Evidence of meeting #105 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was arctic.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
It is.
The second question is with respect to the radar AIS ADS-B, as well as the shore-based and ship-based radar. Are they integrated? When you are looking at your automatic dependence surveillance system, your automatic intelligence surveillance system, as well as the shore-based and ship-based radar, are they in fact integrated?
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We have what we call the marine domain awareness that integrates all of those feeds into a single system.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
That's, in fact, what I'm getting at—the marine domain system.
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Right.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Third, with respect to automation and analytics, do you have the ability to collect historical marine traffic to support future planning?
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That is correct. We can provide statistics on that.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Fourth is with respect to big data and, of course, with that, complex event alerting and interactive analytics. Do you have those abilities through this system as well?
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I'm not sure about the term you're using.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Essentially, when you look at complex event alerting and interactive analytics when it comes to shipping and/or movement that happens within the area over time, do you have that ability to actually collect that data, analyze it and, of course, once again make that planning not only in current time but well into the future?
Director General, Marine Safety and Security, Department of Transport
Yes. There's a group at Transport Canada whose responsibility is transportation system data analytics. That's one of their major roles. It's multi-modal. Obviously, it's done for all the different domains because it's obviously integral to our having sufficient information to look at the economic side of our mandate, as opposed to the regulatory side.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Again, this is where I'm going with this. When you look at not just the shipping part of it but also the environmental part of it, high resolution radar imagery actually shows different things that happen not just with shipping but also with ice movement and things that can actually impact on safety, especially when you have cruise ships and other traffic in that area. Do you have the ability, through this system, to actually show the high resolution radar imaging of not only the ice movement but also the texture of the ice within a 24-hour period?
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That is correct. We do receive imagery and we also share that with the industries that use the waters. We also have specialized radar on ships that can detect different kinds of ice and the consistency of the ice.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
I mentioned earlier the shore-based as well as on-vessel, and, of course, with you folks it's all integrated.
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes. We have the marine security operations centres as well that have all those feeds and can integrate those.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Looking at forecasting, with wind changes, ice formations, movement, etc., is that all built into the system as well?
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Environment Canada collects all the data relating to forecast, conditions and weather, and they provide that information to us as well.
Liberal
Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
In asking these questions I have to be very up front, because we have a company in our area called Accipiter Radar, down in Niagara, that is actually looking at a lot of this technology. I know it sometimes might be a nuisance for you guys to be called out here to be witnesses, but all we're trying to do is to find methods and mechanisms that we can help you put in place and invest in for future growth in this area, whether it's security, tourism, the economy, or of course, the infrastructure investments that have to be made moving forward, based on your recommendations.
Second to that, we have people in our own areas of the world that can actually add this infrastructure, taking it to 2018 and beyond. We can help you out in that regard, so you guys can do your jobs a heck of a lot easier than in the past.
With that, I'll ask if you have any more comments you want to make before I end my time.
You're all good.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Nault
Colleagues, that wraps up our discussion with transport, coast guard and defence. We very much appreciate this.
As you know, we're speaking of a significant part of Canada's geography. It means a lot. Some of us are an exception and have spent quite a bit of time in the far Arctic, but most Canadians have not. This is an important opportunity, through a study, to flesh out a bit what is going on in the Arctic from your perspective and with regard to sovereignty. I really appreciate the time you've given us today, and I look forward to speaking to you more once the committee gets up north.
On behalf of the committee, thank you very much. We've very much enjoyed the opportunity.
Colleagues, I'm going to wrap it up. I wanted to let you know that today is my last meeting as your chair. I will be doing some other things. I'm going to join the Green Party.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Nault
I wanted to say thank you. It's been three good years. I look forward to seeing you in the House and talking about other things. I wanted you all to know firsthand, before even my constituents find out that I'm doing something else.
Thank you very much. It's nice to see all of you.
Conservative
Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON
Mr. Chair, as vice-chair of this committee—and my other vice-chair is not here, although Daniel is doing his best to fill in for her—I want to say thanks.
We've crossed swords a few times, but it's always been done with respect. I'm sorry to hear of this development. We'll miss your wealth of information. Hopefully you'll treasure that artwork we got you in Vietnam as a nice memory of this time on committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Nault
It will be close to my mantle somewhere.
Thank you very much, Mr. O'Toole.
Thank you to everyone. I very much appreciate your time.
The meeting is adjourned.