Dreaming of more

"If I had a million dollars," starts the Barenaked Ladies song.

If the leaders at Marine Atlantic were writing the lyrics, they'd likely be dreaming of significantly more.

New ferries and new terminals don't come cheap. In fact, the numbers in the Auditor General's report from last fall add up to well over $1 billion. The $175 million announced on Thursday isn't a bad thing; it just may not be enough of a good thing.

As of deadline, how the money will be spent is still a matter of mystery. MP Gerry Byrne says it will go to bring the Atlantic Vision's two sister ships to the service, but government representatives say the final decisions haven't been made.

Hopefully, $75 million this year and $100 million next will be enough to get a good start on the changes everyone seems to agree are needed. Perhaps by then, subsequent federal budgets will have announced more money for the ferry service.

Marine Atlantic did better than some - the military is facing significant cuts, as is the public sector. The government had to make choices to bring the multi-billion dollar deficit under control sometime before the next ice age.

Like the people across the province and across the country pinching their pennies a little bit harder since the economic downturn, Marine Atlantic will have to make the money go as far as possible. Tourists, truckers and the people of this province will be watching.

Fleet renewal is needed; what form it will take is still a question. Chartering or buying a ship may be faster than building, but that doesn't mean they're good options.

Marine Atlantic brass say the Atlantic Vision was the best vessel for the service available on the world market at the time when the company desperately needed more capacity. Maybe not be the perfect vessel, but the best one available.

It would seem building new vessels, ones that could be made to order, would be better. But it will certainly take time and money.

Given the current economic climate, the federal government isn't likely to promise the millions needed to accomplish everything in the next few years.

The funding in last week's budget may indeed be earmarked to lay the groundwork - something on which to build a service of which people can be proud. Time will tell if it is only another short-term solution to get the service through the next crunch.

More federal cuts may become necessary in the years to come to balance the budget if everything doesn't go as envisaged with the country's economic recovery, world markets, interest rates and other highly unpredictable factors.

Hopefully, if the cuts come, they don't come at the expense of the progress Marine Atlantic seems set to make toward calmer waters.

- Natalie Musseau

editor@gulfnews.ca