The proposed purchase of four slightly used submarines from Britain to replace Canada's existing submarine fleet bought in the 1960's has received much attention and comment. The issue has been before cabinet, and they are having difficulty making up their minds. Unfortunately, as has been the case with other high-profile defence programs, much commentary on the buy is inaccurate or misleading. At least four big myths about submarines are often repeated. No fewer than 44 countries currently operate submarines, including Albania, Algeria, Syria and Venezuela.
Submarines are an essential component of any effective naval force.
The purchase price is only the tip of the iceberg, the real cost of the submarines will be much greater. The new submarines will actually save money in operating costs. The operating costs of the British submarines will be less than the costs of our existing submarines, and expensive refits of our submarines, to keep them going into the 21st century, would be avoided. Submarines are an expensive way to perform a limited number of roles, which are not relevant to the modern security environment. They ensure that demonstrations of Canadian presence in support of, for example, diplomatic initiatives, cover all dimensions, and they force our allies to keep us informed about their submarine operations off our coasts.