New Video: Mulcair spoke out against Davie shipyard

October 1, 2015

LEVIS, QC – Thomas Mulcair will say whatever is convenient. He has contradicted himself on pipelines, on child care, on his support for the mass export of fresh water – now he’s been caught arguing both for and against the Davie shipyard.

 “Thomas Mulcair has pretended to support the Davie shipyard during this election campaign, but there’s no substance behind it. In the National Assembly, Mulcair fought tooth and nail to stop investment in the shipyard,” said Liberal candidate in Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Levis, Jacques Turgeon. “It’s yet another demonstration that Mulcair will say anything. The only thing his experience has taught him is to play politics with everything, including the Davie shipyard.”

 What Mulcair says now:

 “All you have to do to understand why it hasn’t worked with Stephen Harper and why his plan isn’t working and why his ministers are totally inefficient is to look at the Davie ship building yard just a couple of kilometers from here. And you’ll realize that Steven Blaney hasn’t been able to deliver anything for that major industrial area that is Levis and the other areas around here. That’s the problem with Stephen Harper.” (Thomas Mulcair, August 12, 2015)

 What Mulcair said in the National Assembly:

 “We must correct the situation. Public money for public services. Leave the private sector alone. Stop wasting money in bankrupt companies like Davie shipyard. This is a mistake, Madam Speaker.”

 “How can the Minister of Finance say that it is the best priority for taxpayer money to be invested in a shipyard?”

 “For the past 15 years, 500 million dollars in taxpayer money was swallowed up and lost in Davie shipyard.”

 “Can the Minister face up to reality? $500 million later, can the government please stop pretending it knows how business works? Let the free market decide! The shipyard is in bankruptcy for a good reason. Not one more taxpayer cent for Davie shipyard!”
[translation] (Thomas Mulcair, October 30, 2002)

 “Does that sound like Mulcair will deliver for Davie shipyard?” said Mr. Turgeon. “Despite Mulcair’s opposition, the government of Quebec invested in Davie shipyard, helping keep it afloat at a difficult time. If Mulcair had his way, the shipyard could have gone under.” (source: link)

Turgeon concluded by noting that, today, each dollar invested in Davie generates $8 in economic activity for the Lévis region. 850 people are employed by the shipyard and no fewer than 1,100 businesses benefit from its continued operation.” (source: Le Soleil, Zone – Chantier Davie, p.5)