Canada orders 7 patrol ships, but are they the best for Arctic waters?

Analysis: Canada's Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) have been in the pipeline for five years. Now, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has signed a CAN $9.3 million contract with the Nova Scotia-based Irving Shipbuilding to begin work on the vessels.
It's an important first step, as for a while the number of AOPS that Canada would acquire was in flux.
However, the amount of money represented by the contract is quite small, as the ships are estimated to cost $3.1 billion to acquire and a another $4.3 billion to maintain. With the funding from the initial contract, Irving Shipbuilding will review the existing blueprints for the AOPS and begin working on an execution strategy.
As part of Canada's National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, Irving Shipbuilding received a $25 billion contract to perform work on 21 large combat vessels. Vancouver Shipyards will construct seven large non-combat vessels under an $8 billion agreement.

Canada First defense strategy

In a press release, Defense Minister Peter McKay stated, "This strategic relationship with Canadian shipyards will help us deliver on our commitment to the Canada First Defence Strategy, and enable us to provide our Navy with the modern ships they need to defend Canada's interests at home and abroad. Canada has the longest coastline of any nation on Earth and these new ships will allow the Royal Canadian Navy to enforce Canada's northern sovereignty."

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