Mr. Speaker, last week B.C. Ferries announced that it will purchase four new full-sized ferries from a Chinese Communist Party state-owned shipyard rather than a Canadian shipyard. Indeed, our shipyards cannot compete with China's cheap labour, lower safety standards and poor environmental regulations. Canadian union workers, industries and shipyards all feel betrayed. The Minister of Transport stated that this is not a federal issue, despite the Liberals subsidizing B.C. Ferries to the tune of $36 million a year. The fact remains that hundreds of millions of dollars will be sent to a Chinese state-controlled shipyard, supporting China's economy and its workers.
Earlier this week, the Minister of Transport stated that she shared her concerns in a letter sent to B.C. Will the Minister of Transport please share specifically who she sent the letter to in B.C.? Will she make the letter public for all to see?
Will the Minister of Transport withhold the $36-million subsidies unless the B.C. government puts Canada first and invests in Canadian shipyards?