Minister Blair to visit Halifax, Nova Scotia to discuss Our North, Strong and Free and launch construction on the Canadian Surface Combatant fleet

June 25, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, will visit Halifax from June 27 to June 28, 2024 to discuss Canada’s defence policy update, Our North, Strong and Free, launch construction on the Canadian Surface Combatant project – the largest Canadian shipbuilding initiative since the Second World War, and meet with members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Nova Scotian shipbuilders and aerospace workers.

Note: All times local.

June 27, 2024 

8:30 am – Minister Blair will deliver remarks about Canada’s defence policy update, Our North, Strong and Free, to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. After the Minister’s speech, he will participate in a fireside chat with Patrick Sullivan, President and CEO of the Halifax Chamber. Following the fireside chat, Minister Blair will be available to scrum with reporters.

• Open coverage
• Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Media should register with Quinn Anderson at quinn@halifaxchamber.com to receive further details and confirm their attendance.
• Further details are available here. 

June 28, 2024

11:00 am – Minister Blair, Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, and Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, will mark the beginning of construction on the new Canadian Surface Combatant fleet – the largest shipbuilding initiative in Canada since the Second World War.

• Open coverage
• Location: Irving Halifax Shipyard, 3099 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Media should register with Mel Schori at Schori.Mel@irvingshipbuilding.com or contact Mel at 902-266-8003.
• Media representatives covering the event are asked to arrive at the main entrance of Irving Shipbuilding Inc. no later than 10:30 a.m. (ADT) and to submit a valid government photo ID to be admitted into the shipyard.
• Further details on the Canadian Surface Combatant project are available here.