National Defence committee  First, we have a very good understanding of what is ongoing and what's happening, driven in large part by the relationships we have across the western hemisphere, and not just with U.S. NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM, but with different federal departments. The Department of Public Safety

National Defence committee  I would draw your attention to the fact that we had that case this spring, when we were fighting floods in two different areas, in both the province of Quebec and the province of Manitoba, and it proved extremely successful. We've never had to be involved in an either/or discus

National Defence committee  That would have come from the province. In the end, the province decides how to use the assets and resources available based on the criteria in place. The commander of joint task force west was in Edmonton, flew to Winnipeg, and worked closely with the province. At that time the

National Defence committee  First, there were no predictions about the level of activity we had over the last year, not just here at home but around the world, when you see what is going on with natural disasters and the like. At Canada Command we track the natural disasters that happen around the world. Th

National Defence committee  We have a framework that clearly says that for any issues, challenges, threats, or hazards that evolve in Canada, the entire Canadian Forces are available to the Chief of the Defence Staff for any of those issues. It is not just the ready duty ships, the aircraft and personnel th

National Defence committee  If there were a crisis somewhere across Canada, first, at the municipal level, municipal first responders would try to deal with the issue. If they wouldn't or couldn't and can't, then the province or territory would be asked to come in. If a province can't or doesn't have the su

National Defence committee  There is a set of criteria laid down from the federal government and from the Department of Public Safety of when federal assets would be used. For example, one of those is would we be competing with local businesses. Clearly, it's the last thing, I think, Canadians would want, t

National Defence committee  Thank you. When we look at major threats, it comes back to the definition of a threat. Clearly, every nation needs to be prepared, and I think Canadians would expect Canada's military to be prepared as a force of last resort to deal with any threat or hazard that could happen. W

National Defence committee  I remind the committee that you'll have other force employers here. Our job as force employers is not to figure out what's coming next; it's to take what we have today and be able to use it. So when it comes to the F-35, it's a question that you're going to have to pose to the Ch

National Defence committee  In short, Canada Command is ready as a force employer. If you look at the last year in particular, it was the first time that each of our regional joint task force commanders was involved in a domestic operation. This is probably the highest tempo we've seen. And in all of those

National Defence committee  What is quite critical to all that we do across Canada is sustainment, and sustainment is all about support. That's to ensure that as we have men and women on the ground in uniform doing what they have to do, they have the accommodations, the food—all the support and medical supp

National Defence committee  From a military perspective, we turn to whichever of the regional joint task force commanders is responsible. One is responsible for B.C. and he's located in Esquimalt. Another is responsible for the west and he's located in Edmonton, so he's got Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba.

National Defence committee  If I can provide a framework, when you look at the need for situational awareness, the framework is that it's not just these unattended aerial vehicles that are flying around. At the top you would need satellites, because it's very much a layered approach. You would need satellit

National Defence committee  If I can provide a context to this first, remember the Canadian Forces have men and women in uniform in Comox, Esquimalt, and Vancouver. There are regular and reserve forces throughout that area--navy, army, and air force. In the case of a domestic response, not just land forces

National Defence committee  It's a question that will have to be posed to the new chief of military personnel. I haven't been in that portfolio for about a year and a half, and I'm not very current on the details or the facts. Secondly, I can tell you from a bilingual point of view that the leadership of