8 June 2005

GM boss calls for border mediator

The following article is extracted from the 7 June 2005 edition of the “Windsor Star”.

The government gridlock over improving Windsor's border crossings has got to end, says the president of General Motors of Canada Ltd. -- but it could take a mediator to break the impasse.

Michael Grimaldi says GM and the rest of Canada's automotive industry are "extremely disappointed" in the lack of progress governments have been making on expanding border capacity, ….

Progress has been slow on new border crossings and improving existing crossings in Windsor, as has progress on improving rail corridors and even the Walker Road underpass.

"We have all been frustrated -- we have got to get going," Grimaldi said in an interview Monday.

"It's unfortunate but there is probably going to be another incident that gets people's attention focused on the border again."

Grimaldi told The Windsor Star's editorial board that a non-government force may be needed to dislodge the logjam that has paralyzing government action on the border.

"We may be at a point where we need a mediator," he said.

"Right now we are at a stalemate because we can't get the three levels of government together."

Grimaldi refused to place greater blame on any one level of government. "It's all three of them" -- federal, provincial, and municipal on the Canadian side.

The delays are costing the Canadian economy alone at least $5 billion to $6 billion.

Losses on the U.S. side are similar, and the Americans are also dealing with delays….

The biggest problems being faced by GM with border delays are at the Windsor frontier. But there are equally serious problems at Fort Erie and at the Port of Vancouver, he said….