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Sub maintenance trips too pricey, MP says
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... y/National
The Canadian Press
March 4, 2008
HALIFAX -- A Nova Scotia Independent MP says sending Halifax-based submarines on a 7,350-kilometre voyage to Victoria for major maintenance is a waste of money. Bill Casey recently received a letter from Defence Minister Peter MacKay, telling him that each round trip through the Panama Canal will cost $1.1-million.
"I am advised that the estimated cost of an inter-coastal transfer [regardless of direction] is approximately $566,000," Mr. MacKay said in his response to Mr. Casey, who first inquired about the cost last May.
The trip will only be required for refits the Canadian navy calls extended-docking work periods, Mr. MacKay wrote, "and not for routine maintenance or repairs."
"It is worth noting that approximately half of the costs are sea days [fuel and rations], funds that would be expended regardless of the operation the submarine was conducting."
David Martin, a military spokesman, confirmed the $566,000 price tag is for a one-way trip. The navy estimates it will take 45 days for submarines to make the voyage from Halifax to Victoria. Mr. Casey was astounded at the cost of sending the subs to B.C.
"It's a waste of millions of dollars that didn't have to be spent," he said. "If the subs were maintained in Halifax like they have been for decades - the equipment's there, the trained people are there to do the work - all of this expense would not be necessary."
There should be an environmental assessment of the decision to send the submarines so far for maintenance, he said.
The government recently announced that a British Columbia consortium won the $1.5-billion maintenance contract for Canada's four Victoria-class submarines. Ottawa informally awarded Canadian Submarine Management Group the first phase of the 15-year contract almost a year ago.
But the Conservative government put a signed, written agreement on hold last year after a group that includes Maritimes-based rival Irving Shipbuilding filed a lawsuit.
Irving Shipbuilding and Fleetway Inc. - part of a rival consortium led by British defence giant BAE (Canada) Systems Inc. - challenged the decision by calling for a judicial review. The Irving-owned companies stood to gain $750-million in work.
The lawsuit alleges one of the companies that participated in the winning bid played a role in developing the statement of work and evaluation criteria for the contract. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Canada purchased the four mothballed diesel-electric submarines from the Royal Navy in the late 1990s for nearly $900-million after the British decided to go with an all-nuclear sub fleet.
Reactivating the subs has been a huge challenge for the navy, especially in the aftermath of a fatal fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi in October, 2004.
HMCS Corner Brook is the only submarine now in service.
HMCS Windsor and HMCS Victoria are undergoing repairs and upgrades. The Chicoutimi is not scheduled to have its fire damage repaired until 2010 and is being used for spare parts.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... y/National
The Canadian Press
March 4, 2008
HALIFAX -- A Nova Scotia Independent MP says sending Halifax-based submarines on a 7,350-kilometre voyage to Victoria for major maintenance is a waste of money. Bill Casey recently received a letter from Defence Minister Peter MacKay, telling him that each round trip through the Panama Canal will cost $1.1-million.
"I am advised that the estimated cost of an inter-coastal transfer [regardless of direction] is approximately $566,000," Mr. MacKay said in his response to Mr. Casey, who first inquired about the cost last May.
The trip will only be required for refits the Canadian navy calls extended-docking work periods, Mr. MacKay wrote, "and not for routine maintenance or repairs."
"It is worth noting that approximately half of the costs are sea days [fuel and rations], funds that would be expended regardless of the operation the submarine was conducting."
David Martin, a military spokesman, confirmed the $566,000 price tag is for a one-way trip. The navy estimates it will take 45 days for submarines to make the voyage from Halifax to Victoria. Mr. Casey was astounded at the cost of sending the subs to B.C.
"It's a waste of millions of dollars that didn't have to be spent," he said. "If the subs were maintained in Halifax like they have been for decades - the equipment's there, the trained people are there to do the work - all of this expense would not be necessary."
There should be an environmental assessment of the decision to send the submarines so far for maintenance, he said.
The government recently announced that a British Columbia consortium won the $1.5-billion maintenance contract for Canada's four Victoria-class submarines. Ottawa informally awarded Canadian Submarine Management Group the first phase of the 15-year contract almost a year ago.
But the Conservative government put a signed, written agreement on hold last year after a group that includes Maritimes-based rival Irving Shipbuilding filed a lawsuit.
Irving Shipbuilding and Fleetway Inc. - part of a rival consortium led by British defence giant BAE (Canada) Systems Inc. - challenged the decision by calling for a judicial review. The Irving-owned companies stood to gain $750-million in work.
The lawsuit alleges one of the companies that participated in the winning bid played a role in developing the statement of work and evaluation criteria for the contract. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Canada purchased the four mothballed diesel-electric submarines from the Royal Navy in the late 1990s for nearly $900-million after the British decided to go with an all-nuclear sub fleet.
Reactivating the subs has been a huge challenge for the navy, especially in the aftermath of a fatal fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi in October, 2004.
HMCS Corner Brook is the only submarine now in service.
HMCS Windsor and HMCS Victoria are undergoing repairs and upgrades. The Chicoutimi is not scheduled to have its fire damage repaired until 2010 and is being used for spare parts.