Thank you, Mr. Bains.
It was certainly a pleasure to make the announcement on the east coast. I know Minister Murray did the same out in B.C.
We have some numbers in terms of the economic benefit. The national shipbuilding strategy contracts awarded between 2012 and 2023 are estimated to have contributed more than $25 billion, or $2.1 billion annually, to Canada's gross domestic product and to have created or maintained more than 18,800 jobs annually between those same years. The record to date has been very successful. I think, with our announcement related to small and medium-sized vessels, you can see we're continuing to pursue this economic development, potentially for smaller communities—those on the Great Lakes, as MP Kusmierczyk alluded to, as well. This is of benefit across Canada.
It is very heartening to see, I must say, having been at the announcement at Chantier Davie. The current mayor of Lévis had his 100-year-old father at that announcement. Of course, that family has been involved in the shipbuilding industry now for generations. They look forward to that continuing, obviously, for several more generations.