Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here today.
Mr. Kendrick, I'd like to begin by saying that I found your testimony to be very incisive.
Our study of the national shipbuilding strategy showed that the situation was problematic. The purpose of this study was to determine where our money was going. From the very outset of the study, all of the witnesses we heard seem to indicate that Canada is truly dealing with an enormous management problem.
In your testimony, you gave concrete examples, particularly in connection with your involvement in the development of the Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship, the AOPS, and with the associated costs.
The naval strategy introduced by the Conservatives, whose intent was to be effective and to establish specific contracts with shipyards so that we could work within established budgets and timelines, is not working. It's highly problematic. In fact you said so elsewhere in your testimony.
How could we begin today two deal with the situation? I believe that it's been a financial disaster, one of the worst scandals in Canada, a squandering of billions of dollars, particularly given that we don't have the capacity required to defend the country as we should.
What would be the best way of settling the problem quickly? As you mentioned in your last sentence, we need to come to a decision quickly.
What should we do?