Thank you.
This summer, taxpayers got a nice surprise when you gave nearly $500 million to Irving Shipbuilding so it could update its yards to accelerate shipbuilding.
However, when we look at the date the ships were supposed to be built, we see that they were expected by 2032. We would have expected that this funding would make it possible to significantly advance the delivery dates. You said that this funding would allow Canada to take ownership of ships in the early 2030s. The early 2030s and 2032 are one and the the same to me.
How is granting this additional $500 million to the shipyard fair and equitable if you refuse to give the other shipyards equivalent support?
Are there no provisions in the agreements with the shipyards that require them to invest a portion of their profits in upgrading the shipyard?