New Ferry en route from Poland

[al56kelman]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#188797

Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t help but to wonder why we are purchasing ferries from other nations half way around the world. Do we not have ship building here in BC or at least Canada? Why are we purchasing overseas instead of creating jobs for British Columbians? Im sure those ferries could have been built in Canada.

[Even Steven]

It's cheaper to buy overseas. With the mandate to save money everywhere, govts are forced to look outside of the country for things like ferries.

[twobits]

Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t help but to wonder why we are purchasing ferries from other nations half way around the world. Do we not have ship building here in BC or at least Canada? Why are we purchasing overseas instead of creating jobs for British Columbians? Im sure those ferries could have been built in Canada.

Just ask yourself these questions.

Do your shop at box stores?
Do you realize where 90% of those goods sold in box stores come from?
Do you know why 90% of those goods come from where they do?

Am pretty sure you answered yes to all three questions so why then do you wonder why the taxpayer dollars should not seek out the best price just as you do with the coin from your pocket?

[al56kelman]

Just ask yourself these questions.

Do your shop at box stores?
Do you realize where 90% of those goods sold in box stores come from?
Do you know why 90% of those goods come from where they do?

I personally try to buy Canadian made whenever I can. Box stores aside, We are not talking about lawnmowers and blenders here. We are talking about major (mobile) infrastructure.

Yes everything is made overseas cheaper, but ask yourself and the older generation. Did they vote to have all those manufacturing jobs sent overseas?

I don’t know about you, But I’d rather pay more for a product knowing that it contributes economically to my fellow Canadians than sell out to the cheapest bidder.

[Even Steven]

I don’t know about you, But I’d rather pay more for a product knowing that it contributes economically to my fellow Canadians than sell out to the cheapest bidder.

This is all nice and dandy until our taxes go up again, and everybody wants blood without asking why the taxes are going up.

[flamingfingers]

This is all nice and dandy until our taxes go up again, and everybody wants blood without asking why the taxes are going up.

Why would your taxes go up when there are thousands and thousands more working, in Canada, for a decent wage and contributing their taxes too?

[GrooveTunes]

The Liberals lied, plain and simple.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Opinion+Workers+Poland+will+benefit+from+ferry+building+deal/10069646/story.html

[Even Steven]

Why would your taxes go up when there are thousands and thousands more working, in Canada, for a decent wage and contributing their taxes too?

If it was a way for the govt to collect more taxes, they'd be already doing it lol.

My guess is that ferry building business in Canada isn't that developed and we simply don't have infrastructure to build them ourselves at reasonable costs. It's not a willy-nilly business, you can't just build one and stop. You need a market to build more and more because you already built infrastructure, and the more you build the cheaper it gets. So, European companies can afford to sell them at lower costs because they're pumping them out by dozens.

And even if we can build them somewhere here, the shipyards have their work lined up for years in advance, they can't just build one on the spot, so if you need one replaced relatively quickly, you're stuck with buying overseas. Seaspan (Canadian shipyard) was invited to bid on the project, but decided they can't keep up with demand so they said no.

Same reason why we don't build our own planes but keep buying Boeing or Airbus. The amount of money you'd have to sink into developing our own designs or buying foreign, factories, engineers, specialized parts, etc. It's all very expensive, and very hard to get off the ground. And funding starting our own production is way too expensive, and no taxes from workers could fund it, you'd have to go deep into debt and when you do start to produce the product hope to Jesus somebody buys them locally and internationally.

Easier just to buy one or two ferries from Poland lol

[GrooveTunes]

If you dig into the contracts with the workers....they gave up some of their vacation time to get the contract on some of these deals.

[flamingfingers]

^^But, but, just 3 years ago, Christy was saying this:

J

ust three years ago, Premier Christy Clark told British Columbians our provincial shipbuilding industry was on the rise, so much so, she suggested, we may never need to build another ferry outside our province.

“One of the ways we are going to make sure that we get the best value for taxpayers in building B.C. ferries is by building a strong, viable shipbuilding industry here in British Columbia that has an economy of scale,” the premier told reporters. “Once we build that, it’s not just going to be a question of whether or not we’re building B.C. ferries here. We want to be building ferries for countries all over the world here.”

Less than three years later, Clark and her government seem to have forgotten the big plans for B.C.’s shipbuilders.

(taken from the article posted above)

What did she do/not do to revive the shipbuilding industry here in BC?

[flamingfingers]

If you dig into the contracts with the workers....they gave up some of their vacation time to get the contract on some of these deals.

And probably were paid overtime - that the BC taxpayer ended up paying for!!

[Omnitheo]

The NDP here actually tried to reinvigorate BC's shipbuilding. The last few ferries were built here...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Ferry_Scandal

I wouldn't say it was the worst plan. But probably the worst execution.

[Even Steven]

(taken from the article posted above)

What did she do/not do to revive the shipbuilding industry here in BC?

That's a good question, but I don't think anybody can influence an entire industry that much in such a short time. Three years is nothing when it comes to reviving an industry, you need a decade. At the end of the day if Seaspan doesn't want to bid on the project because they think they're too busy - there's nothing govt can do and have to go to Poland to build the ferries. You can't force Seaspan to make the damn thing. And legislating that only Canadian built ferries are allowed in BC is against trade rules.

There was similar outrage when somebody posted a story about Canadian transit companies ordering buses from China. All the talk about making things over here, but apparently only one or two companies were able to make them, and both said no to the contract because they have enough work for years and years.

[Omnitheo]

What bugs me about this ferry is that they didn't give it a similar paint job to the Orca

Salish Orca


Salish Eagle

[al56kelman]

The Liberals lied, plain and simple.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Opinion+Workers+Poland+will+benefit+from+ferry+building+deal/10069646/story.html

That article hits the nail on the head. Thanks Christy. Maybe she will bring it up next election promise.