Thank you.
Good day, Mr. Chair.
First I want to say that it's an honour for me to be invited to speak to you about the Canadian Forces' preparations for the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games security between January and March of 2010. I am very pleased to do this.
I have prepared a very short brief describing the types of activities in which we are taking part, the planning underway, schedule of main activities and an overview of the operational structure in which security planning is taking place. However, first of all, I believe it would be proper to speak about the context in which operations are occurring and the way in which, internally, controls are continuing to be developed and expanded.
To be clear, the RCMP is the organization responsible for planning and implementing security operations for the games, and the Canadian Forces are providing support.
This is not a unique circumstance. In fact, the Canadian Forces contribute to security efforts and logistics support for most major national special events, working in support of the RCMP or other law enforcement agencies. We did so for the Montreal Olympics in 1976 and for Calgary in 1988.
Today is different, because the need for security is of heightened concern, and the means by which it is assured are more complex and comprehensive than was the case before. The importance of security and of having confidence that we do it well is perhaps best expressed not by those of us charged with the task but by others who have been seized by its importance, certainly for the Olympics.
Dr. Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, made the following statement three months after Vancouver was awarded the games:
The games have survived many things, from boycotts to organization that was not as good as it should have been. ... But we have to ensure that there are no security breaches and that is why I put security at the top of the list of priorities.
Clearly, security is an important responsibility of the host country. However, we understand that all eyes must remain on the sporting events and the athletes. Ensuring this balance between adequate preparation and the guarantee that this preparation will have no impact on the normal and smooth operation of such events is at the heart of a modern approach to defence and security planning in Canada.
Over the past few years, we have implemented a much more exhaustive security architecture and it was used during the G8 Summit in 2002, at the 2007 North American Leaders' Summit and at the Francophonie Summit last year. Those experiences were enriching for us all.
The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games represent a complex challenge in terms of security. They are not the first, but they will help to reinforce an architecture through a government-wide approach that will allow us to achieve the desired results, meaning safe games.
The Canadian Forces and the unique capabilities that we provide form part of that effect. I talk to you today in response to your request for information, but I do so as the commander of Canada Command, a relatively new organizational structure of the Canadian Forces and one specifically created to support delivery of the effect I've just described.
Certainly for the first time in our history, and in underscoring a “Canada first” approach to operations, all CF domestic operations are placed under a single commander, and at present I have both that privilege and responsibility. So if you have questions, I am the individual either to give you the answers you need, to find the answer if I don't have it, or to tell you why your question can't be answered.
I would now ask that you turn your attention to the slides before you, which I have prepared for your reference as an overview of Canadian Forces support to the security requirements of the games, showing how our activities come about and how they are embedded within an integrated security approach.
As you can see on slide 2, the involvement of the CF in supporting both the planning and conduct of security operations in Vancouver results from a formal request by the Minister of Public Safety to the Minister of National Defence, which occurred in August of 2007. The list you have before you is of those general military capabilities that are being provided in response to that request and in support of the RCMP.
Based on that response, the next slide shows the intent of the Chief of Defence Staff. He identifies the priority of the mission and the general scope of the military contribution. His intent also notes the requirement to sustain appropriate readiness to support other domestic needs should these arise elsewhere in the country. And, finally, it defines and tasks his direct subordinate commanders--me and the commander of NORAD.
As I said in the introductory remarks, this operation is undeniably complex, but it does afford significant opportunity for us to plan, practise, and conduct it in a more comprehensive manner than was the case in the past. This truly is a whole-of-government effort that is improving governance structure and planning amongst departments, as well as with our U.S. partners, and one that is moving us all to a more considered and deliberate method of preparing for special security events of this or a similar nature.
The role of the Canadian Forces and of the Department of National Defence in doing that is appreciable, but it is guided by these two specific limitations. I've already mentioned them, but they bear repeating. We are in a support role to a lead agency, the RCMP, which sets the security requirements. Our contribution and certainly the physical presence of the CF and the action we take will be low profile.
The next slide is really just to show you the organizational structure that is in place for Vancouver 2010 at the federal level. It may be of use in focusing some of the questions you have with respect to the whole-of-government effort of which I've spoken.
The slide after that then relates to the ground and shows how it has been divided by the RCMP into two distinct areas of operation or responsibility, which are referred to on the slide as AORs. These are the Vancouver area, which encompasses the greater Vancouver regional district and all of the venues that are identified in the lower left corner of that slide, as well as the Cypress Mountain area on the north shore of Vancouver; and the Whistler AOR, which contains the venues not only in the community of Whistler itself but also in the Callaghan Valley to the west and along the length of the Sea-to-Sky Highway on the east side of Howe Sound, through Squamish, Whistler, and on to Pemberton.
My final slide shows the timeline of preparation and when the Olympic and Paralympic games will occur. The countdown clock is right across the street, and I'm sure you see that every day. We're now at 347 days to go. This also shows the major Government of Canada exercises that are getting us ready and when they occur. We have completed Exercise Bronze. That was done last year as a regional table-top exercise to establish a common baseline understanding of what departmental plans are required and what linkages must be established between them.
Exercise Silver then occurred last month. That was a major live play of numerous security injects to stress procedures and to afford the opportunity to modify and refine plans as required. This was the largest whole-of-government exercise ever conducted in Canada. It came hard on the heels of Exercise Bronze and was deliberately set so as to replicate the conditions that will exist during the games: winter in the Lower Mainland of the west coast and in the sea and air approaches.
Exercise Gold, which will occur in November, will be a validation exercise to confirm we all have it right, we being the whole-of-government structure that will be deployed to ensure a safe and secure games.
I would now be pleased to answer your questions. You have before you some slides that you could consult for your information or, if you wish, to help you formulate your questions.
