Statement made on 24 November 2010 by Senator Terry Mercer
Hon. Terry M. Mercer:
Honourable senators, yesterday, Senator Cordy and I asked a series of questions about the dredging of Sydney Harbour. I asked about it last week and Senator Cordy asked about it months ago. Over the past eight months, there have been about 10 to 15 questions from Senator Cordy and me about the dredging of Sydney Harbour.
Yesterday, the minister spoke curious words. She said that it was a challenge to dredge Sydney Harbour. This morning, a colleague of mine said that grade 11 algebra is challenging; this is simple.
The leader made reference to the fact that the government does not dredge privately-owned harbours. Mayor John Morgan of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality responded to that in a note to Senator Cordy today wherein he indicated that the government continues to incorrectly say Sydney is a private harbour when, in fact, it is owned by the Government of Canada. Now that I helped clear up that point for the minister, and now that she has had that information conveyed to her, now that the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and the Government of Nova Scotia have all said they are in and they all want this dredging — it is a top priority of the provincial government, the municipal government and a large number of members of Parliament from Nova Scotia — will the leader please tell us why it is not being done when the money is there?
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