What's Canada Buying? September 6, 2012

• Big Honkin’ Ships  “The hype over the big shipbuilding contract seems to have subsided and now Nova Scotians are anxious to see results.  It’s hard to believe but it was last October when the federal government announced Irving Shipbuilding had been awarded the right to negotiate a deal to build about $25 billion worth of ships for the Canadian navy.  The announcement came with high, possibly unrealistic, expectations for the Nova Scotia economy.  I’ve heard from trades people who say they moved back home to the Maritimes from western Canada in anticipation of shipbuilding work beginning soon. But it didn’t work out exactly as planned.  They’ve told me in email they’ve reluctantly returned to Alberta, disappointed they couldn’t find the type of employment talked about when the shipbuilding work was first unveiled.  Part of the problem is the fact a definitive deal has not yet been reached between Irving and Ottawa, and that delay has helped to create doubt in the marketplace ….”
• Wanted:  projects to help make Canada safer – more in the news release here, the backgrounder here, the MERX posting here and the bid document (which appears to be the MERX posting almost word for word) here.

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