Page 50 - "Parade of Concern" for Sydney Steel

ISSUE : Issue 58

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/8/1

Charlie MacKinnon at the Parade of Concern times it partially modernized.) Yes. (But ) Never really. (There was never--if I can say it like this-- you correct me every time I'm wrong, please. It seems there was never a commitment to operate that plant at its best.) No. (Am I correct?) That's right. (By making the investment that would bring it up to state-of- the-art.) That's right. And both governments-- Liberal and Pro? gressive Conserva? tive both. (You know, they put in a portion of this and that--but there was never the commitment....) To modernize the steel plant. To make it a modern steelmak- ing facility. (Which leads me to something I mentioned quite early, and you made quite clear: it was not something the provincial govern? ment desired to do. And I'm saying, do you feel that they ever had--once they had the plant--had that long-range commitment to operate it as a first-rate place?) I don't think so. Still don't. But they're in a much better position to do something with it today. And that might have been their main motivation to do what they did. It's a way of getting someone else to take over. (You mean, by relieving the debt re- Lefs Save Our Industry Chorus: Let's Save Our Industry Let's Save Our Industry Let's Save Our Industry • The industry we need. It brought us joy and brought us tears It's been here over sixty years, It built our homes and stilled our fears And made this island what it is. (Chorus) We need the help of Ottawa, We are also part of Canada, They can subsidize Ontario, Expo and the seaway too. (Chorus) We stand united one and all, The Maritimes must never fall So let's all get behind the wheel And save our coal and save our steel. (Chorus) Sherry MacKinnon MacNeil, Charlie MacKinnon's daughter: "He was so wrapped in the mo? ment and so enthused that when he tried to stop, his hands and his knuckles and his fin? gers were almost freezing from the cold. It was so cold. And it was an effort to play that guitar. But the people just wanted more and more and they were carrying on the song and con? sequently he had to keep going. And then he got wrapped up in It and, he said, half the time he wasn't even thinking of it • when he'd go to slow down he'd feel his fingers again. They'd freeze. Trying to strum the gui? tar. It was so intense." (When did your dad actually make that song?) "'Let's Save Our Industry?' • the night before the Parade of Concern. He got a call from Martin Merner, President of the Steelworkers Union at that time, and he asked Dad if he could think of something to get the people going, to keep them there • keep everybody enthused and everybody could be together. And he came up with it the night before. And my mother was with him when he wrote it at the kitchen table...." cently.) No, no, no. (Maybe you're not fa? miliar with what happened today. Today's news.) Yes. The province wrote off the debt. That was a given, as far as you were certainly not going to get any private in? dustry to come in and take over the debt. But, I mean, that was a write-off. But now you have a plant that's modern. The chanc? es of getting someone to take it over are much greater now. (Right. So, do you agree with what I'm suggesting, that that was always the goal?) Yes. (Finding someone to take it over.) Yes, yes. (And the consequence of having that as your goal is, you don't....) Really want to run it. (You don't run it right. You don't put the kind CO-OP Building Supplies 870 King's Road, Sydney 539-6410 FAX 562-7481 EXPERIENCE ON YOUR SIDE ?? PAINT/STAINS ?? FLOOR COVERINGS ?? GYPROC ?? INSULATION ?? BATHROOM FIXTURES ?? KITCHEN CABINETS ?? COUNTER TOPS ?? VANITIES ?? SHOWERS ?? ROOF TRUSSES ?? DOORS ?? VINYL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS ?? EAVESTROUGH ?? ROOFING MATERIALS ?? LIGHT FIXTURES ?? PLUMBING SUPPLIES ?? HARDWARE ?? ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES ?? HEATING SUPPLIES ?? LUMBER ?? PLYWOODS PREFABRICATED EXTERIOR WALLS & INTERIOR WALLS HARBOUR HOIVIES 870 King's Road, Sydney • 539-6410 * FAX 562-7481 I PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER * 44 Models of Homes, Cottages & Garages * Deliveries Planned to Give You the Material When You Need It * Our Homes Are Acceptable for Mortgages through C.M.H.C. and N.S.H.C CATALOGUE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST $3.00 EACH * Exterior and Interior Walls Assembled in Our Factory * MSR Lumber for Roof Trusses * Kiln Dried 2"x4" & 2"x6" Studs * Your Plans or Ours WE ARE MORE THAN JUST LUMBER!!! OVER 38 YEARS EXPERIENCE

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