Yes, I did. I do know the automobile industry a little.
We are profoundly aware of the impact the plant closure will have on the Halifax area. As soon as the Minister of Industry learned of the plan to close the plant he wrote to Volvo to express the disappointment of the Government of Canada about the closure.
The mayor of Halifax, Mr. Walter Fitzgerald, created a task force on the future of the Volvo facility and workforce. The mandate of the task force is to market the facility and the workforce worldwide and to ensure that Volvo continues to tranship automobiles through the port of Halifax. The industry minister immediately accepted Mayor Fitzgerald's invitation for a federal presence on the task force by directing that an executive officer of ACOA, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, become a member of the task force.
In addition the minister allocated resources within the Halifax office of Industry Canada and also in Ottawa to assist the task force. Industry Canada personnel have been asked to identify potential leads that would fit in with the mandate of the task force, to bring these leads to the attention of the task force and to assist in the development of these leads as much as possible. Several leads have already been identified which the task force is in the process of investigating, although it is too early to say how they will turn out.
We are all aware of the events of last month where workers of the plant took over the facility and picketed the plant. The workers took these actions out of fear for the future but also in an attempt to force Volvo to address some concerns that the workers have.
In closing, we remain acutely aware of the impact of the closing of the plant on the Halifax area and continue to urge all parties to work together to secure a long term future for the workforce and the facility.