Evidence of meeting #46 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amundsen.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
The Amundsen is working now as we speak.
Where is it now?
Fleet Regional Director, Quebec region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
The Amundsen should be in Quebec right now doing flood control and escort.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
So the Amundsen is working on the St. Lawrence River. It's our asset, at our disposal entirely, for coast guard missions for the times when it's not used for the scientific missions. So the time we reserve to ArcticNet is by contract. It's 152 days. It could be more if we're able to allow it with the maintenance we have to do before and after, or it could be less.
NDP
Fin Donnelly NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
So I guess where I was focusing is during the 152 days. During that time, it's only used for research?
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
Unless there is an emergency like there was last August when the Clipper Adventurer ran aground. The Amundsen was the closest ship for the coast guard, so we sent it there.
NDP
Fin Donnelly NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
Yes. You've said that this acquisition has resulted in a net positive gain to the coast guard assets.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
Yes, because it was out the door, the “Old 02”, which was the name given it for disposal after the Sir John Franklin was decertified. It was gone. For the coast guard, we hadn't bought a big ship like this since 1988, so to lose one was a net loss. To gain it back and to get the money to have it back in top shape was a gift to the coast guard. It's a very positive thing for the coast guard.
NDP
Fin Donnelly NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
If those officers who are being used during the 152 days weren't used for scientific research at that time, would they be used for something else, for some other purpose, like refits?
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
You're talking about the crew of the ship, those who operate the ship?
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
This is a very complex question because it depends on your rank, your seniority, and your experience in the coast guard. If we didn't have this ship, probably many of those people would work on another ship, but at the end of the chain there's somebody who wouldn't work for the coast guard, because we would need fewer people. Basically, for all of our big ships we have two crews, two full crews that alternate.
NDP
Fin Donnelly NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
So I guess that's where I was going in my questioning before. You're saying that would be such a small impact to resources that it would be what you would call negligible?
NDP
Fin Donnelly NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
If, for instance, we didn't have the use of the ship for that 152 days.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
No, it would have a serious impact. We know it would have an impact because, for instance, this year we had the Pierre Radisson, which is in major refit, so we have to find ways to use the crews elsewhere. Some of them are taking extended leave. Some of them are sent to other vessels.
It would be complex to manage if from one day to the next we were told that we would be losing that funding from ArcticNet. But as far as we know, the funding is there for the next years.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I can't...[Inaudible--Editor]
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Seeing as Mr. Blais took a shot at us and our investment in R and D.... We've had a significant amount of investment in R and D, going back to 2002-03 when this investment was made. I can't think of a better partnership, because when you look at R and D, for this one we have a partnership between business, we have a partnership between industry, and we have a partnership between the educational institutions and with government. To me, it's a win-win-win for everybody on this one.
Going along with that, do you know what it costs per year to operate the Amundsen? What is the total cost per year?
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
We know the cost we charge for 152 days or so and we know that the daily cost is $38,000 to $39,000, so you can deduce the yearly cost. As for what we charge the Université Laval, this year we charged them $5,570,000. In 2009-10, we charged them $5,965,000. That's for roughly 152 days, or for 160 days, I think, in one of those cases. The ship costs about $39,000 per day.
