Evidence of meeting #8 for Subcommittee on Canadian Industrial Sectors in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was industry.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave Van Kesteren
Thanks.
It's great stuff, and I know that you're building planes and trains and some boats. Have you thought about cars? We're talking about green cars. Have you thought about possibly moving into that?
We're often criticized for not having a policy on the auto industry. However, the auto industry is controlled by foreign companies that decided to work here.
Has Bombardier thought of getting into that?
April 28th, 2009 / 11:50 a.m.
Vice-President, Government Relations, Bombardier Inc.
We make planes and trains. That's it. The group that makes snowmobiles and Sea-Doos--and I'm delighted to not have to hear from people who have cottages--is a private company that has nothing to do with Bombardier per se. So we're in just those two businesses, but they are extremely complex.
So the short answer to your question is that we have not thought of going into the automotive business. But the capacity exists in the Bombardier transportation group in Thunder Bay, for instance, if there is increased work in public transit--which is in a way a compensating medium for people to have personal transportation--to hire people who previously worked in the auto sector, because the skills are quite comparable and complementary.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave Van Kesteren
I want to thank our witnesses for the excellent job and the great information you've given us. We are going to end this meeting now. We appreciate everything you've brought to the table. I know this is going to help our study and make it that much better.
This meeting is adjourned.