Mr. Speaker, in fact we are confident that we will build six Arctic offshore patrol ships. The contract with Irving, while advanced, is not yet finalized.
I should point out that the numbers provided by the PBO are based on erroneous data and rough cost estimates of international vessels with varied capabilities, and they are derived using inaccurate specifications. In one of his assumptions the PBO said it was:
...unable to locate reliable, sufficiently contemporary Canadian data on an acquisition of this nature....
Our national shipbuilding procurement strategy will deliver the goods for our men and women.