Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to see you poised between those two very very beautiful Canadian flags that should be presented in this House.
The future of the Cape Breton Development Corporation or Devco is a very serious issue for miners, the people of Cape Breton and not the least to the Government of Canada. Coal mining and Devco contribute to the economic well-being of many families in many communities in Cape Breton and provides opportunities for all Canadians.
As we all know workers at the corporation are dealing with geological issues and technical uncertainty about the future of the Phalen mine. It is in this context that I am concerned the hon. member may be politicizing the matter which provides disruption to the community, to the workers and to the corporation which is trying to support jobs in that area.
I would not want the hon. member to have to live up to the editorials that are coming down about her within her riding. They basically suggest that the spin of the hon. member for Bras d'Or is ignoring the facts.
The government's position with respect to Devco has been very consistent. Therefore I appreciate the opportunity to clarify the government's position on this very important crown corporation.
Devco must be commercially viable. Nothing more, nothing less. It is worth repeating that we believe this is a necessary step toward ensuring the survival of both the corporation and the coal mining industry in Cape Breton.
In the context of the hon. member's question from this afternoon and from previous questions, let me assure this House that there is no secret plan to privatize Devco nor is there a 15 month shutdown plan for Devco. The hon. member's frequent assertions that such a plan exists appear to be based on a draft document that was never presented to cabinet. Instead, as we all are aware, a decision was made to focus on commercial viability.
The only approved plan that exists for Devco today is Devco's business plan. Based on this plan the government has made a decision to continue to provide financial support. The government has confidence in the management and the employees of the corporation. These people will work toward the goal of commercial viability.