Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the NDP for her comments.
I have great concerns because in the city of Saint John I have 3,500 people who work at our shipyard building Canadian frigates for the government. That program will be winding down at the end of this year, 1994. On two occasions in the House I have heard my colleagues from the Bloc question the Minister of Transport, my friend from the province of New Brunswick, about the Lucy Maud Montgomery ferry and whether he was going to give that contract to the Davie shipyard which also needs work.
I do not have a problem with this if the contract is going to that shipyard because its workers need jobs, but I have a great problem if there is not going to be a contract for the city of Saint John shipyard. If that is the case, then I would like to know from the Minister of Transport if the Lucy Maud Montgomery ferry will go out to tender so that our shipyard will be able to bid on it or if there is a special contract for the shipyard for the city of Saint John. If not, I have 3,500 people at the end of this year who will be looking for work and that is a major concern.