Orleans Weekly Journal
Published: Friday, November 28, 2008

Lower Duck push is about delay tactics

Six years ago this week we moved into our present home in Fallingbrook backing onto St. Pete’s High School. It was great to have so much more space than our townhome in Chapel Hill.  

As I met my new neighbours, the first political issue we discussed was the potential for a new east-end bridge to be erected at Petrie Island. “No freekin’ way” I said, and with that, I was welcomed to the proverbial club.

Thankfully for our community, the consultants hired by the National Capital Commission have recommended Kettle Island as the ideal location for an interprovincial crossing. As well, Ottawa city council supports this recommendation. It also aligns with a designated transportation corridor in Quebec and flows into existing roadway infrastructure on our side of the river.

Of course, residents in Manor Park and a variety of other surrounding communities have mobilized a vocal opposition movement to the Kettle Island location. It is classic NIMBY-ism (not in my backyard) and I don’t write this in a pejorative sense. These residents have every right to be concerned for potential impacts on their community.

And they are now promoting the Lower Duck crossing option - further east, but not Petrie to be sure - which will just lead to another round of NIMBY-ism in Beacon Hill and other communities. Further debate on crossing locations will only lead to more dangerous, pass-the-buck acronyms such as NIMTOO (not in my term of office) and BANANA (build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone).

And herein lies the fatal flaw of entertaining other options.

So let’s refocus on the basic facts. There is a need for a new bridge and the traffic flows show it is more pressing in the east end as opposed to the west end. A team of professional consultants and engineers studied 10 options and made their final recommendation based on a variety of factors, and that recommendation is Kettle Island.

In my business of government relations and public affairs consulting, when a potential outcome is seen as negative to your cause, one of the classic tactics is to work for a delay through the introduction of previously discounted opinions. This is the crux of the Lower Duck play.

Our local politicians at all levels and of different stripes agree on the Kettle Island location. A broad coalition of community groups and interested citizens is standing behind them in a common and united front.

With a focus on local infrastructure spending likely to dominate the federal (and provincial) government’s efforts to ride out the present international economic storm, not only should we remain steadfast in pushing for Kettle Island - now is the time to bring pressure to bear on our local MP, the NCC and the federal and provincial ministers of infrastructure to step up plans for bridge construction.

Shovels in the ground will bring closure to this wrenching issue for everyone. Delay and further debate is not our friend.

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Comments can be sent to Walter Robinson at orleansouttakes@transcontinental.ca.