Letter – Toronto’s Troubled Waters – Published February 8

Joe Volpe [Letter – Toronto’s Troubled Waters – February 8} tries vainly to distance himself from the Toronto Port Authority.

Unfortunately for Mr. Volpe,  he’s clearly the TPA’s “go-to” man, as readers can see for themselves in the transcript of Tuesday’s Parliamentary committee hearing, looking at Bill C-23 (you can read the transcripts by clicking here)

Mr. Volpe failed, and fails, to address our main submission that Toronto’s port is, and never has been “a port of strategic significance to Canada’s trade”  or “financially self-sufficient”, as required by s. 8(1) of the Canada Marine Act, and therefore should be controlled by local appointees, not federal ones (as so ably pointed out by your John Barber on Tuesday).

The TPA is out of control.  It has consistently lost money - a lot - in every year of its existence (spending $1.62 for each $1.00 of its revenue in 2006!), the port has deteriorated to insignificance, they will not repair collapsing sea walls and they have expanded the Island Airport against the wishes of the majority of the people of Toronto.

Mr. Volpe should use his influence to turn the Toronto Port Authority over to municipal government control, where it belongs, not expand its powers through Bill C-23.

Brian Iler

Chair, Community AIR