Arctic patrol ship purchase met with skepticism

Last Updated: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 | 9:22 AM CT

CBC News

Skepticism met Prime Minister Stephen Harper's announcement of eight new Arctic patrol ships, with at least one High Arctic resident saying Harper keeps leaving out Northerners in his speeches on asserting Canada's presence in the North.

"It's almost as if there was never a use for the Arctic … until he got into power," Grise Fiord, Nunavut, resident Larry Audlaluk told CBC News on Monday.

Critics say Canada needs to buy new icebreakers to replace its aging fleet, as opposed to the steel-reinforced patrol ships announced Monday.
(CBC)

"But what about Grise Fiord and Resolute? Are we not in use?"

He was responding to Harper's assertion, made during his announcement Monday, that "Canada has a choice when it comes to defending our sovereignty over the Arctic.… Either we use it or we lose it."

Audlaluk said he doesn't understand why Harper leaves out the fact that communities like his already help ensure the country's sovereignty over the North.

On Monday, Harper announced that Ottawa will spend about $3.1 billion for the construction of six to eight new Polar Class 5 Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, as well as invest another $4.3 billion to operate and maintain those vessels over their 25-year lifespan.

But critics have already deemed the steel-reinforced ships to be less powerful than icebreakers, as they can't break through thick ice in the coldest winter months. The armed patrol ships will also be stationed outside the North for most of the year.

Rob Huebert, an analyst with the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary, said Canada needs new icebreakers to replace the aging fleet of Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers currently in service.

While Huebert said Ottawa's made a positive step in the right direction with Monday's announcement, he remains somewhat skeptical because he has heard a lot of Arctic spending promises before.

"When we see the actual contract, and we see an actual ship start construction … it's at that point that I'll feel totally comfortable that in fact we are making the right steps," he said.

Audlaluk also said many people in the North have heard numerous government promises for everything from more military personnel to a deepwater port in a northern community.

"To me, as someone living in the High Arctic, I've heard talk like that before," Audlaluk said.

"I'm just curious to see how far that's going to go this time, because they made promises like that before during and after the election."

Several communities are being studied as a location for a Far North deepwater port, which will be used as an operating base for the new patrol vessels. However, no announcement was made on that matter Monday — Harper said the location is to be announced soon.