Fisheries Committee on May 8th, 2008

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome to our guests and witnesses.

My question will deal with the far north and the high Arctic. I realize we've announced that we'll be building a high Arctic icebreaker in the near future, but that near future is about four years away when you look at the estimates. Has any consideration been given to leasing an icebreaker or a ship with icebreaking capability for the short term--a fishing vessel or a vessel that's no longer used--from another nation or a Canadian company? I'm talking about a modern vessel, not a peace of junk.

If we did that, where would the icebreaker be placed? There's been a lot of discussion about the need for a harbour facility in the Arctic. Many of the existing 15 harbours don't have the wharfage capabilities.

[George Da Pont]

Thank you very much. That's a very good question.

Before seeking funding and approval for a new polar class icebreaker, we assessed options, including long-term leasing and long-term contracting. The reality is there isn't anyone to lease from. Worldwide, I believe the last significant build in icebreakers was in the 1980s. The only place where there might be a lease possibility is Russia. They have been leasing some of their old, heavy nuclear icebreakers, which are way too big, expensive, and old. So that's not a consideration.

We're quite confident that the icebreakers we have now—the Louis St. Laurent, the Terry Fox, and our four medium icebreakers—will be able to do the job until we have a new polar class icebreaker. So we looked at other options, but there just isn't a market out there.

As to where one would be placed, when a polar icebreaker arrives--and we're aiming for 2017--the decision will have to be made then, depending on a variety of considerations. If that sort of decision were being made today, it would have to be south of 60, because north of 60 there are no facilities in place for maintenance and other regular work. So the home base would have to be south of 60, as is the case with our current icebreakers. I won't speculate on what the situation might be 10 years from now and what the options might be.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

On our requirements for Arctic sovereignty and under-sea mapping, how close are we to having that completed?

[George Da Pont]

I think our science colleagues are better placed to answer that.

[Serge Labonté]

There is progress being made on the Atlantic side, and all the data will be collected by 2009. In the Arctic now, a lot of work is being done with the Department of Natural Resources and colleagues from other countries in acquiring the data. Work has been ongoing since last winter on capturing data under the sea ice. There is a plan to accelerate the collection of data, with the new resources that were provided to government, to make sure all of it is there so we can make our claim by 2013.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Do I have a little time left?

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Zero is zero, whatever province you're in.

Thank you, Mr. Keddy.

We have finished our round now and talked to all members. That will close our consultations here this morning.

On behalf of the committee, I want to thank you for not only this morning but for the several times you've appeared before us to take care of our questions and concerns. We wish you all the best. If we need to call you back we will, but I don't see the necessity of that before the summer break, so don't worry.

[Claire Dansereau]

Thank you to the committee. We really appreciate your questions and keeping us on our toes. We believe it's a good partnership, so we hope we have been of assistance to you in your work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Thank you.

[Proceedings continue in camera]