Long Wharf head start

The Longshoremen’s union seems to believe that Long Wharf should not be turned into a cruise terminal and Irving Oil Headquarters.

Further, it appears that they don’t want the port to be renting the land to Irving in the meantime, allowing for Irving to make leasehold improvements (i.e. adding structures to the land they are renting).

94.1 FM news is reporting that a NDP parliamentarian from outside of Saint John is taking up their fight (or war of words):

“With no public consultation nor green light from Ottawa, the ILA and [Yvon] Godin will ask the minister of transport to end the construction already underway on the Long Wharf site.”

Without getting into the port’s mandate and what it can and cannot do, I think the ILA should keep its focus on stopping the project (if that’s what they believe is in the best interest of their members) and not worry about what Irving is doing with the wharf during this short term period.  If the ILA is victorious and Irving does not proceed with the headquarters, they will have to remove their piling or leave it (even if it adds to the site).