Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague. As he knows, there is some background to consider.
We inherited a shipbuilding strategy that gave the Davie shipyard nothing. The lease agreement for the Asterix was executed and fulfilled, of course.
I would like to thank the Davie shipyard workers for the excellent work they did on the Asterix, a ship that proudly represents Canada around the world. That ship is proving and will continue to prove its worth.
That being said, we make decisions based on the advice and plans of our military personnel, of Canadian forces leadership. General Vance and the Canadian navy have assured us that a second interim supply ship is not needed. The shipbuilding strategy devised by our predecessors called for the construction of a supply ship at Vancouver's Seaspan shipyard, and that is what we are working on now.
What are we doing for Davie?
I have been working hard with my colleagues from Quebec and from the government to identify opportunities for the Davie shipyard, and we have found some. I had the pleasure of visiting the shipyard to announce the arrival of three interim icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. The Davie shipyard also fairly regularly receives isolated ship repair and upgrade contracts. This is excellent. We continue our talks with the Davie shipyard about other opportunities, because the shipbuilding strategy provides for opportunities for shipyards other than the two main ones in Halifax and Vancouver, which were designated by my hon. predecessor and his government.
We recognize that isolated opportunities may arise, but these opportunities are strategic and long term, such as repairing our existing frigates. Other projects may come up from time to time.
I assure everyone watching us, and especially those associated in any way to the Davie shipyard, that we will continue to offer and look for opportunities for the workers who are doing excellent work in Quebec and who are doing extraordinary work for our navy.
The shipyard has already received some 16% of the $1.5 billion awarded to Quebec companies under our shipbuilding strategy. We will continue to work on this and to give our sailors and our men and women in uniform the best equipment and ships possible.