Trudeau government has a tremendous chance to lay down some clear and simple principles that could apply to all military procurement going forward. It should take this opportunity and save taxpayers billions along the way.
Refresh the national shipbuilding strategy? Yes, please
In June 2010, the Stephen Harper government announced the long-awaited National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy for the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard. It was a $38-billion strategy to commission up to 28 vessels from two Canadian shipyards--Seaspan in Vancouver and Halifax-based Irving Shipbuilding.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case with government strategies, things haven't gone according to plan. By 2017, the Parliamentary Budget Office had estimated the cost of the shipbuilding program had leapt to at least $62 billion with further increases expected as projects get pushed farther off into the future, all while our navy languishes without re-supply and refuelling capabilities.