Mr. Speaker, the cost of acquiring the four upholder class submarines and putting them into active service in Canada is still $750 million in the year of 1998-99.
In April 1998 the government approved the acquisition based on this figure and nothing has changed except the names of the vessels. It was announced on March 30 that the vessels would be known as the Victoria class submarines.
The first Victoria class submarine is due to arrive in Canada in the autumn of 2000 and the navy is already preparing for this. Even as we prepare to take possession of the submarines we have already started to plan for the future, precisely because we expect these boats will have a long life in the Canadian navy.
As with any piece of equipment there will be maintenance and upgrade projects involved throughout the life of the vessel. It is unreasonable to think that one can buy any piece of equipment and keep it operating for 30 years without maintenance and upgrades.
For instance, the Victorias will require a mid-life refit to ensure that they meet their expected lifespan. We will also have to keep maintaining all the safety and rescue equipment so that it will be compatible with the newest technology.
Furthermore, as new technologies come available that would require enhanced operational capabilities of the submarines, they will need to be integrated into existing systems whenever possible. It would be unfair and irresponsible to add the costs of such eventual projects to the cost of acquisition because at this point we cannot predict the timing, the cost or the nature of any future projects with 100% accuracy.
When the time comes for any new expenditures I can assure the hon. member that these projects will be subject to the necessary government approval before they can proceed. Planning for the future is the responsible thing to do and it is particularly important in times of tight fiscal restraint.