NowVille
So.
How come that contract for three new ferries went to Poland?
Well, here's the answer, directly from the BC Ferries press release:
...BC Ferries conducted an extensive competitive bidding process to ensure that the company secured the best bid for its customers and the taxpayers of British Columbia. One shipyard from BC, Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyard, was among the five shipyards shortlisted and invited to participate in the RFP process, however they decided to withdraw as they indicated they have maximized their available capacity due to commitments with the federal government building vessels under the National Shipbuilding and Procurement Strategy...
Dave, over at the Galloping Beaver, has a response to that codswallop:
...They (Seaspan) haven't even ordered the steel for the ships ordered by the federal government because the Harper government has played this like a dog f*cking a football...
Of course, Dave is right.
But there is also the matter of why the capacity of our west coast shipbuilding industry is so low.
In my opinion a major contributing factor is the fact that it was thrown in the crapper sometime ago, back in the days of the Knotty Gordian's Golden Era, when those gas-guzzling, mostly-tied-at-the-dock (but sometimes 'dock-ramming') Celebration ferries were built in Germany.
How could Mr. Campbell and the estimable man with the golden parachute, Mr. Hahn, have done such a thing to 'our' workers?
My opinion?
Union busting (which, in addition, to creating publicly-funded 'new markets for cronies' was what I believe that goddamnable era was really all about):
****
Oh.
And just in case you missed it, BC Ferries was also happy to tell us the following in their presser:
...The budget also includes $51 million for Canadian taxes and federal import duties...
That's right!
$51 million extra because the ships are being built offshore.
Take that Gulf Islanders!
______
Presumably, that press release thingy referenced above wasn't written by members of the Happy Talk Tweet Team, but who really knows.
We thank a reader who wishes to remain anonymous for the heads up on said release.
Oh, and Denman/Hornby Islanders, another excuse for not using Seaspan in the presser is that lovely new cable ferry coming soon to a terminal near you...
Finally, Dave has a lot more to say, including to detail how Ms. Clark must, once again, eat her own words on this one....And ya, it has to do with another bogus promise of 'jobs!'
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3 comments:
Was not Christy Clark's brother involved with the Washington Marine Group? SeaSpan is the, Canadian derivative of the WMG, is it not?
Christy's 100,000 jobs for BC, she campaigned on is a lot of el torro poo-poo.
Christy works for Harper as did, Gordon Campbell before her. Harper must be after the Polish peoples votes in Canada too.
This is now thousands of votes and donations by, the utterly thousands and thousands of Chinese in Canada. The Jewish Canadians votes and donations. The Canadian Ukrainian peoples votes. Now the votes from the Canadian Polish citizens. Likely some of the countries that are, our own home grown terrorists. They go overseas, to fight with the terrorists.
Many immigrants came to Canada, to avoid a fascist dictatorship government, just like Harper's.
Fascism is again raising it's ugly head, in many other countries. France wants a united front, to fight against Fascism.
I can't believe local shipyards bowed out due to Federal work. Has the Federal government even handed out cheques for the work to begin or will this be another contract like the decade ongoing submarines, helicopters & fighter jets ????
Seaspan could be crying the blues in a few years from now.
Guy in Victoria
SH
Just got back from errands in my sun drenched southern interior town. The tourists seem to be staying away this year. Not much action at the beach either.
Guess all those phantom jobs don't pay for family vacations...As for the Near Easteners, otherwise known as Tarbertans-- what's up with their absence?...don't miss them and their obscene toys though...
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