‘What’s next?’

Estimates document hints at possible Marine Atlantic budget cut

Opposition politicians are raising the alarm that the federal government may be preparing to slash the subsidy to Marine Atlantic’s ferry service, according to budget documents presented to the House of Commons this week.

The 2015-16 estimates list a $19.3-million budget allocation to Marine Atlantic from Ottawa — a massive drop from the $127 million last year, and $154 million the year before that.

The estimates lay out the expected spending of the federal government in the coming fiscal year, but they don’t account for any changes that might come in the annual budget, which is expected to be tabled in April by Finance Minister Joe Oliver.

Marine Atlantic spokesman Darrell Mercer said the Crown corporation is expecting that on budget day there will be more money for the Newfoundland-toNova Scotia ferry service.

In 2010, the federal government announced a five-year, $521-million funding package for Marine Atlantic which coincided with terminal upgrades and leasing new vessels — the Blue Puttees, the Atlantic Vision and the Highlanders.

“The reason why there’s a discrepancy between the last few years and this year is that we received a five-year funding envelope in budget 2010,” Mercer said. “We’re confident that there’s going to be additional funding that will come out through the budget.”

In the House of Commons, Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt was peppered with questions about the issue, and said Marine Atlantic would be fine with a $19million subsidy.

“We’ve had a conversation with Marine Atlantic to ensure the fact that they are comfortable going forward with the amounts that are in the main estimates,” she said.

Later on in question period, Raitt said there may be more money announced in the budget.

NDP MP Ryan Cleary is not so confident.

“I’ve said it 50 million times: Stephen Harper is not exactly a fan of Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said. “If the five-year funding plan has ended, the question is, what next? It’s not like things were awesome during those five years.”

Liberal MP Gerry Byrne was also worried. He said the government is planning to cut the subsidy to Marine Atlantic, and it will be lost in the shuffle on budget day when there are bigger things happening.

Byrne said the $19-million figure is suspicious.

“If there was nothing to report about Marine Atlantic until the budget comes forward, why did they report the $19-million figure?” he asked. “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean you’re not being followed. There seems to be something more to this than meets the eye.”

“I’ve said it 50 million times: Stephen Harper is not exactly a fan of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

NDP MP Ryan Cleary “There seems to be something more to this than meets the eye.”

Liberal MP Gerry Byrne