National Defence Committee on Oct. 29th, 2009

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

I beg to differ with my colleague. I think it's important to have these meetings in public, so that the public can hear what the security people are doing and how they're doing it. If they want to tell us anything that might jeopardize security, then we can go in camera. I would rather have the option of having it open. I agree with the concern, but if security issues prevent them from giving us the answer in public, we can go in camera.

The operating principle that we should have is that the public has the right to know. If it doesn't have the right to know, then we have to tell the public why.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Chair, at the same time, members of Parliament have the right to know, and if that is the case, then we should have two different meetings. In principle, it's fine to have public information, of course, but that's not the issue. The issue is if Mr. Bachand or anyone in here is asking a question, and we're told no because of security concerns, then that goes back to the whole issue of section 37 and 38. But the reality is that this information needs to be known. If there are reasons in camera why we cannot be told, then I guess we'll have to deal with it.

I want to register my concern. I think it is important that the public is certainly aware, but you know they're not the only ones who will be watching what it is we're talking about. I think it is important that we have that information.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Thank you.

Mr. Bachand?

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

If we held a sitting in camera, would you be able to say more? Some people are saying that you can't. They also say that you wouldn't talk, even under torture. I would like to know whether it would be useful to request an in camera meeting. Would you be able to speak more freely to security issues like those I raised earlier?

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Monsieur Elcock, can you answer that?

[Ward Elcock]

Mr. Chairman, that's a hard question to answer in the hypothetical, not knowing precisely what questions people might want to ask. And I've never been faced with torture yet, so I haven't actually had to decide what I would choose to do, although some people might describe some things as torture that I don't recognize as torture.

It is difficult. I think the reality for us is that in some respects it is easier to have discussions without cameras in the room, but the reality of the complexity of security and the real detail of security—whether it's in camera or not in camera—are issues we would not want to discuss. They're very closely held. It's important that we protect them. After the event they become less crucial, but prior to the event they're crucial.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Thank you, Mr. Elcock.

I will give the floor to Mr. Storseth.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I have a couple of questions I want to ask the witnesses.

I think this is, and will continue to be, a proud moment for our security services in our country, and furthermore for our country as a whole, as we get to display Canada's abilities not only to host, but to host a secure Olympics.

I would like to ask you a couple of quick questions. First, can you tell me approximately how many different countries or international security services or groups you're having to coordinate with for these Olympics?

[Ward Elcock]

There are about 80 countries who come to the Olympics. Every single one of those countries has a police force or an intelligence service or something. The reality is that we will be working with all of those security organizations of all those countries to try to ensure for their athletes a secure games.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Will each and every one of them have individual needs and wants?

[Ward Elcock]

Most teams come with a security team or security representative, so we'll be working with them.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

It's fair to say then that this isn't just about Canada and the United States. This is about Canada and the world, even when it comes to security services.

[Ward Elcock]

Given that it is an international event involving a lot of other countries, there are lot of other people we'll be working with. Obviously the security partnership between Canada and the United States is a very close one, but there are a number of others, as you say, we'll be working with.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Definitely, and it's one we're proud of.

Has there been any specialized linguistic and cultural training for security managers and experts, given that there are going to be 80 different countries coming? I'm assuming that there is some specialized linguistic training that has occurred.

[A/Commr Pat McDonell]

In the RCMP, there hasn't been any special linguistic training, but what we've done is identify people with two, three, or four or more languages from our services and other police services. What the mobilization coordinators will do, or are attempting to do, is place them in a position to interact with the public and also identify through a label what languages they speak.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

So I'm assuming that French will be one of the languages we'll be able to look after at the games?

[Ward Elcock]

Absolutely.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Excellent.

I want to talk a bit about the process. First, I do have concerns about the housing for our military forces personnel and our RCMP officers. I understand the logistics of this is a problem, and obviously finding adequate housing resources can be a challenge, but I also want to be assured they will be having good standards. This is going to be an experience of a lifetime for them as well.

If we still had CFB Chilliwack open, would that not help the situation somewhat?

[A/Commr Pat McDonell]

I talked earlier about the facilities in Whistler. The facilities in Vancouver are somewhat different. As well as hotels, we're also on the accommodation vessels. There will be three accommodation vessels shared by us, the police officers from the RCMP, 118 other police forces, and the Canadian Forces. Those vessels meet the same standard as a hotel: the rooms and the accommodation throughout. Meals will be served there also.

[VAdm Bruce Donaldson]

And if I may, Mr. Chairman, we're used to living in subtly different conditions from other folks, and I would characterize the accommodation we have for the games as being very good. They will allow people to stay focused on the task. They will not be spending an inordinate amount of time surviving, which is what we do in some other environments. We are partnering with the RCMP to make use of some facilities in Chilliwack for some of our folks. So it works just as well as it would have in that respect.

We have a number of different sites. We've contracted accommodation support in around eleven sites, I think, either in living trailers in camps or with forestry services in the winter forestry tents and tent villages they construct. So I would say the standard of accommodation for the Canadian Forces is very good. We look after our people. Other people may not volunteer to stay there, but it works very well for us.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Excellent. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Thank you very much.

I want to thank our witnesses for being with us this morning. Thank you, Mr. Elcock, Mr. McDonell, Mr. Donaldson. I'm sure it is very useful for the members of this committee.

Thank you very much for being here with us today.

I am now going to suspend our proceedings for six minutes.