Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Conference of Defence Associations is grateful for this opportunity to participate in these consultations.
Firstly, allow me to say that the Conference of Defence Associations is pleased with the manner in which the Government of Canada has responded to two of the priorities for funding which we identified in our April submission to Minister Flaherty. The provision of an additional $1.3 billion to improve the funding of ongoing operations in 2006-2007 is in line with our recommendations.
Similarly, the approval in principle for projects to deal with our immediate capital requirements and well-known deficiencies in strategic and tactical lift, is also in line with our recommendations.
Now that the most immediate requirements have been dealt with, the Conference of Defence Associations wishes to turn to the planning and funding of the future force, in the context of the continuing rust-out of critical capabilities due to aging of equipment.
As the tables in the formal statement put before you today indicate, only one of the five most important naval platforms is under half of its life expectancy, as measured by Treasury Board mandated service lives. Two are already beyond their Treasury Board service lives.
The army has only 4 of its 11 major platforms with over half their life expectancy left, and 3 are beyond the end of their service lives, though one of these will be replaced in the projects cited above.
The air force is in even worse shape—with all but one of their eight major platforms beyond the end of their service lives, though the projects cited above will replace three fleets.
Mr. Chairman, the Conference of Defence Associations believes that the publication of a comprehensive defence capability plan, which looks beyond the current five-year, 2006-11 budget window, and which is supported by a meaningful defence capability financial plan that includes financial allocations and growth, is absolutely critical to the rehabilitation and preservation of Canada's defence and security requirements.
To conclude, Mr. Chairman, the CDA estimates that the government needs to assign at least 1.3% of GDP to defence needs from 2011 to 2020 if it is to ensure that Canada is able to replace its major capabilities and has a viable future force with a three-ocean navy, a robust army, and a revitalized air force.
Again, Chairman, the CDA is grateful for this opportunity to appear before your committee.
Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I am now going to hand over to Colonel Brian MacDonald, an analyst with the Conference of Defence Associations, who will be able to answer your questions. Thank you.
Thank you very much.