National Defence committee  The navy is in a very different position in terms of timelines. It's just the fundamentals of our three services. We've procured a number of new pieces of equipment for service in Afghanistan, and rightly so. It's exactly the right thing to do. For naval ships, the next thing we need is to replace the Iroquois class command and control ships in due course.

National Defence committee  In the Persian Gulf?

National Defence committee  I think they're all related, in the sense that they're all forming part of the international effort in the campaign against terrorism. Certainly taking an international maritime effort in that region in the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, all the way through to the Horn of Africa, is to make sure that those who are operating in those waters are, first of all, kept under surveillance; that piracy is kept in check; and that the region isn't open to the free exchange of people between the Horn of Africa, which in some areas is relatively lawless, and back up to the littoral of Iran and Pakistan.

National Defence committee  Indeed, and HMCS Ottawa has participated in several boardings and inspections over the past week.

National Defence committee  There's a slightly different situation in the navy. We're attracting the people who are broadly required for the Canadian Forces, but we have particular occupations that represent challenges. For the maritime forces, that's a variety of technical occupations—the same electronics technicians who would be valued in other parts of society.

National Defence committee  There are incentives available for those who already have certain skills that we wish to have, but not incentives merely in terms of people who want to enter into electronics training in the armed forces.

National Defence committee  Mr. Chairman, committee members, thanks for providing the two of us with the opportunity to speak to you today. I intend to focus my comments in three areas. First I will talk about what our Navy is doing to support the Canadian Forces’ operations in Afghanistan; second about what your Navy is doing to meet Canada’s obligations regarding maritime defence and security; and third about the state of readiness of Canada’s maritime forces.