P.E.I. should fight for shipbuilding work, MLA says

The P.E.I. government must do more to help Island businesses take advantage of opportunities that might come out of the $25-billion shipbuilding contract awarded to Halifax, says an Opposition MLA.

Steven Myers, who represents the district of Georgetown-St. Peters where the Irving-owned East Isle Shipyard sits idle, said there is a lot of hope for jobs in the area.

But, he said, the provincial government has to help local businesses and workers take advantage of the opportunities.

"The province needs to show some leadership on this whole file. It means a lot to my district, as [there is] a yard that's closed in Georgetown. I think it's about time that they start pushing to get some stuff out in our area so that businesses have an opportunity to see what opportunities are going to be available when the contract starts," Myers said.

"We have an innovation minister that's in India. Do you think his time is better spent in India, or trying to get real work in Kings County because the possibility is there. We know it's there."

The federal government held an information session in Summerside on Monday for Island businesses that are hoping to benefit from the shipbuilding deal.

But Myers says the provincial government has to do its part as well.

In October, the federal government announced that Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax was the winner of the 30-year contract to build 21 combat ships.