在唐纳德·特朗普总统威胁要封锁这座耗资数十亿美元的桥梁项目一天后，加拿大总理马克·卡尼于周二表示，他期待美加之间这座新桥梁的开通。
周一，特朗普在社交媒体上发文称：“在美国得到我们给予他们的一切的充分补偿之前，我不会允许这座桥梁开通。而且，同样重要的是，加拿大必须给予美国应有的公平和尊重。”
特朗普并未提及这座桥梁的具体名称，但似乎指的是戈迪·豪国际大桥。这座六车道的大桥将连接加拿大安大略省的温莎市和美国密歇根州的底特律市。
特朗普表示，他计划“立即开始谈判”，似乎是指关于这座桥梁的协议，并再次重申了他自与美国北方邻国展开贸易战以来一直对加拿大的批评。
特朗普在帖子中说：“考虑到我们给予他们的一切，我们或许至少应该拥有这座资产的一半。由于美国市场而产生的收入将是天文数字。”
这座耗资47亿美元的桥梁自2018年起开始建设，预计将于今年年初开通，目前主体工程已完工，但具体开通日期尚未公布。其建设资金由加拿大政府提供并监管。
卡尼表示，他周二与特朗普进行了通话，讨论了这座桥梁及其所有权问题。
卡尼对记者说：“我解释说，加拿大为这座桥梁的建设支付了超过40亿美元的费用，其所有权由密歇根州和加拿大政府共同享有。”
安大略省省长道格·福特周二也对记者表示，根据加拿大和美国之间现有协议的条款，一旦加拿大通过通行费还清桥梁建设费用，密歇根州将拥有其一半的所有权。
卡尼表示，他与特朗普进行了“积极的对话”，并强调了两国之间的合作，包括加拿大和美国的钢铁以及两国工人都参与了桥梁的建设。
卡尼说：“我们非常期待这座桥梁的开通。当然，特别重要的是，将通过这座桥梁的加拿大和美国民众之间的商业往来、旅游和出行。”
卡尼还补充说，特朗普建议美国驻加拿大大使、密歇根州前国会议员皮特·霍克斯特拉“在帮助推动围绕这座桥梁的讨论方面发挥作用”。
特朗普的新闻秘书卡罗琳·莱维特在周二的新闻发布会上表示，特朗普在与卡尼通话时强调，他“将美国利益放在首位”。
当被问及为何特朗普在第一任期时最初表示支持这座桥梁，现在却改变了主意时，莱维特表示，总统认为在桥梁建设中没有使用更多美国制造的材料是“不可接受的”，并且他认为美国应该“分享这座桥梁使用所产生的经济效益”。
福特表示，他“非常有信心”这座桥梁会开通，因为这“符合美国经济的最大利益”。
他说：“最糟糕的事情就是损害美国经济，并继续对美国经济造成伤害。”
Canadian PM responds to Trump threat to block bridge between US and Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday he looks forward to the opening of a new bridge between the United States and Canada opening, a day after President Donald Trump threatened to block the multibillion-dollar project.
In a social media post on Monday, Trump said, "I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve."
Trump did not mention the bridge by name, but appears to be referring to the Gordie Howe International Bridge. The six-laneprojectis set to connect Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan.
Trump said that he plans to "start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY," seeming to refer to a deal on the bridge, and repeated his ongoing criticism of Canada since he began a trade war with America's northern neighbor.
"With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset. The revenues generated because of the U.S. Market will be astronomical," Trump said in the post.
The $4.7 billion bridge has been under construction since 2018. It is expected to open early this year, with major construction complete, though an opening date has not yet been announced. Its construction is being financed and overseen by the Canadian government.
Carney said he spoke to Trump on Tuesday and discussed the bridge and its ownership.
"I explained that Canada paid for the construction of the bridge -- more than $4 billion -- and that ownership is shared between the state of Michigan and the Government of Canada," Carney told reporters.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also told reporters on Tuesday that under the terms of the existing agreement between Canada and the U.S., once Canada pays off the bridge through tolls, Michigan will own half of it.
Carney said he had a "positive conversation" with Trump and emphasized the cooperation between the two neighbors, with Canadian and American steel, as well as workers from both countries, involved in the construction.
"We very much look forward to the bridge opening," Carney said. "What is particularly important, of course, is the commerce, the tourism and the travel of Canadians and Americans who will cross that bridge."
Carney added that Trump suggested U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, a former congressman from Michigan, "play a role in helping to smooth discussions around the bridge."
During his call with Carney, Trump stressed that he was "putting America's interests first," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing Tuesday.
Asked why Trump has now changed his mind about the bridge, after initially expressingsupportduring his first term, Leavitt said it was "unacceptable" to the president that more American-made materials weren't being used in its construction, and that he believes the U.S. should "participateinthe economic benefits generated by its use."
Ford said he is "very confident" the bridge will open because it's "in the best interest of the American economy."
"The worst thing you could do is hurt the American economy and continue to hurt the American economy," he said.
