A A

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said he’s not concerned about delays in the construction of Canada’s six Arctic and offshore patrol vessels.

“What I’m more concerned about is making sure that the the delivery of what we get, is up to the quality that we need,” Sajjan told reporters Friday in Halifax.

“So the schedule will change, sometimes it will move faster, sometimes things will change. I’m OK with that. What I’m more concerned about is getting the quality and the quality that I have seen here is absolutely impressive.”

Sajjan was at the Irving Company’s Halifax Shipyard to announce construction would begin immediately on Canada’s fourth Arctic patrol ship, HMCS William Hall, calling it an “exciting day for the navy.”

The William Hall is named after the first African-Canadian winner of the Victoria Cross. Hall was born in Horton Bluff, now Lockhartville, in the Annapolis Valley in 1829.

The decision in November to build a sixth vessel forced an adjustment to production timeline and “will gradually extend the delivery of each subsequent ship,” the Defence Department said in a news release.

Construction of the first vessel began in 2015. But HMCS Harry DeWolf will be finished on schedule this summer despite the new timeline.

The sixth vessel is slated to be finished in 2024.

“The Government of Canada continues to work closely with the shipyard to identify solutions that could help further mitigate the remaining gap,” the release said.

But Sajjan said he was pleased with the progress on the vessels.

“The work is going to get better, it’s going to be more efficient because we’re going to be able to learn as we’re moving along,” he said.

“That’s exactly what . . . the national construction is about, creating skills and those job opportunities for Canadians,” he added. “While at the same time our No. 1 priority, which is to making sure that our Canadian armed forces have all the tools necessary.”

After his speech Friday, Sajjan spoke with a group from Pathways to Shipbuilding for African Nova Scotians, a program run by the Irving Company.

“William Hall, who the ship is named after, did he ever think that the legacy that he started after winning Victoria Cross that he would break down these barriers?” he told reporters after meeting the group.

“I told those [apprentices] as well, that they are going to be talked about in the same way the barriers that they’re breaking down and the inspiration they’re creating,” Sajjan said. “So this is even just much more than just ships, it’s about creating a very inclusive society that’s going to benefit all Canadians.”