A 40 billion dollar contract to their biggest supporter in Atlantic Canada and the Harper government still hasn't got a clue.

Analysis

Canada's vast shipbuilding plan still at starting line

5 years on, there are lots of plans for renewal of Canada's navy — but no new ships

 

A milestone approaches on June 3. It will be the fifth anniversary of one of the largest capital projects ever announced by the Canadian government: the $40-billion National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.

But hold the applause. It hasn't yet built or procured any ships. Be patient.

Shipbuilding, as it turns out, is hard. It's especially hard when you start with an industry that's been moribund for 30 years. So, before you build the ships, you have to build a shipbuilding industry.
So, how's it going?

Slowly

Consider these words from a "senior government official" at a press briefing on Friday that was cloaked in anonymity:

"The procurement of these ships is an incredibly complex undertaking … with complexity comes uncertainty. Therefore, I am not here telling you that we have found all the answers and that the path forward is cast in stone."

Sounds encouraging! But in truth, the cautious official had it right. Nobody has the answers yet to some fundamental questions — such as, how many ships, exactly, will we get? And how much, exactly, will they cost?

It's a work in progress — slow, slow, progress. After five years, $500 million has been sunk into upgrading the two chosen shipyards, Seaspan in Vancouver and Irving in Halifax.

READ MORE: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-s-vast-shipbuilding-plan-still-at-starting-line-1.3058147