Mr. Chair and members of the committee, good morning.
My name is Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny, and I am the commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and the chief of air force staff. As a senior air force officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, I am an adviser to the chief of the defence staff on matters regarding air and space military capabilities to meet Canada’s defence objectives.
I am happy to be here again today to answer questions you may have regarding the Royal Canadian Air Force's role in providing air transport for the travel that is the subject of the committee’s study.
Upon request, the RCAF will provide safe, secure and reliable air transport, including for the Prime Minister and Governor General.
As a responsible steward of government finances, the RCAF continues to look for ways to find efficiencies in the services it provides.
Since I last appeared in September, my team has continued working with officials from Global Affairs Canada to identify efficiencies and to reduce catering costs associated with the transport of government officials.
I am pleased with the progress that has come from our ongoing collaboration, which I anticipate will result in a reduction in catering costs moving forward.
International travel will continue to be subjected to the high costs associated with aviation. This includes airport taxes and handling fees, as well as the services provided by airport catering companies globally. Nevertheless, the Royal Canadian Air Force will work in concert with our partner departments to implement changes where we can with a view to maintaining the safety and security of our passengers.
I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today and remain available to answer any questions you might have.
Thank you.