BC Caucus’ Letter in support of BC Shipbuilders
The Hon. Rona Ambrose, PC, MP
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
August 17, 2011
Dear Minister Ambrose:
We are writing in reference to the upcoming decision of your government to allocate $35 billion in federal contracts to build combat and non-combat vessels within the framework of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.
Your government has stated that two Canadian marine construction yards will be selected through the bid submission process to complete the bulk of the contracts:
“One shipyard will be selected to build combat vessels and another to build non-combat vessels. The two shipyards selected will be those that represent best value to Canada.”
We have complete confidence in the ability of BC shipyards to win this bid. The performance of the BC shipbuilding industry is world renowned. BC Shipyards have had a long tradition of building all types of high quality, innovative vessels and it is only natural that the National Shipbuilding Strategy recognizes the outstanding contribution BC shipbuilders would make to a project of this scope by including them in the design and production of Canada’s next generation of vessels.
We, as the NDP BC caucus are very convinced that our yards have the ability, the management and the labour to be successful in this bid. We look forward to an independent analysis of the competitive bids.
BC shipyards have developed over the years a solid reputation for innovation and for building all types of high quality vessels. BC shipbuilding has provided good, family-sustaining jobs with positive spinoffs from Coast to Coast.
We are confident that BC shipyards will be allocated a significant share of the procurement package. And we ask you to commit to open the allocation process to public scrutiny.
Sincerely,
Peter Julian, MP; Libby Davies, MP; Jean Crowder, MP; Denise Savoie, MP; Nathan Cullen, MP; Don Davies, MP; Alex Atamanenko, MP; Fin Donnelly, MP; Jinny Sims, MP; Jasbir Sandhu, MP; and Kennedy Stewart, MP.
Federal NDP BC Caucus