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Support shipbuilding industry

This letter was sent to Conservative MP John Weston and copied to The Chief for publication. Mr.

This letter was sent to Conservative MP John Weston and copied to The Chief for publication.

Mr. Weston,

I was shocked but not too dismayed to hear on CBC news that the Liberal caucus has announced that they are no longer supporting the present Conservative Government of Canada.

I am not a Liberal, but I will admit that I too have been disappointed with the Conservative party of late.

My profession as a marine consultant has been threatened over the past 10 years by the complete lack of true concrete support for the shipbuilding industry in Canada.

I realize that the present government has met with many of interest in the industry recently, announcing that $50 billion will be spent on shipbuilding in Canada in the next 30 years.

Unfortunately, those words are truly meaningless as to date no notable contracts have been awarded - especially here on the West Coast - to help sustain the industry thus far.

One major shipyard, Vancouver Shipyards Company Ltd. is virtually empty. The design production office staff there have all been reduced to a minimal.

As a sub-contract consultant and one time hopeful potential employee in the industry, I was dismayed and horrified when the proposed JSS (Canadian Naval Supply ship) fleet renewal program was all but scrapped over a year ago.

This at a time when the Western governments (including Canada) were seeking ways in which to stimulate the economy, especially in the heavy industry sector.

It was an embarrassment, Mr. Weston that the Government of Canada fell asleep at the helm a year ago and has not yet awoken save for the iceberg alley of the Liberal bickering.

I witnessed the shelving of the Polar icebreaker design and construction back in the 1980s. That too was embarrassing in light of the latest Northern sovereignty issue. Why is our present government leasing Russian icebreakers for research in Northern waters?

There's every indication that your government does not even acknowledge the existence (dare I state that there is an existence) of the shipbuilding industry in Canada.

My question Mr. Weston is simply this:

Will the present Government of Canada support the shipbuilding industry in Canada by providing a real stimulus package to revitalize the Canadian Naval Fleet, The Canadian Coast Guard Northern icebreaking fleet, and by providing encouragement to shipyards, especially here in B.C. to upgrade their facilities so as to better compete for even international contracts?

Stephen D. Harbin

Squamish

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