International Trade committee  In fairness, when Brian Tobin was the industry minister he was the only minister we saw who was prepared to actually do something for the industry to try to revitalize it. Prior to that, I would agree with you.

International Trade committee  I agree with Andrew. It's the engineers from the top level all the way down to the bottom. It doesn't matter what level you look at in the shipbuilding industry, as far as it goes, with technical skills that people are going to pick up. On the repair side, you cannot get that.

International Trade committee  That's absolutely correct.

International Trade committee  I echo Andrew's words. I think the industry is at a critical stage. These talks are critical to where our future lies. If we don't fix this problem today, I believe that in a very short period of time you'll see major yards close their doors and they'll go away. And that is the e

International Trade committee  Yes, I would. I would use those words.

International Trade committee  Our organization would as well. We believe that's the right way to go at this point.

International Trade committee  Many people have told you that.

International Trade committee  I believe that shipbuilding has a very strong possibility of survival, but the government really has to come to the table and make some hard decisions, and they have to do that very quickly. We've been trying since Minister Tobin structured the committee back in 2000, with a repo

International Trade committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appear before you today to represent approximately 2,000 skilled members of the Shipyard General Workers' Federation of British Columbia who work in the shipyards, in marine manufacturing and supply industries, and in metal fabrication shops in British

International Trade committee  Certainly our preference is to halt trade talks at this point and come back and have consultation with industries that are clearly affected, ours being one of them. We think before the talks go forward and before an agreement is put in place, there has to be clear consultation wi

International Trade committee  For the most part, it's a lack of policy, both federally and provincially. But clearly the industry is focused on the federal government, to try to set clear policies coast to coast. We're trying to level the playing field within Canada itself. To do that, we need the federal gov

International Trade committee  No, I'm not aware of that.

International Trade committee  We've had really no support to protect the industry to move it forward. And that's been the problem. I made the example of the St. Lawrence Seaway as well. If you look at the St. Lawrence, the St. Lawrence is longer than the Atlantic Ocean is wide. And yet Quebec is struggling

International Trade committee  I guess your question is centred around the four ferries that are currently under construction in Germany and what that duty money would mean to British Columbia.

International Trade committee  I'm not sure if the Government of Canada could actually direct that money to British Columbia, but if it could it would go directly into the infrastructure in the B.C. economy for the shipyards themselves, which would start the tooling process, which would enhance the apprentices