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NV shipbuilders angered over
neglect of local industry

THREE North Vancouver-based shipyards and the union
that represents their employees have teamed up to blast the
federal government for rejecting all of the recommenda-
tions made by a provincial shipbuilding group aimed at
shoring up the depressed West Coast shipbuilding industry.

And the B.C. Shipbuilding Ac-
son Group has scheduled a March
UW] meeting to discuss the serious
ramifications of this Week's an-
nouncement that the federal gov-
ermment “ill only give B.C. ship-
yards Money to downerade oF

REACHING EVERY DOOR ON THE NORTH SHORE SINCE 1969

By Surj Rattan

News Reporter

lerminate their operauons.
“Ht (rejection) was a pathetic

tesponse,"’ said) Versatile Pacific
Shipyards Ine. president Peter
Quinn, a member of the Ship-
building Action Group. ‘*The
shipbuilding industry and orga-
nized tabor sat down and worked
for a iong time to come up with
these recommendations and thes
were just brushed of f°"

Last: year the provincial gov-
ernment established the B.C.
Shipbuilding Action Group, which
is made up af government, ship-

yard management and union of-
ficials, after the federal govern-
ment cancelled the $S00-million
Polar Class 8 icebreaker contract
which had been awarded to Ver-
satile.

The action group was formed to
solicit federal help to shore up the
sagging shipbuilding industry in
B.C. The group presented the
federal government with a series
of recommendations it felt’ were
needed to help the B.C. ship-
building industry survive.

But on Monday. Ottawa re-
jected all of the recommendations
and said it would offer B.C. ship-
yards monev to ether “cease or
reduce their shipbuilding opera-
tions.”

In addition, the federal gov-

Shipyards blast feds

ernment said it will not revive the
Polar 8 project, which was axed in
February 1990) due to budget
restraints, and will not move east-
ern shipyard work to B.C.

Quinn said he was surprised at
Ottawa's decision.

“Tt was a step back into the
past. It means that we shouldn'r
look to Ortawa (which has) helped
put the industry in a difficulr
position. | can’t believe our (B.C.
Progressive Conservative) cabinet
minisiers, ’ Quinn said.

But Associate Minister Oo? Na-
tional Defence and Cuapilano-
Howe Sound MP Mary Collins
supported Ottawa's move, saving
there simply is not enourh work

See Federal page 3