Canada's navy will not shift control of its ships on the West Coast from CFB Esquimalt to Halifax if the Conservatives are re-elected, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday.

"If re-elected, our government will not be taking this action. I will not allow this move. The command and control of the Pacific fleet will stay in the Pacific, at Esquimalt," Harper said in a statement.

He was responding to navy discussions about moving the command and control of the Pacific fleet from Esquimalt to Halifax in an effort to find efficiencies and save money.

Under the proposal, some top command and operational jobs at CFB Esquimalt would go to Halifax.

Premier Christy Clark spoke against the plan on Wednesday.

The premier said she immediately called Ottawa when she learned about the proposal. "I was delighted when I communicated my concerns to the Prime Minister's Office and immediately heard back that they agree that the Pacific command will remain in Esquimalt," Clark said.

"The prime minister has said it's not going to happen and I believe him when he says it," she said.

Canada's navy on the West Coast is responsible for covering 1.7 million square kilometres of the northeast Pacific Ocean, operating frigates, a destroyer and other coastal defence vessels.

Navy officials say a number of proposals are being considered. "We are investigating the reorganization of the navy and how we do business but we're still in the developmental stage," said navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Brian Owens.

ceharnett@timescolonist.com