The reality is, and this is the thing, as academics and politicians, we have difficulties. We like black and white, right?
The issue is, of course, what do you mean by off-the-shelf technology? This is where so many of us get so tied up. We sit there and say that this is sort of pure, made at home. We think of an Albanian-style complete containment of capabilities. We know where that leads you. To say off-the-shelf, how far do you go? Even if you design it yourself, the experts that are designing it inevitably are being influenced by others.
I have difficulty always when someone pushes me a bit and says, “Do you want to build it in Canada, or do you want it off-the-shelf?” My response is always, “Okay, tell me the difference between the two.” I do think the necessity is to ensure that we have the capability of assembling our naval capabilities on Canadian territory.
It doesn't matter for the replenishment vessel if it's a Berlin-style design, as long as we have the capability to build it in Canada and aren't hostage to other forces that all of a sudden want to interfere. I think that's the way to go.
That's where the Australians are going with the French design of their submarines. It's going to be a French design, but they're going to start building them in Australian yards at one point. Quite frankly, history tells us that's the way to go. That's how the Japanese became a naval power after World War I, precisely by working with the Brits that way.
That mix is the way to go. It's the very answer that you and I don't like, but that's the reality of where we go.