House committee will meet on call to probe Carney’s Gordie Howe bridge deal

A House of Commons committee is set to hold a special meeting today to examine the revenue-sharing agreement for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, as the Liberal government faces scrutiny over its deal with the United States. The meeting is expected to focus on administrative matters, including the study's scope and potential witnesses.

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The meeting is expected to be mostly administrative, with MPs set to discuss the scope of the study and a list of witnesses.

The agreement in principle, which allows the bridge to open to motorists, stipulates that Canada will share 50% of net toll revenues with the U.S. for the next 15 years. This arrangement appears to contradict earlier public statements by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had indicated that toll revenues would not be split with the U.S. until Canada's construction debt was repaid.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney said on previous occasions that the tolls would not be split with the United States until after Canada’s debt to build the bridge is paid back.

Carney recently admitted to reporters that his explanations of the deal's nature had not been as clear as they could have been. The details of the agreement have emerged as the bridge prepares to welcome cross-border traffic. Conservative MP Kelly McCauley publicly stated his intention to convene the committee meeting to "get to the bottom of the matter."

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Carney acknowledged he was not as clear as he could have been when explaining the nature of the deal in recent weeks.