Thank you, Minister.
It's a pleasure to be at one of my first committee meetings. I'm learning the ropes as we go.
Congratulations to you, Madam.
I have two questions. First is that in budget 2009 you committed $200 million for small crafts and harbours. If you look in the estimates, there is only $100 million to be spent over 2009-10 and 2010-11. Where is this other $100 million, and how will that be outlaid? With regard to small crafts and harbours, there is a challenge to the staff managing these projects and getting work started right away. How is the money going to be allocated to the different regions? We have 987-odd harbours, so is it going to be done on a per capita basis? Where exactly will it be, and how is that funding going to be allocated in the regions?
The second thing is on the coast guard vessel plan. Last year the Conservative government shelved the patrol vessel. After that, Minister MacKay said it was a cost overrun on the estimates and that we were basically going back to the drawing board. It's been eight months now. The new economic updates are all shovel-ready projects. This is a project that should be ready to go if the work has been done. What work exactly has been done since that tender was cancelled? Shouldn't we be ready to call for tenders again on that particular work?