Mr. Speaker, if the government were an individual Canadian, it would have been forced into bankruptcy long ago. If the government were a small business, the shop would have been boarded up for some time now. The government sees fit to waste taxpayer money with seemingly little regard and with even less respect.
On February 16, 1999, I challenged the Minister of National Defence on the issue of Canada's submarine purchase. The price the government has led the Canadian taxpayer to believe it will spend on our new submarines is $750 million, but it appears the actual cost could be closer to $2 billion.
Imagine a Canadian small business underestimating its cost by over two and one-half times the original estimate when it budgeted for new equipment. No respectable business could stand such gross financial mismanagement time and time again. However, that is exactly how the government treats its own books and how it treats taxpayers.
I wish the only problem with this deal was the cost, but the big picture is even worse. The Liberal government's priorities are so far out of whack it is hard to conceive how it must have gone about making decisions.
Let me ask why we are buying four used submarines and how this decision fits into the role our forces will play early in the 21st century.
Two of the suggested roles, drug surveillance and fisheries patrol, are clearly dubious at best. Does the government really think that increased submarine capability would have stopped the turbot war? The proposed third reason for protecting our sovereignty under the ice cap would require an incredibly expensive refit.
What about the cost of technical data and crew training? What about the cost of infrastructure refit and development to be able to house the submarines? What about the need, as I have mentioned, to refit them with air independent propulsion so they can work under the ice without frequent resurfacing?
Furthermore, what will we do when these submarines break down? The production line for these submarines has ended and to get parts must we then cannibalize one of the four submarines we are purchasing? What about the cost of changing the communication suites to be compatible with the Auroras and helicopters?
I will detail my estimates and I trust the government will choose to do the same in its response: acquisition costs of $800 million; shore facilities and modification, $200 million; routine refits over the life of the program, $1 billion; and air independent propulsion system, $1 billion. This totals $3 billion and if we add 30 years of operating costs at approximately $2.7 billion, the grand total is $5.7 billion or over seven times the cost to the taxpayer that the government is touting.
What about the big picture itself? The government needs to answer a question to the people of my riding of Halifax West, to Nova Scotians and to all other Canadians. How does this expenditure stand up against the need for adequate pay and housing conditions for Canadian forces personnel so desperately needed and so terribly missing? It is true there has been some money infused as a result of the recent report of a committee, but yet there is a long way to go.
How does this stand up against the need for immediate attention to finding a substitute for the flying accidents waiting to happen or the Sea Kings and Labrador helicopters? People deserve an answer and they are waiting.