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Pop quiz: Of the five major imminent Canadian defence procurements hailed in the Harper government’s Canada First Defence Strategy in 2008, how many have come to fruition at this writing? Here’s a hint; the answer is less than one and can be confused with a goose egg.

Seven years on, the party that promised to sweep away the “decade of darkness” suffered by the military in the deficit-busting Liberal 1990s has precious little to show for its pledges. On the contrary, this country’s major defence hardware, in particular the floating stock of the Royal Canadian Navy, is rusted out and, literally, falling apart.

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Supply ships HMCS Protecteur and Preserver, linchpins of many a naval operation over the past four decades, have been retired, the former having caught fire early last year. HMCS Iroquois, a destroyer originally commissioned in 1972, is out of commission. And HMCS Athabaskan, the RCN’s last remaining destroyer, was recalled to port last week due to major problems with its engines and a generally alarming state of disrepair. Whether she will ever sail again on active duty is an open question.