Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll try to be just as succinct and cover some new material.
Members of the committee, chers collègues, it's always a pleasure to be here with Minister Cannon, Canada's Chief of Defence Staff, General Walt Natynczyk, and all of you to discuss recent developments concerning Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
I had the opportunity to return to Afghanistan recently with Minister Blackburn and General Natynczyk. This was a visit that I would describe as extraordinary, remarkable in terms of various areas of progress we witnessed. While we were there, perhaps the most noticeable area in which we noted improvement was in the area of training. We visited the junior officer staff course in Kabul, which is a key component of Canada's efforts to build the capacities of the Afghan national security forces, both police and army. We also toured a site where a new Canadian-funded facility is being built to facilitate the course itself.
We went to Camp Nathan Smith, where our Provincial Reconstruction Team provides essential training to members of the Afghan Police Force, correctional services, and the judicial system. This location has literally been the epicentre of Canada's efforts at reconstruction and development, but is also a key point for training in the country.
The efforts of our whole-of-government team to help Afghans build stronger institutions and more effective governance mechanisms are quite admirable. And it's always an honour and a privilege—each time—to see first hand the amazing work that our men and women in uniform—and their civilian counterparts—are carrying out on behalf of our country. Their dedication to the mission is truly remarkable. They all share an unswerving desire to make things better and to truly improve the lives of Afghans.
We had a chance to meet directly with the representative of Canada in Kandahar, Tim Martin, who gave an exceptional brief and an overview of some of the positive changes he has witnessed in his time at the PRT, along with Bill Harris, who was the United States senior representative. They have been working very closely, along with, of course, our military personnel, including Dean Milner.
This committee knows well, and having been to Afghanistan yourselves, that the parliamentary motion requires us to prepare for the drawdown of our forces at the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan. General Natynczyk will speak directly to mission transition and logistics in a moment.
Having said that, the men and women of the Canadian Forces are as committed as ever to their tasks and the whole-of-government effort. We do have, after all, nine months ahead of us and there has been great cooperation, and I would describe it as exceptional motivation, witnessed by the forces there.
Our mission in Afghanistan is going through a critical phase, and important developments can be expected in the coming months. We often hear phrases such as “tipping points”, “leaning forward”, and “front foot”, and we are seeing initiative taken by coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan. We heard that from people as high in the chain of command as General Petraeus, but throughout our visit we spoke with senior members of the Canadian Forces and senior Afghans in leadership positions.
The Canadian Forces will remain fully engaged in conducting the vital security component of the Afghan mission until July 2011. That's nine months out. So crucial work lies ahead, and a lot will be demanded of our men and women in uniform, those currently on rotation and those training to go into theatre.
The ISAF mission, the international development efforts, and the Government of Afghanistan are increasingly focusing on the training and the mentoring of the Afghan national security forces, and as the latest quarterly report on the mission noted, important progress is being achieved in that regard. I know props are not proper, but I would commend this as good reading for all members of the committee and all Canadians, in fact. This quarterly report sets out, in a very straightforward way, the progress that has been made, but I'll focus in on the training part.
Along with our ISAF partners, we are increasingly concentrating on developing strong and sustainable leadership within the Afghan national security forces through our training and mentoring efforts. And by mentoring I mean shoulder to shoulder with Afghans in the planning, conducting, and completing of important military operations.
The Afghan National Army is expanding in size and competence, and more Afghans are expressing their confidence in this key national institution. And anecdotally, we heard of how in many of the villages where Afghan soldiers patrol, with the support of Canadian Forces, they are getting key information. Key intelligence is being shared with them, which helps to prevent, interrupt, and predict Taliban attacks.
For example, we are hearing that the Canadian Forces are now mentoring a full brigade of 4,500 personnel. This is part of the ANA's 205th Corps and considered one of the most operationally experienced and active brigades of the entire Afghan National Army. So we are working with one of the most professional and competent brigades in the country.
A well-led, well-trained, and well-equipped Afghan National Army is essential for the security and ensuring the future of a democratic Afghanistan. The expression that you around the table have probably heard is “No training, no transition”. This has been an enduring theme in Afghanistan recently and a common refrain. Given them the capacity, give them the professionalism, and they will be able to do what we do.
Ongoing operations—often jointly conducted by ISAF, the Canadian Forces and their Afghan counterparts—are seriously disrupting the insurgency. And the size of protected population areas is growing across Kandahar. Minister Cannon and I met with some of our counterparts from NATO countries a little less than two weeks ago. We can assure you that there is firm resolve across the alliance and confidence that operations in Afghanistan are going in the right direction. And, that our allies and partners are as committed as we are to the success of the mission.
Mr. Chair, the men and women of the Canadian Forces continue to accomplish extraordinary things in Afghanistan. Without sounding perhaps maudlin, I believe they're a shining example of our generation and they build on the traditions that our country has committed to in the past to bring compassion, constructive engagement in building security through active military cooperation with countries, but also this whole-of-government approach, which is being emulated, in fact, by other countries.
Although the situation in Afghanistan remains complex and challenging and fluid, I believe we are beginning to see success taking form. I believe there is a shared, cautious optimism, which the allies and the Afghans are expressing, and we certainly saw tangible evidence of it during our visit.
We are members of a select group of countries that are doing a lot of the heavy lifting in this country, something Canadians can be very proud of. The highest compliment you can pay to a Canadian soldier is to thank them and to remind them that they are keeping faith with previous generations who have contributed in conflicts in Europe, places such as Korea, and around the globe, where Canadian soldiers have distinguished themselves always.
I thank you and I look forward to your questions.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.