Minister, premiers meet over Chignecto Isthmus debate

The federal infrastructure minister was at a funding announcement at the airport his father was named after on Monday, but afterwards, most of the focus was on a stretch of land that connects New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Dominic LeBlanc, joined by Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra and Minister of Official Languages Ginette Petitpas Taylor, were at the Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport in Dieppe to announce nearly $3.5 million in funding.

Afterwards, LeBlanc was asked about the Chignecto Isthmus, a low-lying stretch of land between the two provinces that is a pivotal trade route.

Experts say it needs major upgrades to survive future storms.

The federal government is prepared to pay 50 per cent of the estimated $400 million project, but Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs believe Ottawa should foot the entire bill.

In fact, both premiers have said they're prepared to take the matter to court citing sections of the 1867 Constitution Act.

"We don't buy that flimsy legal argument at all," said LeBlanc.

The federal money would come from the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund program, but the deadline for application is this Wednesday.

"It's a billion-dollar fund. We expect well over two or three billion dollars of applications from provinces and communities across the country, and if New Brunswick and Nova Scotia miss that deadline, there will be a lot of very worthy projects in every other part of the country that will more than use the funds that are available," said LeBlanc.

LeBlanc went on to say the federal government first met with the provinces about the Isthmus issues last November and there's been over a dozen meetings since.

Last week, Higgs told CTV News the federal government is not recognizing the very fundamentals of their constitutional requirements.

"There isn't any debate that this is a strategic link between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. And there isn't any debate of the federal responsibilities in order to maintain that link," said Higgs. "There's a constitutional requirement. We shouldn't have to challenge this. There shouldn't be any debate."

The MP for Beauséjour said a meeting was scheduled in Moncton with the premiers late Monday afternoon and he hoped progress could be made.

'We think that if the provinces want to waste the taxpayers money on frivolous lawsuits, perhaps they should focus on working with us to repair infrastructure that they own in the interest of ensuring that we don't have an environmental disaster and those important trade routes can be maintained," said LeBlanc.

LeBlanc said if the deadline comes and goes, the money would not be available again.

LeBlanc and the Atlantic premiers will meet in Moncton on Tuesday.