New Pelee Island Ferry controversy continues

A shipbuilder inWheatley, Ont. is still trying to fight an Ontario governmentdecisionto award a Chilean company a contract to build a newPeleeIsland ferry.

ASENAV, a ship-building company located inValdivia, Chile, was awarded the contract last week.

This has angered Andy Stanton of Hike Metal who thinks he should have had a chance to bid on the project.

Transportation Minister Steven DelDucasent CBC News a statement saying the ministry had to go out of the country, because it could not find a firm in Canada that had the capacity to build the ferry.

Originally, the province was going to meet with Stanton in mid July for a debrief meeting on why his firm was shut out of the bidding process, but Stanton said he's setto meet with officials on June 23.

Stanton said he is still contemplating asking for a court injunction to put on hold the awarding of the contract to give him a chance to fight it.

He believes the ferry is going to be subject to a federal tariff of 25 per cent of the cost because it is less than 129 metres long.

But Canada has a free trade agreement with Chile and according to a spokesperson in the federal finance department, that exempts Chile from the tariffs.

"With respect to originating ships imported from the U.S. or Chile, these would be entitled to duty-free treatment under the tariff treatments established pursuant to their respective free trade agreements with Canada," spokespersonStephanieRubectold CBC News.

Investmentsshould be made in Ontario

Essex MPPTarasNatyshaksaid the province needs to commit itself to job creation in the Windsor-Essex area.

"For infrastructure or multi-modal transportation these are investments that people want to see us make in our own province,"saidNatyshak. "It's supporting your own people, its using your money to stimulate the economy.It is a measure and the metrics of stimulus."

Natayshak said when Hike Metal partnered with the Quebec firm Chantier-Davie to put in a bid, it was only five per cent higher thanASENAV, so he can't see why the firm was chosen.

The difference was a total of $2 million.

Natayshaksaid he`swritten to the premier and Minister DelDucafor more information. He saidhe'll bring this issue up in the legislature inthe fall.