

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The New Brunswick senator hopes later this month that the bill will reach the committee stage, where experts will then be called to weigh in on the jurisdictional question of whether the isthmus should be taken over by the federal government.

Meanwhile, the motion inside the New Brunswick provincial legislature could be introduced as early as Tuesday.

The estimated cost of fixing the isthmus has ballooned to an estimated $650 million and counting.

Any work is expected to take 10 years to complete.

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have already applied for federal money under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund which would see Ottawa cover half the cost, although the provinces have also turned to the court in attempts to prove that it’s the feds who should foot the entire bill.

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