O'Connor Confirms Plan To Build Three New Ships

About time! I sailed on Provider for five years in the first half of the 1980s (The West Coast AOR), she was old back then, though only about a decade older than Protecteur and Preserver (east coast AORs). Provider was scrapped in Turkey in (I think) 2000, leaving us with only two AORs, one on each coast.

Replacing these ships would not really increase our offensive capability, just bring it back to where it was until about 2000.

Oh and make no mistake, AORs are offensive warships - even the ones that carry no guns (Provider didnt). The defence of Canada does not require that we send ships to Japan or the Gulf of Arabia - last time I looked, Canada wasn't over there, it was sitting atop the USA's northern border.

"Three" seems to be some sort of magic number. I believe Harper promised three icebreakers AND a deepwater port to defend our Arctic sovereignty...........

Say! Maybe these THREE ships could be icebreakers......

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RickW

"The purpose of economic competition is to eliminate competition"...." - John Kenneth Galbraith

I read in another article that the ships must have some ice breaking capability. So, yes, they are the 3 ships promised.

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"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

Gee golly whizzickers i shor hope this doesn't CONTRAveine some rule.

ew defence minister a former industry lobbyist

Updated Wed. Feb. 8 2006 8:48 AM ET

Canadian Press

OTTAWA -- The new defence minister is a retired general who once lobbied government on behalf of some big military contractors, a background which some find troubling.

Gordon O'Connor says he's beholden to no one, but others say it looks odd to have a one-time lobbyist sitting in the minister's office.

"It's a bad message to be sending,'' says Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch.

O'Connor, 66, is the first defence minister in 20 years to have actually served in the Forces. But it's his post-service lobbying that has raised eyebrows.

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The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.... : Albert Einstein

Some people just don't seem to get it. You don't get to keep your country just by bulldozing some ice away. These ships are NOT for Canada to build or command. <br><br> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_O'Connor">Gordon O'Connor</a> <br><br> <i>He was a Senior Associate with Hill & Knowlton Canada, a world-wide public relations, public affairs and strategic communications company. O'Conner has also been an official lobbyist for several defense industry companies. These companies include: BAE Systems (1996 to 2004), General Dynamics (1996 to 2001), Atlas Elektronik GmbH (1999 to 2004), and Airbus Military (2001 to 2004) .</i> <br><br> : <br><br> <i>Though somewhat muted by the higher profile issues in the namings of David Emerson and Michael Fortier to the cabinet, the posting of Gordon O'Connor to the position of Minister of National Defence by Prime Minister Stephen Harper has met with controversy. Harkening back to ethics and accountability issues including particularly a promised crackdown on lobbying and reforms to lobbying legislation that Harper raised during the '06 campaign, O'Connor's employment as a lobbyist for several major defence industry companies including some of the world's largest military contractors, such as General Dynamics and BAE Systems and Airbus as recently as 2004 was seen by many as peculiar. The minister will be responsible for spending millions of dollars in defence procurements, and will often be dealing with the very companies for whom he advised for and assisted in soliciting defence contracts; seemingly putting him in constant peril of conflict-of-interest issues.</i>

Who the &^%$ has any interest in 'taking over' the artic? Canada hands over oil and everything else to the US, and will do the same for shipping.

Marcarc,
The way I see it is the elected offial are the one who hand over stuff
which says a lot about the electorate

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The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.... : Albert Einstein

It does say something, but it says more about the system. Canadians have been trying to change that for over a century, you don't blame Iraqi's for Saddams war crimes and americans aren't culpable for Bush's war crimes. Essentially canadians 'fault' is not 'rebelling' which is a pretty harsh criticism against anybody.

My big question is WHERE are they going to build them? That's a huge political question in itself. Looks like they closed the New Brunswick shipyard JUST IN TIME!

"My big question is WHERE are they going to build them? That's a huge political question in itself. Looks like they closed the New Brunswick shipyard JUST IN TIME!"

Excellent question!
Where in deed?

coincidently I am now readinf an e-book, Merchants of Death


That I will highly recomend for all to read.

O'Connor and his cronies must benefit in some fashion in this arms deal

The spam filter has prevented the inclusion of the address where the material can be found.
Most annoying!
How does one lend Legitimacy to their words when such devices are set in place?

(To the mod- this is an honest question NOT a challenge )



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The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.... : Albert Einstein