Shipbuilding Forum a Success

The Atlantic premiers are pleased with the participation and outcomes of the shipbuilding and marine fabrication forum, titled Charting a Course - Towards a Canadian Marine Industrial Policy, which was held in St. John's, Nfld., today.

The high attendance at this forum demonstrates that many stakeholders are committed to this industry. Approximately 250 participants, including representatives from shipyards, organized labour, ship owners, offshore fabricators, and industry associations as well as governments, provided substantive insight into the future of the marine industrial sector in Canada.

"This forum has sent a clear message, shaped by wide stakeholder input, about the need to develop a comprehensive national policy to take advantage of the many opportunities before us in shipbuilding and marine fabrication," said John Hamm, Premier of Nova Scotia. "But we can't do it in isolation of support from Ottawa. What the federal government needs to do is ensure that Canadian shipyards can compete with our heavily subsidized competitors."

Premier Beaton Tulk of Newfoundland and Labrador said, "It has been reported that this industry is a dying industry. The forum today demonstrates this is not the case. All stakeholders have strongly reinforced the value of this industry in Canada."

"Our government has always supported co-operation between the four Atlantic provinces on issues of mutual importance," said Pat Binns, Premier of Prince Edward Island. "By working together, perhaps we can achieve our objective of a federal policy that supports this very important industry."

Premier Bernard Lord of New Brunswick said, "The federal government has an obligation to re-establish certainty in the future of this sector by working with the stakeholders on a new national shipbuilding policy."

The role of the federal government in securing a strong and viable future for this industry is pivotal. The results from this forum will be immediately transmitted to the federal government for consideration in the development of a marine industrial strategy.

The Atlantic premiers look forward to discussing the outcomes of this forum with the federal government.

AUX RÉDACTEURS EN CHEF: Pour version français, c. élec. Release@gov.ns.ca .