National Defence Committee on Feb. 18th, 2015

[Tarik Brahmi, NDP, Saint-Jean, QC]

Is there an organizational model that is more effective in terms of the separation or integration of the reserve forces and the regular forces?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

The reserves are part of the defence team and are a federal response, not a provincial response capability. They're a layering of capability.

In many cases, where there's an immediate federal response unit from the regular force and/or the reserve Arctic response company group, or the TBG, that is a measured layer of response. It is the local first responders, municipal, provincial, and then federal, and that's typically the way we have that response layered.

I'm not aware of any proposed changes at this time that would change that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Thank you, General. That is time.

Mr. Williamson, for our final round of questions.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

General, thank you for coming today. It's been very, very informative.

A previous witness suggested that Canadian Rangers be given the capacity to operate UAVs from their communities to enhance surveillance in the north.

From your perspective, is this a valid suggestion?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

I'm not in a position to say whether it would be valid or not; it would all be part of what we really want the Rangers to conduct.

I would go back to my comment that we consider them already trained and capable to operate. The basic tenet of a Canadian ranger is to observe and provide overall presence. To do what I consider more advanced tasks would have to be considered from the whole of government and, most important, the whole of defence team, to determine if that was the best way to provide it.

I can't say one way or another; we haven't considered that.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Sure.

Can you tell us the roles and responsibilities of the Arctic response company group?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

The Arctic response company group provides what we call the sustainment capability for the immediate response unit, which is a regular force tasking for each of our joint task forces across the country, the regional task forces. For example, there's normally a battalion that's on call in the country at any given time within each of our regional locations.

When it comes specifically to the north and in the Arctic, the Arctic response company group has the ability to come in at full operating capacity, and with 15 days' notice, the main body would be on the ground to provide support and/or relief in place for an immediate response unit that had been already called out. It's next level of support once the immediate response unit has been deployed.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Do they work with the Canadian Rangers, and do they work well with the Rangers?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

Absolutely. As I indicated before, we very rarely ever go to northern or isolated regions without utilizing the Rangers for training and/or conduct of operations.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Do you feel the Rangers are adequately trained and equipped to deal with security situations in the north?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

We do not utilize the Rangers in a tactical scenario. We use the whole of defence team approach, providing the actual tactical capability. They are not trained, nor are they equipped. The ranger rifle is not for use as a tactical weapon; it is for predator control and self-protection.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

What future do you foresee for the Canadian Rangers?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

I see us probably utilizing them in a more continued manner, similar to what we're doing now, to help enable the existing defence team to go into the north.

We've continued to increase our presence over the last three to five years. As I said, we don't go into isolated regions without typically bringing the Rangers, because they're from the community. I'll stress that they're from the community. They know the community. They know the environment, and they understand the impact of having a military presence within that community.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Is it safe to say they are an integral part of the security of Canada's Arctic in terms of patrolling it, as our eyes and ears on the ground, so to speak?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

They are a part of the whole system. I don't want to stray away from that kind of response, but they are not the only component—

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Of course, yes.

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

—to that particular capability, but they certainly help enable us to do that.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I have two very short questions.

You mentioned Labrador, of course. Are there any Rangers in the Maritimes? I suspect probably not in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or P.E.I.

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

There are a couple in the northern portions of that, all the way through.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Are there?

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

Absolutely.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I did not know that.

In terms of equipment, when they're on patrol, I assume they carry some sort of long gun, typically.

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

Right now they have the .303 Enfield. That is the rifle they carry primarily for predator control. They provide that predator control response role whenever our other defence team members, whether it's the Canadian army, air force, or whoever, are on the ground.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I'm sorry if you already answered this, but did you say that they provide that kind of equipment themselves, or is that provided to them from the—

[BGen Kelly Woiden]

No, that's provided. The .303 rifle is issued to the individual ranger.