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New Canadian Shipbuilding Strategy

MarkOttawa said:
What the gov't does not mention is that the CCG's MSPVs are a Dutch design (thank goodness, saves money):

Sigh.

Here is my response to you spreading this misinformation from the last page:

I notice that to suit you're opinion, you've conveniently ignored that the Damen design for the mid shore patrol vessels doesn't meet half the government's requirements and the decision to accept only previously built designs will leave them with a ship that does not reflect Canadian needs.

You've also failed to mention the CG's FSV fiasco where blindly following the idea that foreign designs are somehow superior and there is no design capability in Canada, the government sole sourced a foreign design that cost the taxpayers 2 million dollars and proved to be useless to their needs.

Canadian designers have no problem with competing internationally as that's what they do on a regular basis and they are quite successful at it, but to suggest that the Canadian government should buy foreign designs because they are somehow better than Canadian designs is simply ignorant and disrespectful to the capability of the Canadian naval architecture and marine engineering community, which is well respected in the rest of the world.

I sincerely hope that you will educate yourself on the contributions of Canadian companies in this domain and cease to spread misleading information that is damaging to national interests.
 
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2011/02/09/17216991.html

Fallen Heroes to be honoured with namesake ships Thursday

By BRYN WEESE, Parliamentary Bureau

OTTAWA — Is it any wonder they're called the Hero Class?

Canada's new fleet of nine mid-shore patrol vessels will get their new names Thursday, and will all honour fallen Canadians who died in the line of duty.

Ministers Peter MacKay, Gail Shea and Jean-Pierre Blackburn will announce the nine new ships' names Thursday at a ceremony at the National War Museum.

According to a government source, fallen heroes from the Coast Guard, Canadian Forces and RCMP will be honoured with ships in their name, and family members of the ships' namesakes will be in attendance for the ceremony.

Two of the vessels will be named for First World War heroes Cpl. Joseph Kaeble and Pte. James Robertson, both of whom were awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery and sacrifice.

The Hero Class mid-shore patrol vessels, which are being built at the Halifax Shipyard, are expected to hit the seas for the Canadian Coast Guard in 2013.

The ships, which will be about 40 metres long, will have an effective patrol range of 220 km off shore and a maximum speed of 46 km/h.

The CCGS Corporal Kaeble and CCGS Private Robertson will be used in a joint maritime security program with the RCMP in the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence Seaway system.
 
Another ship name:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/first-woman-to-fall-in-afghan-combat-earns-nautical-honour/article1901893/

First woman to fall in Afghan combat earns nautical honour


The Harper government is honouring Nichola Goddard, the first Canadian female soldier to die in combat, by naming a new Coast Guard vessel after her.

Sources say Defence Minister Peter MacKay, Fisheries Minister Gail Shea and Veterans Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn will announce the move Thursday in Ottawa. The government will also name other vessels after fallen Canadian soldier

Army Captain Goddard, who died in May 2006, was the 16th Canadian soldier killed in the Afghanistan war.

As a forward observation officer, Capt. Goddard's job was to call artillery fire on enemy targets. It was a risky assignment, one of the most dangerous in the artillery, but she was known as a strong leader who inspired loyalty and courage among the soldiers of her unit.

The Harper government has commissioned new mid-shore Coast Guard patrol vessels and one of these will be named after the Calgary-based soldier.

Capt. Goddard, 26, was killed in an intense firefight with up to 200 Taliban insurgents near Panjwai, about 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city, where hundreds of Canadian soldiers were supporting Afghan security forces.
 
Here's a link to the press release containing all the names:

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Harper-Government-Names-New-Coast-Guard-Vessels-in-Honour-of-Canadian-Heroes-1393899.htm

I heard from Cpl MacLaren's widow of this honour a couple of days ago.  He was a good friend, and I'm hoping to see the ship being built in Halifax.
 
RC said:
Sigh.

Here is my response to you spreading this misinformation from the last page:

I notice that to suit you're opinion, you've conveniently ignored that the Damen design for the mid shore patrol vessels doesn't meet half the government's requirements and the decision to accept only previously built designs will leave them with a ship that does not reflect Canadian needs.

You've also failed to mention the CG's FSV fiasco where blindly following the idea that foreign designs are somehow superior and there is no design capability in Canada, the government sole sourced a foreign design that cost the taxpayers 2 million dollars and proved to be useless to their needs.

Canadian designers have no problem with competing internationally as that's what they do on a regular basis and they are quite successful at it, but to suggest that the Canadian government should buy foreign designs because they are somehow better than Canadian designs is simply ignorant and disrespectful to the capability of the Canadian naval architecture and marine engineering community, which is well respected in the rest of the world.

I sincerely hope that you will educate yourself on the contributions of Canadian companies in this domain and cease to spread misleading information that is damaging to national interests.

I know Robbie Allan fairly well, the 500 class cutters did use a proven hull design, but thanks to The CG adding insane amount of requirements, the vessels weight and CG both crept up, to the point that the vessels needed 2 active and one passive measure to reduce roll. Several years later the CG had to run them through a serious weight loss program, it was also discovered that the ship yard had substituted materials that were heavier than specified in the design ( steel pipes for the mast monitors)
Frankly the vessels could have easily been reduced by one deck, which would have made them a much better sea boat. The stern ramp IRIB launching system has some issues, but still far better than what we had previously on the old R class.
At around the same time the yards also built vessels for the navy to be used as torpedo recovery vessels, etc They to suffered stability issues but I am not acquainted with them, but even looking at them made you think “top heavy”. Two other vessels types that bear remembering are the Weather ships, range reduced by the addition of concrete to solve stability issues and the Fisheries vessels Sinclar, a POS that had to spend most of her time hiding from weather.
To balance that out, the 1100 class icebreaker/buoy tenders were an excellent design and good vessels to work and live on. I believe they were a completely domestic design. As for small vessels, regardless of design origins, the quality of shipyard work on our under 100’ fleet was appalling in the late 80’s and 90’s. to name a few
70’ Point class
First of the 41’ class (Rest built by matsumoto were excellent)   
Landing barges
RER response boats made in fiberglass
First 2 vessels of the 47’ class, built in Kingston , Ontario. Rest built in BC met requirement.
 
Pte Robertson was the Uncle of a former Brother in Law of mine.  The RCL Branch where I grew up is named in his honour as well as he enlisted in that town too.  Good choices, all for the new CCG vessels.  :salute:
 
I too salute Cpl Keable and Pte Robinson's, both VC's, inclusion in the "Hero" class of patrol boats.

However, I have greater difficulties with Capt. Goddard's inclusion. I mean no disrespect here and do not wish to diminish what she accomplished at all, but she has not accomplished anything in Afghanistan that was not also achieved by all the other "heroes" that lost their lives to date. Her sole distinction is in being the first woman to die in combat operations. When we decided to open all combat roles to woman, in full equality to men, we knew that such a day would come. But this very equality concept means that we should not make her death more heroic than anyone else's just because she is a woman.

Can you imagine the conversation in a few years if two of those patrol boats are in port together:

Grandchild: Who was Pte Robinson, Grandpa?
Grandfather: He was a soldier in WW1, and a hero.
GC: What did he do?
GF: He won the Victoria Cross, the highest honour for bravery in combat, because he .....
GC: And who was Capt. Goddard?
GF: She was the first Canadian woman killed in combat.
GC: Okay, but what did she do?
GF: Ah! ....

All who have laid their lives for us in Afghanistan are equally "heroes", and in that sense as deserving as she is. If the government wanted to celebrate "heroes" of the Afghanistan mission, shouldn't they have picked someone who has received a special honour for something done while in Afghanistan?
 
Oldgateboatdriver said:
All who have laid their lives for us in Afghanistan are equally "heroes", and in that sense as deserving as she is. If the government wanted to celebrate "heroes" of the Afghanistan mission, shouldn't they have picked someone who has received a special honour for something done while in Afghanistan?

Yes, I agree they are all hero's.  At least to me they are.  But, but, maybe the rub is that although there have been medals of valour awarded through the mission the problem is that they don't have a current VC to select from.  It is my opinion, and not to take away in any way shape or form from those who have been awarded the VC, some of our SMV recipients were worthy of a VC.

Capt Goddard gave all of her tomorrows for her comrades, as all or fallen have.  If that is not heroic, then where do you draw the line, at the VC?  They appeared to chose from a cross section of examples of selfless sacrifice.  I am sure we could spend from now to eternity Monday morning quarterbacking the choices and nominating our own, but in the end you won't please everyone.  No matter how you slice it,  not everyone deserving such recognition will get it however many ships are launched by the Federal Gov't.
 
I for one, am pleased that we are naming ships after our Fallen. It is about time.
 
I got to serve on the George R. Pearkes. they had his picture hanging in the lounge

http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/eng/Fleet/Vessels?id=1004
 
Most of the existing coast guard ships have already been named for historical and noteworthy Canadians... glad to see they're continuing this...
 
found this online last night.  http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=696:2011mar00317&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=107

Fincantieri moves to acquire Davie
Québec shipbuilder Davie Yards announced today that it has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Fincantieri  and DRS Technologies Canada ("DRS"), a Finmeccanica company, to negotiate the potential acquisition of the shipyard by an entity that will be majority-owned by Fincantieri. In order to continue this process, Davie has obtained an order from the Québec Superior Court (the "Court") extending the stay of proceedings ordered by the Court to May 19, 2011, the whole pursuant to the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA").

"In Fincantieri and DRS, a Finmeccanica company, Davie has found the industrial investors it was looking for, combining both the financial strength and the technical expertise", said the President and CEO of Davie, Mr. Gustav Johan Nydal. He continued, "This is an important step in the right direction but there is still a lot of work to do in order to complete the transaction within a very short timeframe so the shipyard will be able to submit a valid bid for the federal contracts."

Fincantieri and DRS will immediately join Davie's efforts to respond to the request for proposal to become one of the two selected shipyards under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy ("NSPS").

Davie says it  has obtained confirmation that, subject to the approval of the required authorities, the Quebec Government will provide additional interim financing to meet the cash requirements for the duration of the extension.

March 31, 2011
 
This from the Canadian Press:
The Conservative government wants lobbyists to butt out of Canada's new shipbuilding industry.

Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose managed to raise more than a few eyebrows at a large defence industry trade show in Ottawa on Wednesday with that pronouncement.

She told a large gathering of defence industry insiders, military officials, business leaders — and lobbyists — that the government doesn't want lobbyists to play a role in Canada's new National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.

"Companies involved in the NSPS implementation process have been asked not to engage lobbyists. It was our intention at the outset to ensure that the NSPS competition would be run through a process that is completely arms length of politics," Ambrose told hundreds in her luncheon speech.

The government has already held consultations with industry association representatives and chief executives of large companies on the future of Canada's shipbuilding industry, she said.

"Our government's commitment to ensuring fairness and openness and transparency is clear. Whether shipyards are successful or not will depend 100 per cent on the merits of their proposals."

The remarks were the latest example of the Harper government's tough stand against lobbyists, the powerful backroom brokers who open doors for the various interests that want to do business with government ....
 
There was another article with a quote from one of the bidders basically comparing the request not to hire lobbyists akin to asking university students not to partake in carnal pleasure.

Reading that was a good way to start the day.  ;D
 
The game is afoot!

Upper Lakes purchase of Davies goes through and they are entering the bidding under the national shipbuilding strategy.

See article: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Davie+Yards+gets+lifeline+after+firm+pulls+takeover/5107146/story.html

It is a game changer: The largest facility in Canada, located in Québec, under Ontario management, in association with Daewoo of Korea (who builds a lot of the South Korean warships) and SNC Lavalin, one of the worlds largest engineering firm.
 
Oldgateboatdriver said:
The game is afoot!

Upper Lakes purchase of Davies goes through and they are entering the bidding under the national shipbuilding strategy.

See article: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Davie+Yards+gets+lifeline+after+firm+pulls+takeover/5107146/story.html

It is a game changer: The largest facility in Canada, located in Québec, under Ontario management, in association with Daewoo of Korea (who builds a lot of the South Korean warships) and SNC Lavalin, one of the worlds largest engineering firm.
And according to the Canadian Press, a briefing on the Big Honkin' Shipbuilding Strategy appears to be under way right now.
Senior officials from National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy Secretariat briefing reporters now in Ottawa.
 
A $40-million package from the Province will support Seaspan's bid for a portion of the federal government's multi-billion dollar National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), and support marine industry jobs in B.C., announced Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation.

"As promised, our government is helping Seaspan submit the strongest possible bid and this investment focuses on job-creation," said Bell. "We are investing in our human capital by supporting the creation of marine industry jobs for years to come."

If Seaspan's bid is successful, the Province proposes to offer enhanced training or other labour tax credits for eligible marine industry employers in B.C. The proposed tax support would provide up to an estimated $35 million in benefits to Seaspan over the 30-year life of the shipbuilding program.

As well, the Province will invest $5 million to support the productivity and long-term viability of the broader marine sector should Seaspan win a federal contract ....
Source:  Government of BC news release, 25 Jul 11
 
I don't envy the people that have to wade through all the bids and audit them...


Vancouver Shipyards spent in excess of $1-million to prepare the bid submitted last Tuesday. The documents filled 30,000 pages in 125 binders, shipped to the federal government in 22 boxes. The bid sets out how the company would upgrade equipment and facilities at the company’s Vancouver and Victoria shipyards, new processes to improve productivity and where the company would find enough people for production and management of the massive projects, Mr. Shaw said.

rest of article at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/warship-contract-would-bring-sea-change-in-industry-builder-says/article2108333/
 
Davie's in....
The National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy Secretariat today announced that it had accepted the application for a change of bidder received from 7731299 Canada Inc. (Davie Canada) on July 21, 2011.

The application and all supporting documentation were received before bids closed on July 21, 2011. The application met all the legal and experience qualification criteria and contained all other attestations required in the original Solicitation of Interest and Qualification issued in September 2010.

Three bidders have submitted proposals in connection with the Request for Proposals (RFP) to build large vessels for Canada.

One shipyard will be selected to build combat vessels and another to build non-combat vessels. The two shipyards selected will be those that represent best value to Canada.

Canada will not respond to public enquiries until the evaluation process is complete and the results are announced.
Source:  PWGSC news release, 27 Jul 11 - more from the Montreal Gazette here.
 
I wish we could do this soon....like tomorrow.
I move over to "the other side" in September and may utilize my Chiefly charms when I get there!!
 
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