Evidence of meeting #19 for Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was training.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Principal, IPA Group
If I could add, that's what we see as a major advantage of our video-driven--Dari, Pashto, Kadu, Tajik, or whatever is required--training programs: that you don't have to read.
5:10 p.m.
Principal, IPA Group
It's not all visual, but you could certainly adapt it to dealing with a more illiterate audience. As we all know, people who fight illiteracy aren't stupid; they just can't read. You have to cater to that or you will lose them.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
I've heard from both of you that you haven't encountered much of it in the NDS. In the other institutions it may be a more prevalent problem, but there are ways of dealing with it.
5:10 p.m.
Principal, IPA Group
With Ambassador Hoffmann's encouragement we had very preliminary discussions with ANP. They saw the program as being applicable to training ANP, but to use their wording it would have to be “dumbed down” for ANP personnel.
As Geoffrey was saying, the fundamental models are pictured in a video. If you can reduce the three-syllable words in the presentation and make the slides a little simpler, I think the message would be easily communicated to an illiterate person.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Mr. Luxton, you talked about the developing threat, spy versus spy, and being able to stay one step ahead. How are we doing in staying a step ahead, and how important is that?
5:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Allen Vanguard Corporation
We can certainly see, through the accomplishments of NATO forces in protecting themselves against this threat, that quite dramatic progress has been made over the years. This is now a continuing but highly managed threat among NATO forces.
That same kind of capability can certainly be put in place for indigenous forces. It's not there today, by a long stretch. There's some very rudimentary work, but a whole program of activity needs to be undertaken to transfer that capability from ISAF forces to the Afghan forces. We certainly know, from the successes with NATO forces in countering IEDs, how to counter that threat, and it is eminently doable.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
A lot of the IED threat is pretty low-tech. Is that a fair statement?
5:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Allen Vanguard Corporation
It can be very low-tech, but that doesn't mean it's easy to defeat. Sometimes, because it can be low-tech, it's that much more effective. It doesn't give you easily discernible signatures. They're not easy to find. That is why it takes a lot of clubs in the golf bag to be able to play this counter-IED game.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Yes, and I guess that's my point. We actually need higher tech to deal with the lower-tech stuff because it is difficult to detect.
5:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Allen Vanguard Corporation
There is a certain amount of this that requires some technology. It's technology anybody can use and is teachable. It can be absorbed by indigenous forces in Afghanistan. There are techniques and procedures that go with it as well. With the right techniques and procedures, IEDs get found. With the right techniques and procedures, if you have the equipment they get neutralized after they're found. With a bit more technology and training, the IED network becomes understood and is mapped. Then the IED network can be neutralized.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
We thank you very much for coming before this committee. We're sorry for the interruption, but we appreciate what you have relayed to us.
We're going to suspend for a minute and then go in camera.
[Proceedings continue in camera]