Speaking Notes for the Honourable Keith Ashfield at the Vessel Life Extension Announcement

Good morning and thank you for joining us for an extremely important announcement for the Canadian Coast Guard.

It is always a pleasure to visit Newfoundland and Labrador, but the occasion is even more special today because I have exciting news to share about the future of the Coast Guard in this province and, indeed, right across Canada.

Before we begin I want to thank John Butler, the Coast Guard’s Assistant Commissioner, Atlantic region, along with the officers and crew from the CCGS George R. Pearkes for allowing us to tour and visit this vessel today. It is always a pleasure to spend time with the men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard who serve Canadians with fierce pride and dedication. I want to thank the crew here – and Coast Guard crews across Canada – for their service.

I am pleased to be making this important announcement today at the new Atlantic regional headquarters of the Canadian Coast Guard here in St. John’s. This regional headquarters is one of three across Canada and serves mariners in the North Atlantic, the Maritimes, Labrador, and, of course, right here in Newfoundland.

It is responsible for 1,903 employees, including 1,269 who are based aboard vessels. Its fleet is comprised of 22 small vessels, including 15 Search and Rescue lifeboats, 19 large vessels and eight helicopters. In total they watch over a coastline that covers more than 40,000 kilometres – a distance that is slightly longer than the circumference of the earth.

 The primary mandate of the Canadian Coast Guard is keeping mariners safe, waterways open, and protecting the marine environment, but the Coast Guard supports many other important activities.

In this region alone, the Coast Guard supports scientific research and fisheries enforcement activities, among others, and is currently conducting extensive icebreaking operations in the Northumberland Strait, keeping Prince Edward Island open to commercial shipping.

The vessel we are currently on – the CCGS Pearkes – is a perfect example. Named for Canadian war hero George R. Pearkes, VC, this workhorse of the Coast Guard fleet operates year-round, carrying out search and rescue operations, buoy placements, ice-breaking operations, environmental response duties and a variety of other important tasks.

And it is notable that we are aboard this vessel for the major announcement our government is making today.

As a part of the $5.2 billion committed to the Coast Guard in the 2012 Economic Action Plan, I am pleased to announce that the Coast Guard will proceed with repair and refit work on the CCGS Pearkes to extend the life of this important vessel.

As further evidence of this government’s commitment to renewing the fleet of the Canadian Coast Guard, in addition to the repair and refit on the CCGS Pearkes, I am also very excited to announce that the Coast Guard will also undertake the repair, refit and upgrade of 15 other large vessels and two hovercrafts across Canada over the next 10 years. This means that the Coast Guard will upgrade 16 vessels and 2 hovercrafts.

A total of five of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Coast Guard vessels will undergo repair and refit including two High Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels, the CCGS G.R. Pearkes as mentioned, and the CCGS Ann Harvey, as well as the Medium Icebreaker, CCGS Henry Larsen, and two Offshore Patrol Vessels, the CCGS Cygnus and the CCGS L.J Cowley.

From Quebec, another five vessels will undergo vessel life extensions, and similar work will be done on three from British Columbia, three more from Nova Scotia and two vessels from the Northwest Territories.

As part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, the refit and repair work we are announcing for our vessels today will be available for competitive bids by all Canadian shipyards. This means: – Canadian Coast Guard vessels being built by Canadian companies.

It means creating jobs, economic growth and prosperity across Canada over the next decade, while also positioning the Coast Guard for its future.

This is another demonstration of the Harper Government’s commitment to creating jobs and economic growth in Canada, building the Canadian shipbuilding industry, and restoring the Canadian Coast Guard fleet.

For the Coast Guard, overhauling engines, upgrading propulsion systems and equipping these vessels with modern technology, will make them ready to serve Canadians for years to come.

Our government is proud to invest in the Canadian Coast Guard to make sure it has the ships it needs to do its job. In addition to the unprecedented $5.2 billion we committed to the Coast Guard in the 2012 Economic Action Plan, the government has also invested roughly $1.6 billion in the Coast Guard fleet during the past six years.

To date this has included critical investments for new mid-shore patrol vessels, scientific research vessels, a new hovercraft and Canada’s first polar icebreaker. It also includes the completion of major repair work on 40 of our large vessels and acquisition of an additional 98 new small craft and boats.

We call that investing where it counts; making sure the Coast Guard has the ships it needs to do its job.

And, while we’re on the subject of investing where it counts, I have another great announcement to make. Our government will also invest $6.6 million for the Coast Guard to build a new lifeboat station on the Burin Peninsula.

The new Burin station will replace an existing facility that has served us well but was showing its age. The new station will be a great asset for the Coast Guard, enabling it to maintain the high quality of service for which it is known along the Burin peninsula. We expect construction will begin this spring.

We are proud of the Coast Guard, and of the men and women who provide critical services such as search and rescue services, icebreaking, aids to navigation, environmental response and marine traffic control and communications.

Our government will continue to ensure they have the tools and training they need to do their jobs and we will continue to invest where it counts.

Thank you again to the crew here today and to all of the dedicated men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard. As the motto says: “Safety First, Service Always.”

Thank you.