Shipping News
By Peter Muggeridge
Nova Scotia was a big winner yesterday, when the federal government finally announced which province would receive the $33 billion up for grabs in federal shipbuilding contracts. The province will receive $25 billion over the next 20 years to build new warships for the navy, with Irving Shipbuilding taking a leading role. It’s expected the move will create over 11,000 jobs in the province. The remaining $8 billion will go to Seaspan Marine Corp, a Vancouver-based company.
Amid all the rejoicing was the major disappointment emanating from Quebec, whose Davie Shipyard was completely shut out of any money. Criticizing the deal, NDP Interim Leader Nycole Turmel claimed the move was politically motivated, accusing the Conservatives of shoring up support in Nova Scotia and B.C., at the expense of Quebec.
However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet went to great lengths to maintain a distance from bidding process, leaving the decision in the hands of bureaucrats. Halifax NDP MP Peter Stoffer supported this notion, going so far as to congratulate the Conservatives on their handling of the contracts, even countering the claims of his own party leader.
'%3E %3Cg id='Group'%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_2' d='M12.4876 13.8996V13.4213H0.743091V15.2149H9.18805L9.22196 15.2685C9.19653 15.2272 3.24373 25.2836 0.74521 29.5469C0.420975 30.1015 0.0797856 30.7158 0.0797856 30.7158C0.0713089 30.7323 0.0585938 30.755 0.0585938 30.755H12.1401V28.9614H3.67181L3.6379 28.9078C3.37512 29.1222 12.4876 13.8996 12.4876 13.8996ZM36.1229 22.115C36.1229 26.4896 33.7537 29.18 31.1683 29.18C28.5829 29.18 26.1861 26.4896 26.1861 22.115C26.1861 17.7403 28.5553 15.0231 31.1683 15.0231C33.7812 15.0231 36.1229 17.7403 36.1229 22.115ZM22.0155 22.115C22.0155 26.4896 19.6462 29.18 17.0587 29.18C14.4712 29.18 12.0765 26.4896 12.0765 22.115C12.0765 17.7403 14.4458 15.0231 17.0587 15.0231C19.6717 15.0231 22.0155 17.7403 22.0155 22.115ZM38.223 22.0613C38.223 16.7095 35.0443 13.1492 31.1661 13.1492C27.288 13.1492 24.3402 16.4312 24.0987 21.4326C23.8592 16.4333 20.7842 13.1492 17.0587 13.1492C13.3332 13.1492 9.97427 16.7074 9.97427 22.0613C9.97427 27.4153 13.1785 31.0003 17.0587 31.0003C20.9389 31.0003 23.8592 27.7183 24.0987 22.6922C24.3402 27.7162 27.4406 31.0003 31.1661 31.0003C34.8917 31.0003 38.223 27.4421 38.223 22.0613ZM51.3747 30.755H53.5257L52.3178 13.4213H50.1668L45.797 27.3328L41.4273 13.4213H39.2763L38.0662 30.755H40.2172L41.0352 19.0247L44.7205 30.755H46.8714L50.5567 19.0247L51.3747 30.755ZM53.9453 30.755H62.3797V28.9614H56.0963V22.9293H60.964V21.1357H56.0963V15.2128H61.8859V13.4192H53.9453V30.7529V30.755ZM69.3624 18.2021C69.3624 20.1029 68.1333 21.1625 66.7367 21.1625H64.893V15.2128H66.7092C68.1333 15.2128 69.3624 16.3261 69.3624 18.2021ZM71.5134 18.1753C71.5134 15.2128 69.3348 13.4213 67.0164 13.4213H62.7993V30.755H64.893V22.9313H66.7092L71.5112 30.755H73.997L68.8601 22.4695C70.369 21.8717 71.5134 20.3502 71.5134 18.1773' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3C/g%3E %3C/g%3E %3C/g%3E %3Cg id='Group_2'%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_3' d='M9.67285 8.56629V3.50513H12.6249V4.11535H10.5947V5.71719H12.2943V6.32742H10.5947V7.954H12.9046V8.56423H9.67285V8.56629Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_4' d='M17.6819 8.6137H17.2581L15.1855 3.50513H16.1392L17.0822 5.86975C17.2178 6.20991 17.362 6.63872 17.4976 7.05103H17.5188C17.6544 6.64696 17.7879 6.2264 17.9341 5.86975L18.8666 3.50513H19.7482L17.6862 8.6137H17.6819Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_5' d='M22.4072 8.56629V3.50513H25.3593V4.11535H23.3291V5.71719H25.0287V6.32742H23.3291V7.954H25.639V8.56423H22.4072V8.56629Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_6' d='M31.6164 8.56629L29.9698 6.32123H29.2959V8.56629H28.374V3.50513H30.0948C30.9552 3.50513 31.805 4.01227 31.805 4.90906C31.805 5.54402 31.3896 5.97283 30.8725 6.16249L32.6654 8.56629H31.6185H31.6164ZM29.9592 4.10711H29.2959V5.71719H29.9592C30.436 5.71719 30.8704 5.43888 30.8704 4.90906C30.8704 4.37923 30.436 4.10711 29.9592 4.10711Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_7' d='M37.5849 6.27382V8.56629H36.6737V6.28206L34.6943 3.50513H35.667L36.6503 4.90081C36.8156 5.13789 37.0021 5.38528 37.1378 5.59968H37.159C37.3031 5.39353 37.5001 5.11522 37.657 4.90081L38.6403 3.50513H39.5621L37.5828 6.27382H37.5849Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_8' d='M44.3084 4.11535V8.56629H43.376V4.11535H41.7188V3.50513H45.9656V4.11535H44.3084Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_9' d='M52.0484 8.56629V6.32948H49.499V8.56629H48.5771V3.50513H49.499V5.71926H52.0484V3.50513H52.9808V8.56629H52.0484Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_10' d='M56.2129 8.56629V3.50513H57.1453V8.56629H56.2129Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_11' d='M64.7402 8.64463L62.4091 6.17693C62.0467 5.79553 61.6208 5.31106 61.2796 4.91524L61.2584 4.92349C61.2796 5.3523 61.2902 5.7811 61.2902 6.13776V8.56629H60.3789V3.50513H61.0316L63.1868 5.82233C63.4878 6.14806 63.9222 6.63872 64.2337 7.00362L64.2549 6.99537C64.2337 6.62223 64.2231 6.17899 64.2231 5.83677V3.50513H65.1344V8.64669H64.7402V8.64463Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_12' d='M70.9048 8.64416C69.4235 8.64416 68.0566 7.69172 68.0566 6.03421C68.0566 4.37671 69.4659 3.41602 70.8752 3.41602C71.5999 3.41602 72.17 3.57476 72.5324 3.78091L72.3883 4.42412C72.0471 4.21797 71.5491 4.05098 71.0002 4.05098C69.9639 4.05098 68.9912 4.77253 68.9912 6.04246C68.9912 7.31239 69.9448 8.01745 70.9599 8.01745C71.405 8.01745 71.7567 7.93911 71.975 7.7948V6.61352H70.8349V6.03421H72.8354V8.12877C72.3586 8.47718 71.7271 8.64416 70.9091 8.64416H70.9048Z' fill='%23231F20'/%3E %3C/g%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_13' d='M0.0839844 1.00212L73.997 1' stroke='%23231F20' stroke-width='1.25' stroke-miterlimit='10'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_14' d='M0.0839844 10.9116H73.997' stroke='%23231F20' stroke-width='1.25' stroke-miterlimit='10'/%3E %3Cpath id='Vector_15' d='M4.91016 4.15649L3.55812 4.13794L5.18777 5.7068L0 5.6532V6.5974L5.20049 6.651L3.61321 8.18068L4.96526 8.19718L7.0018 6.20157L4.91016 4.15649Z' fill='%23D71920'/%3E %3C/g%3E %3C/svg%3E)
