Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to listen to the hon. member for Saint John. Her speeches are always delivered with such enthusiasm.
I wish to congratulate her on her ongoing interest and perseverance in the area of shipbuilding. I share her concerns. Unfortunately, the Saint John shipyards are closed, and Davie Industries is in dire financial straits, having been put under the protection of the Bankruptcy Act. I share her ongoing concerns in this area.
After many representations to him, the Minister of Industry has decided to do a little something. It was a step in the right direction, but very little money was involved.
I would like to ask the hon. member for some comments. She referred to the very low wages of Chinese and Korean shipyard workers. How can it be, then, that Canadian shipbuilders I will not take the time to list—but if the hon. member has time she can look them all up—who are aware of the situation, who are aware of the need for an improved Canadian fleet, are getting their ships built in China or Korea while thousands of shipyard workers here are unemployed?