Evidence of meeting #58 for National Defence in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, Department of National Defence
I'm afraid I don't have those figures with me. I could provide them, though, at another time.
5 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Your time has expired.
Mr. King, if you can provide those figures to the committee at a later date, we'd appreciate that.
We're going to move on to Madam Gallant.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Can you please tell us about the programs under the umbrella of public safety and security science and technology that are in need of funding? Also, why are these programs important?
5 p.m.
MGen Robert Bertrand
Thank you for the question.
I'll review the programs with you, and I'll review their use as well.
Part of the supplementary estimates includes transfers to various departments. We can discuss those, and I'll also cover for you the public safety and security science and technology programs.
Under the supplementaries, we're seeking $37.3 million. Part of that will see a harmonization of two programs and the inclusion of another program into one overall Canadian safety and security program. The programs are managed by DRDC Canada, an agency of the Department of National Defence. The mission of this program is to strengthen Canada's ability to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism, crime, natural disasters, and serious accidents.
The CSSP is delivered through a competitive call for proposals, targeted investments, and community development. The program focuses on a whole-of-government and multi-jurisdictional approach to keep Canada safe in front of existing and emerging threats in the safety domain.
I can walk through the different elements of the program with you.
The public security technical program advances national capabilities to prepare for, prevent, and respond to all-hazard, high-consequence public safety and security events.
The chemical, biological, radiological-nuclear and explosives research and technology initiative, CBRNE, enhances Canada's capacity to deal with potential CBRNE threats to public security.
The Canadian Police Research Centre responds to short-term science and technology needs for first responders, the police, fire, emergency, and medical services.
5 p.m.
Conservative
5 p.m.
MGen Robert Bertrand
There would be some elements of cybersecurity in this, but I don't have information here that would tell you how much is spent on cybersecurity within these programs.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Okay.
The Canada First defence strategy outlines, starting in 2015, 15 ships to replace Canada's destroyers and frigates and so on. These new ships will ensure that the military can continue to monitor and defend Canadian waters and make significant contributions to international naval operations. What is the Department of National Defence doing to meet its CFDS commitments regarding the Royal Canadian Navy's surface combatants?
5 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
Thank you very much for the question.
The Canadian surface combatant project definition was received from Treasury Board earlier this year and is now going through the definition phase. Right now we're concentrating on ensuring we have the right approach, the right procurement strategy.
In the middle of November, we began the consultation process with industry. We went out with some options, as we saw it, and basically put a number of options on the table, principally on how we would configure the teams and how industry saw that occurring.
As a result of the shipbuilding strategy, the ships will be built in Halifax, at the Irving shipyard. In this case of the surface combatant, there's much more complexity in the combat systems—the weapons and sensors, computer systems, and communications on board, so we're working right now to determine the best configuration. Principally, what we're doing is asking industry for their views on that.
So we've launched it. We've asked for industry to give us their written feedback later this month, their views on how to proceed. We'll then review that, collate it, look at the options, and then go back to industry for further consultation.
At the same time as we are working towards the replacement of the current destroyers and frigates, we're also modernizing the frigates. They really are at mid-life, and we're doing extensive work to bring them into the next decade.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Okay, I'll just pass. Then it will go for 30 seconds.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
My question, since I'm air force oriented, would probably best be answered by Major-General Bertrand.
The minister referred to funding in the estimates for the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton. He also referred to the expropriation needed for the special forces unit. I wonder if you have any additional information on those two projects. Also, if time permits, talk about the investment in Resolute Bay in Nunavut and how it is coordinated with Natural Resources Canada.
5:05 p.m.
MGen Robert Bertrand
All right. Thank you for your question.
These supplementary estimates don't cover any elements of any expropriation in Trenton, so I do not have any information on that with me today. I would be glad to cover your question on the JRCC in Nunavut.
The JRCC, as the minister discussed, is an update to both the primary and the secondary JRCC sites in Trenton and Belleville respectively. There's a transfer of $1 million, approximately, coming from the Department of Fisheries to enhance both of those centres. JRCC Trenton's operations centre is going to be receiving most of that, in terms of renovation contracts for infrastructure, wiring, lighting, flooring, and a phone system. The alternate site in Belleville is going to be a contract worth about $400,000. It's a renovation contract, including constructing new classrooms for the armoury and infrastructure changes to expand an operations room that's in the armoury. There are some communication and IT wiring upgrades and some phone system upgrades on that site as well.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON
Thank you very much.
The minister was referring to the Belleville operation as part of the riding. It's actually in Daryl Kramp's riding, and I know that he's very happy that's occurring.
When we talk about the investments that we have in our Canadian Forces Arctic training centre in Resolute Bay, in Nunavut, I had noted that it's in cooperation or through a transfer of funds. I think the minister said it's around $1 million to NRCan. Could you reiterate what specifically that transfer does vis-à-vis the work being done in these two locations?
5:05 p.m.
MGen Robert Bertrand
On the work being done in Resolute Bay, there's going to be an addition to an NRCan facility that's there now. The facility is being built. It's under construction.
The Canadian Forces Arctic training centre will enhance our ability to operate in the north. A significant amount of money is being transferred. We transferred $8.8 million in 2011-12, another $9.8 million in our supplementary estimates (A) in 2012-13, and there is this final transfer here in 2012-13. That transfer will provide additional capabilities. It will provide accommodation for approximately 100 people. It will provide a warehouse for approximately 40 snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles and a small infirmary, and it will also have an operations centre and classrooms.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON
Thank you very much.
Mr. Chair, I'll share the rest of my time with Mr. Chisu.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Corneliu Chisu Conservative Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
I understand that funding has been sought for phase one of the force mobility enhancement project, approximately $39.5 million. I have a hope that there will be some equipment, armoured engineering vehicles, because we needed it so much in Afghanistan and we didn't have it in 2007.
What does this project entail? Can you give me some details about it? I just want to have some more details.
5:05 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
Thank you very much for the question, sir.
The force mobility enhancement project is about the acquisition of armoured engineering vehicles and armoured recovery vehicles. Again, it's a vehicle that's based on a main battle tank, a Leopard 2 chassis. That is being acquired and then modified for combat engineering duties.
As you indicated, there are two phases. There are some 22 vehicles in the two variants that we are acquiring as the first phase, and then some of the support equipment that will allow the vehicles to do those specific missions will be acquired in the second phase.
As you indicated, the $36.5 million is the end-year portion of the almost $300 million that is for the first phase of the project, sir.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
RAdm Patrick Finn
Eighteen of the vehicles will be armoured engineering vehicles, and four will actually be armoured recovery vehicles, sir.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Time has expired. Thank you.
We only have five minutes left of the committee time because of the bells tonight and the vote at 5:30 p.m. I'll allow each party to make one short question, and I'd ask witnesses to provide a very brief response so that we can get all three parties in.
With that, we'll go to Mr. Harris for the NDP.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
It's hard to come up with just one question, but I guess one would be to Mr. Fonberg.
One of the things identified by General Leslie was an excessive number of contractors being used, particularly in DND HQ and particularly in the area of management consultants. Why is the department spending up to $2 million to hire a consultant to see how you're doing in saving money and cutting costs? Don't you have people at the senior level within your department who can monitor this, or are you concluding that's why we are where we are—because we don't have people who are able to control that?
November 27th, 2012 / 5:10 p.m.
Robert Fonberg Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First of all, we expect—and I think we have informed the bidders—that a contract will be no more than $500,000. More importantly, we would like the outside expertise. Our discussions with the private sector suggested that there are professional firms out there that help organizations structure the front end of major renewal efforts and restructuring efforts, and that's exactly what we are asking the outside expertise to help us do.
