Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry has asked me to comment on the issue raised by the hon. member for Beauport-Montmorency-Orleans on April 12 and I am sure he will get a clear answer as he requested.
The future of MIL Davie and its ability to generate meaningful long-term employment is of great importance to this government and I know how important it is for the population of the Quebec region.
With the completion later this year of the Canadian patrol frigate and trump contracts at MIL Davie the government will discuss the future of the shipyard with its owner, the province of Quebec. As a basis for the discussion, the province of Quebec is assessing a corporate business plan identifying the direction the company will take to ensure its future success.
I understand that the provincial government has not approved the draft plan and the MIL Davie business plan has not been presented to the federal government at this time.
Unsolicited proposals have been made by MIL Davie for two federal construction contracts. The first is a contract for the replacement of the Lucy Maud Montgomery ferry operating between the Magdalen Islands and P.E.I. The second is for a multifunctional vessel or smart ship for the Department of National Defence.
In the case of the ferry my colleague, the Minister of Transport, is evaluating the options available to him in the context of limited budget resources, other Canadian shipyards and the provision of timely and effective ferry service.
Regarding construction of the smart ship, the Minister of National Defence will be able to assess future naval requirements following the completion of the defence policy review that the member knows is going on at present.
In conclusion the long term future of MIL Davie and the well-being of its workers and the community is important to this government. As my colleague the Minister of Industry has said many times, we are committed to working with the yard's owner, the province of Quebec in a co-operative fashion.