CHARLOTTETOWN — Prime Minister Mark Carney admitted on Thursday that he could have clearer communicated details regarding the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which is set to open to traffic between Ontario and Michigan next week. The proposed agreement in principle reaffirms that for the first 15 years, Canada will share half of the net toll revenues with the United States.

The financial arrangement states that Canada's payments will go into a United States-Canada Economic Development Fund managed by the U.S. government. Previously, Carney had stated that tolls would not be split with the U.S. until Canada's debt from building the bridge is repaid. This initial agreement with Michigan remains in effect, meaning tolls will only be divided after a lengthy payback period for Canada.

During his remarks in Charlottetown, Carney recognized he could have been more transparent about the deal. He humorously remarked that he could have explained the situation better while wearing a cowboy hat during a Sunday morning event at Stampede.

The Conservative Party has criticized Carney, claiming he has capitulated to U.S. pressures to facilitate the bridge's opening while misleading Canadians about the toll-sharing arrangement. Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar accused the government of deception, asserting that the current deal deviates from what was promised, adding that this marks a series of concessions made by the prime minister that endanger Canada's position in negotiations with the United States.

Majumdar expressed sympathy for Carney, acknowledging the challenges of negotiating with an unpredictable U.S. administration but insisted that the facts regarding the Gordie Howe Bridge must not be obscured. Furthermore, Conservative MP Kelly McCauley announced on social media that opposition members on the House of Commons government operations committee are demanding an urgent investigation into the details surrounding the bridge deal and the government's communication on the matter. McCauley, as chair of the committee, plans to convene a meeting on July 29 to scrutinize the issue thoroughly.

In a related statement, NDP MP Heather McPherson emphasized the importance of the bridge as a critical piece of public infrastructure, stating that Canadians deserve clarity about its status. She noted that clearer communication from Carney’s government would have alleviated much of the confusion, criticizing the vague answers provided to Canadians and the necessity for citizens to seek information from American media outlets.

On a related note, the federal government declared that, due to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats, Canada will not hold a joint celebration for the bridge's opening with the United States. Trump recently threatened to impose new tariffs on various Canadian products in response to issues such as provincial bans on U.S. alcohol, Canada's supply-managed dairy system, and quotas on American vehicles.

Following Trump’s warning, the administration announced it would implement tariffs against numerous countries, including Canada, for alleged forced labor practices in supply chains. Carney revealed that he spoke with Trump earlier on Tuesday, and they agreed to accelerate trade negotiations.

While a Canada-exclusive bridge opening event is expected to take place on Friday, the Gordie Howe International Bridge remains set to open for traffic as scheduled on Monday.