Premier Dexter pleased with federal attitude towards Lower Churchill project and shipbuilding contracts
Posted Jun 5, 2011 06:34:58 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Nova Scotia premier Darrell Dexter says he was pleased the federal throne speech included a pledge to support the development of the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project.
Previously, Prime Minister Stephen Harper had committed to support the project through a loan guarantee.
Dexter says the benefit of federal support for the project will go directly to keeping prices down for ratepayers.
He adds the Lower Churchill project will guarantee Nova Scotia an abundant supply of clean, green hydroelectricity for more than three decades.
The premier also says he’s not worried that a leading British defence company will try to move in on lucrative shipbuilding contracts for Canadian warships.
Dexter says he was pleased to see federal Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s office rule out any collaboration with Britain on building a new fleet of warships.
The premier says the federal government has been clear that it will be a Canadian-bid process for the 20 year, $35 billion strategy.
Dexter made the comments Saturday after an official with B-A-E Systems said his firm and the British government hold designs for several warships and would be willing to share them with Canada in some sort of arrangement.
