OTTAWA — The Liberal government will soon announce a $5.2-billion plan to privatize maintenance of new navy ships despite concerns the deal puts key portions of Canada’s military capability in the hands of a private firm. The firm will be responsible for much of the maintenance of the Royal Canadian Navy’s new Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and the Joint Support Ships. The company will be given significant access to Department of National Defence facilities and support equipment, as well as oversight of federal workers. Earlier this year leaders of 10 unions whose workers are involved in navy ship maintenance wrote Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan to ask that the contract be put on hold. Construction has yet to start on the two new Joint Support Ships.

Source: National Post June 01, 2017 22:07 UTC