Posted on 10/12/2004 3:12:14 PM PDT by Clive
OTTAWA (CP) - The navy is docking its submarine fleet in the wake of the fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi.
The move, which affects the three sister ships of the Chicoutimi, is a precautionary move as a board of inquiry looks into the cause of the fire which claimed the life of a sailor last week.
"Earlier today, the president of the military board of inquiry into HMCS Chicoutimi incident, advised me of preliminary information which caused me to decide that it would be prudent to keep all submarines alongside until more analysis can be done on the possible causes of the fire," Vice-Admiral Bruce MacLean said in a statement.
"With this information I consulted the navy's sub safe organization and have subsequently ordered the submarines to remain alongside while we analyze this initial information."
The subs are HMCS Corner Brook, Victoria and Windsor.
Gordon O'Connor, the Conservative defence critic and a retired general, said the sub fleet should be confined to port until the cause of the fatal fire is determined.
"If there is a possibility that it is a systemic error then the submarines should be tied up," he said.
O'Connor said the inquiry should be able to come to some quick conclusions and allow the subs to get back to sea without awaiting a full board report, which likely will take months.
In the House of Commons, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper accused Prime Minister Paul Martin of short-changing the program to refurbish the four used submarines bought from Britain.
He said it was Martin who, as finance minister, chopped $54 million from the submarine refurbishing program.
The left the military unable to properly train people or equip its submarines, he charged.
Harper asked for real answers about the fire.
Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan said all answers will come out in the military board of inquiry.
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Wow! I did not know they had more than one.
/Sarcasm
What is the best way to view the Canadian Navy ?
With a glass bottom boat.
;-)
Regards,
GtG
No wonder we have to supply America with good comedians, you guys rehash the same old jokes over and over and over again.. Time for some new material bud.....
We are going to base them in Lethbridge Alberta and sneak them down the Missouri River and attack St. Louis.
You're just saying that so we'll like you, eh?
Hope the docks are in shallow water.
The problem is, as of late, there is very little amusing about y'all!
You won't meet any resistance from me.
Yeah both ships are in port. LOL.
And I used to think the Mexican army was a joke,
enter the Canadian military.
And just like so many other countries, Canada in its heart knows that in time of real need they can always turn to the United States to protect it so why put out the expenditure?
Same as Germany, Japan, and so many others.
The real reason, is that Canadians no longer have a sense of humor....or comfortable laughing at themselves...
Much as the French, the Canadians take themselves far too seriously...and forgotten how to laugh.
Semper Fi
Why not, we hate our politicians too.
Not true, we will never lose our sense of humour and laughing at politicians is almost a national pastime. Lighten up, the pendulum is now swinging in the right direction and fiasco's like the Chicoutimi will speed up the process of change up here. Canada is not your enemy.
The real French at least wait until someone points a gun at them before they surrender.
The USA is not Canada's
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