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Bombardier recall temporary and small

A recall at the North Bay Bombardier plant is short-term and only involves a small of people, company spokeswoman Sylvie Gauthier says.
A recall at the North Bay Bombardier plant is short-term and only involves a small of people, company spokeswoman Sylvie Gauthier says.

Six people were recalled effective Wednesday to do what Gauthier called “continued maintenance" on five Canadair 415 water bombers which had been assembled in North Bay.

"When and if we make a sale the planes have to be ready to go,” Gauthier said, adding she didn’t know specifically what the maintenance procedure involved.

The recall could run anywhere between four and 10 weeks, Gauthier said.

Ten people had been employed at the plant up until July 31, ’03, when they were laid-off due to lack of work.

The six recalled are from among that group, Gauthier said.

Ironically local media outlets didn’t learn of the recall from Bombardier, but through mayoral candidate Vic Fedeli.

During Wednesday night’s mayor debate, Fedeli pulled a letter from his pocket and said, “I’ve just received a fax from Bombardier, and people in North Bay are going back to work there."

Fedeli had been instrumental in attracting Bombardier to North Bay in the first place after Air Base Property Corporation, which he had chaired, acquired the CFB North Bay hangars from the Canadian defence department.

About 65 people had worked at the Bombardier plant at the peak of its employment several years ago.

But the bulk of those people were laid-off when orders for the 415 dried up, Gauthier said.

“We are always having discussions with potential clients, and there is some interest in the aircraft," Gauthier said.