National Defence Committee on March 21st, 2011

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Good afternoon everyone.

Welcome to the 54^th meeting of the Standing Committee on National Defence.

Further to the orders of the day, we will start off the meeting with committee business. We have a motion from the Hon. Bryon Wilfert.

Mr. Wilfert, I'll give you the floor on your motion.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you, Mr. President.

My motion reads as follows:

That the committee request that the Department of National Defence provide it with passenger manifests for all travel on Challenger aircraft by the Honourable Jason Kenney since January 1, 2007, and that this information be provided to the committee in electronic form within five calendar days.

After we deal with that, can I ask you a question, Mr. President?

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Yes.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Mr. Hawn.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We fundamentally don't have an objection to that.

On the five calendar days, I'm not sure. The manifests are probably kept by the squadron. You might ask Admiral Donaldson that. It depends on where the manifests are and where the records are. Five calendar days could certainly be what they would aim at, but I just don't know how they keep their records or how easy they would be to pull out for the last four years.

But we have no fundamental objection to the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Thank you.

Yes, Minister MacKay.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just in response to Mr. Wilfert, we of course keep detailed records of the manifests of all of the flights on the Challengers. We'll certainly undertake to have that information to the member as soon as possible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Thank you, Minister.

Yes, Mr. Wilfert.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

I have a quick question while the minister is here.

Given our current operations in Libya, I'm wondering whether this committee, after we finish Bill C-41--on Wednesday, hopefully--could get a briefing on the operation in Libya. I think it would be helpful to the members.

I'm not asking that it be the minister, but if someone could appear, we would certainly appreciate that, I'm sure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Okay. We'll come back to the committee on that request.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Merci.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Did you want to add something to your motion?

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

No, that's it. I move it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Okay.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

And now for the second part of our agenda.

Pursuant to Standing Order 81(5), we will be studying Supplementary Estimates (C) 2010-2011. We will examine votes 1c and 5c under National Defence, referred to the committee on Tuesday, February 8, 2011.

We have with us the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence.

We also have with us Kevin Lindsey, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer.

Welcome.

We have Mr. Robert Fonberg, Deputy Minister, and we have Vice-Admiral Bruce Donaldson, Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

Thank you for being with us.

Minister, I'll give you the floor for ten minutes. Thank you very much for being with the committee this afternoon.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and colleagues. I'm pleased to be with you again and to be accompanied by representatives from both the civilian and military sides of the defence department.

I'm here, as you know, to discuss the Department of National Defence supplementary estimates (C), at your request, for the fiscal year 2010-11.

You're all aware that the Canadian Forces are coming off arguably their busiest year in decades. The eyes of the world were on Canada twice in the year 2010, first at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and then for the G-8 and G-20 summits in Ontario. These, to say the least, were major events that demanded significant deployment of security and military forces. We were working closely with other agencies, most notably the RCMP and civilian and provincial police forces.

Abroad, operations in Afghanistan continued to require considerable efforts on the part of our men and women in uniform.

On top of this, we were able to deliver a quick and effective response in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, to conduct counter-piracy and counter-narcotics operations, and to contribute to several other missions worldwide.

Mr. Chair, the Canadian Forces certainly performed well over the last year. They've provided excellence in the defence of our country and have also been the de facto face of Canadian leadership on the world stage in many instances. Our military's high operational tempo was reflected in spending authorities that were requested for the Department of National Defence in supplementary estimates (C) for the year 2009-10.

When I was here to discuss spending with you almost exactly one year ago today, I mentioned spending requests for our operations to help secure the Vancouver Olympic Games sites, and for our operations in preparation for the G-8 and G-20, which I just mentioned, and of course the unexpected but critical relief efforts that occurred in Haiti, which were unbudgeted at the time.

The adjustments required this year as part of the supplementary estimates are not as considerable in terms of the amount of funds involved. They are, however, important, and I would like to briefly address what they consist of.

Mr. Chair and colleagues, the Department of National Defence requires $422,000 to enhance our ongoing maritime operation efforts in Southeast Asia. These efforts were meant to deter and to prevent known human smuggling venues, and ventures that are believed to be destined for Canada. This will be sourced from spending authorities already available within the defence appropriation.

Second, a series of transfers between departments in support of various initiatives will also take place, resulting in a net decrease--I repeat, a net decrease--of $294,000 in defence spending authorities. These transfers reflect a number of important defence- and security-related initiatives undertaken by the Department of National Defence together with other departments. They include marine security operation centres, which help improve Canada's capacity to respond to seaborne threats; a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives research and technology initiative in collaboration with other agencies, such as the RCMP, Health Canada, and Environment Canada; and the Halifax International Security Forum, organized jointly with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, or ACOA. This forum is an event that brings together leaders from around the world to discuss and to contemplate defence and security issues of mutual interest.

Mr. Chair and colleagues, there are many lessons that can be drawn from National Defence and the Canadian Forces' high operational tempo in the past year. One of them is that our military is likely to remain busy in the foreseeable future. Events in Libya and Japan are the latest demonstration that the Canadian Forces need to stand ready for all eventualities.

Clearly, Mr. Chair, the unexpected, tragic, and sometimes horrifying events that we've seen unfolding on our televisions on the nightly news were unexpected. Given Canada's role in the world, there is a certain expectation that we will participate and will come to the aid of people in need.

In the case of Libya, our military has once again responded with remarkable promptness and agility. Early in the unrest, our air force aircraft were used to evacuate Canadians and other nationals out of a dangerous situation. From Halifax, the Canadian navy deployed a frigate that is an important component of NATO's efforts to monitor developments in the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa.

On Friday of this past week, we deployed six CF-18 fighter jets to enforce the no-fly zone over Libyan airspace in accordance with the United Nations Security Council's resolution 1973. This deployment consists of 140 personnel, in addition to the 240 Canadian Forces members who are aboard HMCS Charlottetown, which is also in the region in the Mediterranean.

We've also ensured that we have Canadian Forces assets on standby to assist with relief efforts in Japan and have already dug deep within the department to cooperate with the Department of Foreign Affairs to find any and all assistance that we can make available to the people of Japan. That includes such things as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear technical expertise, emergency medical and engineering capabilities, strategic airlift, and additional personnel, all ready to contribute to helping our Japanese friends.

Also, of course, the government remains determined to provide the Canadian Forces with the capabilities they need to tackle the very complex 21st century security environment.

In conclusion, Mr. Chair, in the current fiscal situation, we dedicate continuous efforts to do all that we can while ensuring that the money is spent in a responsible, transparent, and effective way. We have a long-term plan for the modernization of the Canadian Forces, as you know, the Canada First defence strategy, which has been the subject of much discussion and debate of this committee and others. We will continue to demonstrate commitment to that plan and, most importantly, will continue to ensure, with your assistance, that the men and women of the Canadian Forces, their families, and those who serve with them have the tools they need to do the important tasks we ask of them, both at home and abroad.

I thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to your questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Thank you very much, minister.

I will now put budget allocations 1c and 5c before the committee for consideration.

I will hand the floor over to Mr. LeBlanc.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will begin with a question for the minister. Then I believe my colleague Bryon Wilfert will continue, if there is still time.

Minister, thank you for your appearance today. Thank you also for your comments in the House. Half an hour ago I watched your speech. I thought you said a lot of what many of us were thinking when we saw those events in Libya, so I commend your comments in the House half an hour ago.

My question, Minister—no surprise—will be not about the F-35 purchase. I want to ask about an issue close to your heart and mine—shipbuilding. I noticed your government has made a number of announcements, including a rather large one last summer, around a very major procurement strategy to modernize Canada's navy.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Yes, Mr. Hawn.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Not to get too fine a point, and the minister can clearly defend himself--not that this is an attack question—but we are here to talk about supplementary estimates (C). That's the purpose of the minister's visit to the committee. I would just ask members to bear that in mind.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maxime Bernier]

Point of order admissible.

Indeed, Mr. LeBlanc, I would ask that you keep your questions to the budget allocations.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Mr. Chairman, yes, I felt Laurie would correct something I've said. He's got a good habit of doing that. He sort of corrected something. Around estimates, the committee traditionally has been quite flexible. It is a spending item, and I think it's a good-news story—certainly a good-news story for our navy, and it's a good-news story for the men and women who work in shipyards around the country—so I was hoping to give the minister a chance to offer us an infomercial about his government's investment in shipbuilding.

But more seriously, Mr. Chairman, the minister perhaps could give us a sense of the timeline. I know that a lot of workers in the shipbuilding sector around the country are interested in when we could expect to see specific announcements around the designation process of different shipyards. Could the minister reassure us that in fact the timelines are on track, that he doesn't expect any slippage with respect to the procurement process?

Finally, could the minister reassure all of us that the report that some of the procurement may take place as part of a joint venture or an agreement with another country--for example the United Kingdom--is in fact speculation, and these ships would be built by Canadian workers, in Canadian yards?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank my colleague from Beauséjour for the question. I know he has a long-abiding interest in this matter and in all matters related to defence.

Yes, in fact the beginnings and the bare bones of the Canada First defence strategy as it pertains to shipbuilding sets out in some detail the number of ships that we intend to build. And I'm quick to add that those new vessels coming to Canada will be built in Canadian shipyards. They go through an itemized account of the priority we place, starting with the joint support ships. There was, as the member will know, some difficulty in the early stages of that particular procurement that caused a pause and a reset. We're now back on track.

I would also be quick to add that we've undertaken already the FELEX, which is the frigate life extension program. That work is well under way at the Irving shipyard, a company I know the member is very familiar with. That work is being done predominantly in Halifax shipyards. We've had I believe three frigates already go through the FELEX program.

Is that right, Admiral?