Dr Sokolsky points out that there continues to be a huge domestic security need as a mission of the Navy.  This he says is in fact greater than ever because of threats to Canada’s ports and commitment to Homeland Defence under NORAD and other joint agreements with the USA.  Having sailed for years (and recently) in Canada and abroad as a Naval and Merchant Marine officer, I am of the opinion a terrorist threat to Canada’s ports is small and really a matter of perception.  Addressing this threat will placate our neighbours, perhaps a necessary policy, but it comes at a huge cost.  There are more than adequate security safeguards today for this threat.  The real threat to Canada’s ports today is from organized crime.  Stevedoring in Halifax, Montreal and Vancouver has for a long time been under this influence.  When sailing as a merchant marine officer from Vancouver from 2000 to 2003 the corruption was understood.  

 A much greater need today is to integrate all Canada’s Federal fleets (Navy, CCG, DFO) under common control for a common purpose.  Much higher risks than terrorist threats exist in our waters today.  Search and Rescue has withered at a time when numbers traveling by sea in Canada are at record levels.  The cruise industry sees over 25,000 people at sea in British Columbia EVERYDAY in the summer season and this is quickly growing on the East Coast as well.  We have no capacity to respond to a serious incident involving 3000 passengers and crew on the B.C. North Coast today and this is a distinct possibility.  Similarly, fishery patrols are few and far between today and many are conducted by the naval reserve rather than DFO to save on wages and other costs. 

A new Canadian naval doctrine is to commit to the JSS support ship, to provide “sealift” capability along with a half dozen other tasks.  This is a monumental mistake.  I recently attended a Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies conference on sealift and airlift need in the Canadian Forces.  This series of presentations cemented in my mind that the Navy today has no expertise to design these ships or to manage building them.  Apart from the naval architecture conundrum they present, the sailors involved have convinced their seniors that it can be done for a ridiculously low price.  The presentations at the conference convinced me there is too much isolation from the marine industry as a whole and a reluctant to consider anything besides a “build and

own” policy for the Navy.  The JSS project will put all the Navy’s eggs ($$$) in one basket for years to come.    

Secure sealift capability can be easily chartered or bought off the shelf at a sliver of the cost of building these JSS Ships.  Charter party agreements are easy to negotiate with commercial carriers and a glut of ships is available for sale today.  Canada’s unfortunate experience in recent years in returning equipment to Canada by sea was not reason to build and own our own transport ships.  It was however grounds for us to better learn how to enter into shipping Charter Party agreements with RO/RO carrier companies.  The last thing we need today is the expense of building the JSS ship.

One new development that will soon have huge impact on Canada’s maritime doctrine is the Arctic and Northwest Passage.  Global warming will, in a few short years, open these waters year round, with the inevitable shipping traffic that would follow.  This is the shortest sea route from Japan to Northern Europe.  Canada absolutely needs a presence there to safeguard navigation, maintain sovereignty and enforce pollution prevention law.  We could profit handsomely too by pilotage and other dues.  This inevitability is not even on the horizon for maritime planners today.  

A commitment to sealift in support of operations in remote theatres was expressed in various recent defence statements.  It is perhaps an error that we will build ships to supply troops in Afghanistan at the expense of projecting a naval presence in our own country.  In coming years the JSS project would draw off huge sums from defence, likely double, triple or more than what is estimated today.  If we committed to better formulated charter agreements and accepted we need not own and operate this capability under the Grey Funnel Line, Canada could build a general purpose fleet that can meet the many varied requirements that confront us as a maritime nation everyday.

As an aside, the largest ship building program in Canada since the CPF will soon be undertaken by BC Ferries. The company will embark on a much need major vessel replacement program.  These ships will be built in Germany or Finland since the expertise to construct them in Canada is gone.  To build a ship as complex as the JSS in Canada would mean again building up the industry as we did for the CPF.  I believe this can’t be done again.  That ship has sailed.

13731 Captain Stephen France is a former Mars officer and merchant marine Master Mariner.  He sailed in over 20 ships to rank of Captain until swallowing the anchor in 2003.