There are three components of it. The first thrust is to deliver the right equipment in a timely manner to the Canadian Forces. That's where this piece fits in, because getting the front end of a procurement “genetically correct”—somebody said that to me, and I really liked it—at the front end can do nothing but help avoid problems later. There are a number of initiatives around that, i.e., the defence acquisition guide, the challenge function, engaging industry better, with more genuine and early engagement of industry. There is the whole industrial piece around leveraging these procurements for jobs and growth. That's the discussion around the value propositions and so forth.
Then there's the streamlining of processes. I think everybody around this table would agree with me that these processes take too long. They're cumbersome. They're awkward. They're even embarrassing at times. Streamlining these processes and getting things done quicker, with fewer problems, is key.
Now, Public Works and Government Services Canada has the lead on the defence procurement strategy. They've set up a secretariat. I've met with them on a number of occasions. They've set up a DM governance committee chaired by the deputy minister over there, and they're watching over all of that. Meanwhile, I'm grinding away to try to set up the perfect challenge function, under the defence minister's authority over at Defence, to get the front end of this thing as good as it can be so that we won't run into as many problems later.
