National Defence committee  The Australian experience is well worth examining, I believe, in the sense that they're now heading toward 2% in the largest recapitalization of its armed forces since 1945. Whether this is necessarily the Canadian model remains to be seen, but it demonstrates that it's doable.

National Defence committee  No.

National Defence committee  Well, this, I would suggest, is quite clearly at the cabinet level in terms of a decision. If we look at the United States Navy and we look at the Royal Australian Navy, they have both in fact tested Chinese pretensions. I use the word “pretensions” with intent, because the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling of July 16 indicated that Chinese claims were in fact almost entirely bogus in the South China Sea.

National Defence committee  As I see it, the maritime realm is where a good many interstate frictions are going to play out over the next quarter of a century. Then it comes to the theological issue of how many ships do you need to execute your responsibilities in terms of power projection and so forth? Currently, I think we are looking at 15 surface combatants, down from an original 16, which was the 12 frigates plus four destroyers.

National Defence committee  I think it's a huge factor, in the sense that we've always gone into battle and always deployed as part of a coalition. Our reliance on the United States is enormously important in a whole host of ways, whether it's intelligence sharing, whether it's access to missile calibration, or whether it's mid-ocean oilers.

National Defence committee  Thank you so much, Mr. Chair, and committee members. I'm delighted to have the opportunity to address you in my private capacity, although it's one in which I have been associated with the Royal Canadian Navy over many years. I'm going to drive a coach and horses through your remit in the sense that you were initially to look at the question of the RCN in the North American context.