At last: One new icebreaker for Canadian Coast Guard/Marine security

From the federal 2008 budget:

Protecting and Securing Canada’s Sovereignty

The Canadian Coast Guard’s most capable Arctic icebreaker, the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2017. As such, the Government will replace this vessel with a new polar class icebreaker that has greater icebreaking capabilities. Budget 2008 provides $720 million for the procurement of this vessel...

Now what about CCGS TERRY FOX (built 1983), CCGS PIERRE RADISSON (built 1978), CCGS AMUNDSEN (built 1979), CCGS DES GROSEILLIERS (built 1982)? More here.

(Update: Links above no longer work, as noticed August 29, 2008--new links to CCG vessels are here.)

Some more marine news from the budget:

Marine Security—Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway

The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway region is a key economic region with several international bridges and tunnels. It is a high marine security priority for both Canada and the United States. This area is also heavily travelled by both small pleasure craft and large commercial vessels.

In 2005, an interim Marine Security Operations Centre in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway region was established. Budget 2008 provides $15 million over two years to establish a permanent facility. The operations centre will help departments and agencies work collaboratively to collect, analyze and share information on marine and transborder traffic that is important to the security of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway region. A permanent operations centre will also allow representatives from provincial/municipal and United States law enforcement agencies to participate.

More on the current two Marine Security Operations Centres here.