Windsor residents react to Canada holding its own ceremony for Gordie Howe Bridge
We are just hours away from Canada holding its own event to celebrate the Gordie Howe International Bridge on Friday, and CBS News Detroit spoke with Canadian residents about how they're feeling leading up to the ceremony.
"We would love to have [Michigan Gov.] Gretchen [Whitmer] with us. We would love to have a bunch of our friends from Detroit and Michigan with us. But unfortunately, it looks like we might have to wait," said Stephen Hargreaves.
Hargreaves is the Director of the Sandwich Business Improvement Association, the Windsor neighborhood closest to the Gordie Howe Bridge. Earlier this week, Canadian officials announced that they were backing out of a joint event with the U.S. after President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Canadian imports.
Hargreaves says his neighborhood has eagerly waited and prepared for the bridge's opening for years.
"People are getting very tired of this, but especially this neighborhood in Sandwich town, because we've been preparing for this for ages, we have so much ready to go, so much of what we are is built on a relationship with the United States- sometimes very turgid as you can see from some murals behind your cameraman right now," he said.
Others like Dr. Gregg Hanaka at Sandwich Towne Dentistry have expressed frustration over the multiple delays leading up to next Monday's bridge opening. Meanwhile, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says he still plans to celebrate.
"I think Canadians are just tired of it all, they want to just get back to like our friendship with our American friends," said Carrie Sekela at the Sandwich Brewing Company.
Sekela said that whenever Mr. Trump announced a new tariff policy, or a threat to block the opening of the new bridge, she'd become so disturbed that her brewery came up with a new drink called "Over it"
"Cause I think we were over the fact that all the politics were getting in the way of getting this beautiful bridge opened to allow customers to come here from the U.S. and obviously trade to go back and forth," she said.
