Editing Geoff Hoon (section)

===HMCS ''Chicoutimi'' comments===
In 1998, Canada purchased four [[Upholder/Victoria-class submarine|''Upholder''-class submarines]] and a suite of trainers from the [[Royal Navy]] to replace their decommissioned [[Oberon-class submarine|''Oberon''-class submarines]]. The ''Upholder'' class entered Royal Navy service from 1990 to 1993 at the end of the [[Cold War]], and were deemed surplus as part of the [[Peace Dividend]] and refocus on a nuclear submarine fleet. They were placed into storage until Canada purchased them.

On 5 October 2004 [[HMCS Chicoutimi (SSK 879)|HMCS ''Chicoutimi'']], sailing from [[Faslane Naval Base]] to Nova Scotia, declared an emergency northwest of Ireland following a fire on board.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3719760.stm|title=Rescue ship reaches sub crew|work=[[BBC News]]|date=7 October 2004}}</ref> The fire was caused by seawater entering through open hatches in rough seas; an inquiry established later that this was an "incorrect operating procedure". It soaked electrical insulation (which had not been sufficiently waterproofed since it conformed to an older specification than the three other submarines), starting a fire. The ''Chicoutimi'' lost power and wallowed in the seas NW of Ireland. An Irish Naval vessel was damaged by the heavy seas when trying to get to the ''Chicoutimi'' but another the LÉ ''Aoife'' was able to reach her and took over from British [[Royal Navy]] frigates [[HMS Montrose (F236)|HMS ''Montrose'']] and [[HMS Marlborough (F233)|''Marlborough'']] as the scene coordinator on the 6th of October. Three crewmen were airlifted to Sligo General Hospital in Ireland where Lt(N) Chris Saunders died subsequently from the effects of smoke inhalation.

Following claims made in the Canadian media about the cause of the fire, blaming the UK for supplying an unsafe vessel, Hoon accompanied his condolences for Saunders by stating that Canada would be charged for the rescue and stating that Canada as the [[caveat emptor|buyer had to beware]]. In Canada, many [[World War II]] veterans were outraged by his comments, considering Canada's sacrifice for Britain during both World Wars.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20041018/sub_inquiry_041017?hub=EdmontonHome/feed/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706175250/http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20041018/sub_inquiry_041017?hub=EdmontonHome/feed/|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 July 2011|title=Chicoutimi fire could have been worse: report|publisher=[[CTV News]]|date=18 October 2004|access-date=3 September 2010}}</ref>