Sure.
Mr. Wilfert, I can assure you that the navy and shipbuilding projects remain a huge priority for the Department of National Defence. JSS would be at the very top of that list. We saw the utility of having the type of vessel envisioned for our joint supply ship in the use in Haiti, for example, and deployment into the Americas.
We hope that contract will be able to be put out in the very near future. We had envisioned bringing forward an entire strategy, which, as you know, involves not just Canadian Forces ships but also ships that are under the purview of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, such as coastal ships and icebreakers. So a package of ships was what we had hoped to bring forward.
As you rightly pointed out, we had discussions this past August with industry, and all departments were there in an unprecedented way. Public Works, Industry Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, and our own department met directly with industry to lay out in a very systematic way the number of ships, which can be upwards of 50 ships. The budget within our department is identified. Our money is there.
We also understand--and this will be my last point, Mr. Chair--that there have been problems, as you know, with one of the shipbuilding facilities that would be a primary contractor, a primary bidder, on these projects. The Davie shipyard in LĂ©vis has experienced difficulties. That has also been factored in as we move forward.
I don't know if the vice-chief wants to add anything further, but our intention is to proceed post-haste. Non-compliant bids have come back. That was, I would express to you, the reason for part of the delay. But this is a national shipbuilding program that will affect every shipbuilding facility in the country. There is enough work for shipbuilders, large and small, to bid on and successfully receive contracts in this regard.