NEWS RELEASE July 28, 2004
B.C. politicians and media invited to tour Victoria shipyard facilities in Thursday July 29 at 10:00 a.m. to see capabilities of BC shipbuilders who want chance to bid on 3 Super C Class ships worth reported $500 million in British Columbia; unions and company will present information
VANCOUVER – A tour of Victoria shipyard facilities has been organized Thursday by the BC Shipyard General Workers’ Federation for politicians and the media to see the capabilities of BC shipbuilders who are asking for a fair chance to bid on 3 new Super-C Class ferries worth a reported $500 million.
Federation president George MacPherson says the tour will take place at 10 a.m. at Victoria Shipyards, also owned by the the Washington Marine Group, located at the federally-owned Esquimalt graving docks, 825 Admirals Road in Victoria.
The tour will take approximately 60 minutes, including a presentation by the Washington Marine Group and Allied Shipbuilders.
The tour comes a day after Vancouver politicians and media toured Vancouver Shipyards, owned by the Washington Marine Group, in North Vancouver.
MacPherson said the Victoria shipyard tour was added at the last moment due to great interest from the media and elected officials.
“We are making it clear to BC Ferry Services that we can build these 3 new Super-C Class ferries and create 2000 direct jobs and a reported $500 million investment right here at home,” MacPherson said. “We are asking for a fair chance to bid on the same project that BC Ferry Services has allowed foreign shipyards in Europe to bid on.”
The Federation is inviting federal, provincial and municipal representatives on the tour.
Politicians attending today’s North Vancouver tour included North Vancouver-Seymour Liberal MLA Dan Jarvis, North Vancouver-Lonsdale Liberal MLA Katherine Whittred, BC NDP Leader Carole James, North Vancouver Liberal MP Don Bell, who is also outgoing mayor of the District of North Vancouver, North Vancouver Mayor Barb Sharp and District of North Vancouver Councilor Alan Nixon.
For more information: Call George MacPherson at 604-254-8204 or cell 604-220-3291 or Bill Tieleman, West Star Communications, at 604-844-7827 or cell 778-896-0964.