Per day to operate?
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.
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.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Okay. When you say in your notes that “all costs of operating the vessel in scientific mode are defrayed by the scientific consortium”, what do you mean when you say “operating the vessel in scientific mode”? Is that just for the 152 days? Is that what you mean?
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
That's correct.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Okay. Has there been any discussion about what happens with ArcticNet after 2017?
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
We have the polar icebreaker, which was announced by this government, to replace the Louis S. St-Laurent, which is a heavy icebreaker. The polar icebreaker, the John G. Diefenbaker, will be staying in the Arctic for about nine months or nine months plus. It will be very well equipped with scientific equipment.
There is some thinking that scientists will be able to use this platform. There is no discussion about it or there is no life after 2017 for the Amundsen as we're speaking today. The agreement we signed with Université Laval in 2002 was for 15 years, which takes us to 2017. Could it be extended? We'll see when we get closer. The coast guard has been good in extending the life of vessels.
I presume that, yes, it could be extended beyond that. But the agreement we have now ends in 2017.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
In the clauses within the existing agreement about termination or notice of termination of the agreement, is there any notice of intent to want to continue the agreement beyond 2017? Would the Université Laval have to say by 2015 that they would like to continue this partnership?
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
As far as I know, they are looking for funding for the next seven years.
Do you know the clause for...? I have it here. It's a 10-page legal document, so....
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Is this something, Mr. Chair, that they could table with the committee?
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
I can't table it now because this is the English version only, and this is something I would never do here: table an English document.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
No, we've heard about that. We've been through that battle, so I wouldn't do that.
12:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
It's worse than that; I don't think we have a French version.
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
So if you want this document, it's going to take a lot of time, because we would have to get it translated. I was surprised by this, but that seems to be the case.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Okay. Would there be a chance that you could table those clauses and renewal clauses, just those? You wouldn't have to do the whole contract.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Do you have any idea of what it would take, if it were extended beyond 2017, to revitalize the ship at that point? There's a certain degradation, I'm assuming, so are we looking at another $25 million or $30 million?
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
It depends on what we have to do. It could be less, but it varies from ship to ship. On some of our ships now, we have to replace all the engines and all the generators and do major work across the ship.
It would have to be assessed. I don't know if we have such an assessment for the Amundsen.
12:40 p.m.
Fleet Regional Director, Quebec region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
We have the basic money to refit the ship for normal operations until the end of the ship. It's in our budget right now.
12:40 p.m.
Commissioner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
No, but the question is if we could extend it...could we do a vessel life extension?
12:40 p.m.
Fleet Regional Director, Quebec region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard
If we have the money, you can be sure we'll do it.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
So what you're saying is that each year you have a certain capital improvement fund. How much is that capital improvement fund each year?