PM launches Bluenose II project

posted on 08/18/10

There was lots of hype but very little substance as Prime Minister Stephen Harper stopped in Lunenburg August 18 to mark the official start of the Bluenose II restoration project.

Mr. Harper was joined by Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter, South Shore-St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy, and numerous provincial and municipal politicians, as well as other local dignitaries as he made a brief tour of the Lunenburg Industrial Foundry and Engineering Ltd. marine railway where the vessel was pulled on Monday.

Following a photo op at the site, the Prime Minister moved on to the Bluenose Room of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic where he re-iterated the federal government's commitment to assist the provincial government in financing the project through it's Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

That funding was originally announced in the spring of 2009 as a $7.1 million contribution, or half of what was then the estimated $14.2 million price tag of the project. However the federal 50 per cent share later dropped to $4.9 million when it became apparent that the work could not be completed by March 31, 2011, the mandatory cutoff date for completion of projects financed through the fund.

The provincial contribution now stands at $9.8 million, setting the current estimated cost of the project at $14.7 million.

During his remarks, Mr. Harper called Bluenose II an important and lasting part of Canadas proud maritime heritage.

The restoration efforts now underway will ensure that this important cultural icon remains part of the Canadian landscape for years to come.

Video: Click here to see the PM in Lunenburg