Transport Minister Marc Garneau says the federal government is still considering Bombardier鈥檚 request for financial assistance after Canada鈥檚 largest aerospace company announced its plan to cut 7,000 jobs over two years.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday, Garneau said the government wants to ensure that there is a 鈥済ood financial case鈥� in Bombardier鈥檚 proposal and must do its due diligence before making a decision since it would be a 鈥渃onsiderable investment by taxpayers.鈥�
Garneau said a decision will be made 鈥渋n due course鈥� and referred further questions to Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains.
In a statement Wednesday, Bains said the government is still in talks with Bombardier. The company asked Ottawa for financial assistance last year.
鈥淎ny action the Government takes with respect to Bombardier will be first and foremost in the interest of Canadians,鈥� Bains said. 鈥淲e have been clear that such an important decision will only be made after due diligence, careful consideration and a strong business case."
Garneau said that he鈥檚 鈥渟addened鈥� by the announced job cuts, but encouraged by a deal that could see Air Canada buy 45 of Bombardier鈥檚 CSeries300 planes, with an option to buy up to 30 more.
The Air Canada investment is 鈥渧ery good news鈥� for Canada鈥檚 aerospace industry and will result in 鈥渟ignificant long-term job opportunities,鈥� Garneau said.
He said the government didn鈥檛 pressure Air Canada to buy the CSeries planes.
鈥淎ir Canada makes its own decisions with respect to purchasing of its own aircraft,鈥� he said.
During question period in the House of Commons Wednesday, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau鈥檚 lack of action 鈥渟hameful.鈥�
鈥淔aced with the loss of 7,000 jobs, including 2,400 families losing their way of living, their means to live in Quebec, all that the prime minister has to offer is his condolences,鈥� Mulcair said. 鈥淏ombardier and those families need action, not empty rhetoric.鈥�
Trudeau called Mulcair鈥檚 criticism 鈥渋nflamed rhetoric,鈥� adding 鈥渟houting isn鈥檛 going to solve the problem.鈥�
鈥淲hat is going to solve the problem is working hard in a meaningful way to bring the kind of growth, the kind of effect on the Canadian economy, that we got elected to deliver,鈥� Trudeau said.
Conservative MP Maxime Bernier, the party鈥檚 critic for innovation and economic development, told reporters earlier Wednesday that direct government subsidies to Bombardier 鈥渨on鈥檛 be the real solution.鈥�
Bernier said the Liberal government should instead look at lowering business taxes in order to encourage sustainability and growth.
