OTTAWA – Sean Fraser knows the value of reliable ferry transportation to people in this region.
“It’s something that was raised to me a few years ago,” said the Central Nova MP, adding that a new ferry wouldn’t just put tourists at ease, it also helps out the business sector who depend on goods being shipped in a timely and efficient manner.
“It is a key piece of our transportation infrastructure. Having that reliable second boat in the water is essential.”
There is no firm timeline for the addition of a second ferry, something that Pictou West MLA Karla MacFarlane had expressed concerns over on Wednesday morning.
But Fraser said it will take some time before more is known about when the ferry will enter the waters of the Northumberland Strait.
“The next step is going to involve negotiations with the boat builders,” he said.
“They’ve got to go through the process of finding a boat builder,” who can do the job for the right price.
The budget also extended Transport Canada’s ferry services contribution program until 2022 with existing service levels and fleet size, which ensures two vessels will continue to operate between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.
“It is great news,” Karla MacFarlane told The News on Wednesday morning. “I’m certain there are a number of stakeholders that are certainly smiling right now.”
But she also expressed concerns and the timing of the announcement – coming in an election year – and added that she’s feel a lot more comfortable if more details had been released.
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In a telephone interview Wednesday, Fraser hit on some aspects to the budget that he feels are key, especially to Central Nova constituents;
• a long-term plan to have high-speed Internet available to more than 90 per cent of Canadians within seven years, and 100 per cent by the year 2030. “Connectivity,” he said, “is a major factor in this budget.”
• a hefty transfer of dollars for in-home care for seniors and mental health services from the feds to the provinces (Nova Scotia alone will get an extra $287 million). “This is a very health-oriented budget,” Fraser added.
• the lowering of interest rates for student loans.
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Fraser was also asked about Whitby, Ont. Member of Parliament Celina Caesar-Chavannes, who quit the Liberal caucus this week to sit as an independent. It is the latest of a string of resignations that has rocked Ottawa in recent weeks. Fraser said he can’t worry about the potential fallout.
“Celina is a friend of mine,” he said, “but I’m a lot more worried about what I can in my own community. I’m going to focus on what I can control.”
