We are doing quite a bit, Mr. Norlock, and I was very pleased to be in Halifax yesterday to initiate the HMCS Fredericton and to get word that the ship is now completely operational and has passed all the necessary steps.
This is part of an ongoing effort we have made to update these ships. They were commissioned for the most part in the 1980s. I remember with pride being in Toronto for the christening of the HMCS Toronto back in 1993, and I remember at the time how impressed I was with how operationally capable and modern these were. As you know, a lot has changed in technology in the last 20 or 25 years, so I was very pleased yesterday to have a relatively quick tour of the HMCS Montreal to see all the different technological improvements they have made, and it was very impressive.
One of the things you get when you talk with the members of our navy, and indeed other parts of the armed forces, is how proud they are and how pleased they are to get this kind of update. They told me they believe this is state of the art, not just with respect to Canada but in the world. Countries like New Zealand are entering into contracts for upgrades similar to those we have already undertaken, and that really gives you a great feeling about the navy and what we are capable of. When you see how pleased those men and women who are on the front line are with this, it reinforces the feeling in all of us that these were very worthwhile investments by Canada.