Reaction to talks of moving Pacific fleet command from CFB Esquimalt to Halifax was swift from the federal campaign trail last week.
The Conservative and NDP camps have vowed, if elected, to not centralize control of Canadian naval ships on the East Coast, even as the navy forges ahead with identifying ways to reorganize itself for efficiency and cost savings.
B次元官网网址淚f re-elected, our government will not be taking this action. I will not allow this move,B次元官网网址� Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement last Thursday. B次元官网网址淭he command and control of the Pacific fleet will stay in the Pacific, at Esquimalt.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淒oes that mean not one job is going to go from Esquimalt east?B次元官网网址� said Alex Morrison, defence expert and Royal Roads University associate professor. B次元官网网址淒oes that mean not one ship is going to be transferred from Esquimalt to Halifax?
B次元官网网址淭hose are the detailed questions that need to be asked now and after the election is over.B次元官网网址�
If command of naval ships at CFB Esquimalt were shuttled to Halifax, as it was in the 1980s, the fallout would be disastrous, according to the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. It could eventually mean job losses at the base and fewer naval ships on the West Coast, as well as hindering West Coast trading strength, said chamber CEO Bruce Carter.
B次元官网网址淭he management focus will be on the Halifax operations in the Atlantic, which means more resources, more ships, perhaps more operational dollars, more fuel and less of everything here, because itB次元官网网址檚 not front of mind,B次元官网网址� said Carter, a former military member. B次元官网网址淲e have seen that repeatedly with corporate takeovers and I donB次元官网网址檛 think this will be any different.B次元官网网址�
Union reps for base civilian infrastructure and ship maintenance workers have known of the naval reorganization since last year, but were assured their workers wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be impacted by fleet command changes.
B次元官网网址淓ssentially, what theyB次元官网网址檙e shooting for as the defence dollar gets tighter (is) they want to ensure that theyB次元官网网址檙e spending the money the best way possible,B次元官网网址� said Mark Miller, B.C vice-president of the Union of National Defence Employees, which represents 1,200 of the 2,000 civilians at CFB Esquimalt.
emccracken@vicnews.com
