National Defence Committee on Dec. 10th, 2013

[Leslie Norton]

Thank you for your question.

As you know, Canada has a long history of support for the Philippine government, even prior to the crisis. We plan to continue to provide support for the government and the population of the Philippines.

DART was one of the key elements of the Government of Canada's broader response. Other key elements include $20 million for the UN's humanitarian organizations, the International Red Cross and the NGO partners to meet the urgent needs of the affected population. This mainly has to do with assistance in terms of food, medical attention, water and shelter. This funding will continue until the end of March. Funding was also provided to support a Canadian Red Cross hospital deployed in Ormoc, in the province of Leyte. That hospital is currently operational and will continue to be so for about three months, based on the level of needs in that area.

We have also deployed the reserve of our relief supplies, including tents, blankets, water purification tablets, shelter kits, as well as other important and necessary items.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I apologize for interrupting you, but I would like to know whether this equipment is considered to be part of the $20-million amount. You are indicating that this is the case.

If I have understood correctly, the money is distributed among a number of international organizations. It must be used to meet specific needs and to buy equipment that will be provided to the population and the organizations. Is that right?

[Leslie Norton]

We have allocated $20 million to the three organizations I mentioned. In addition, we have deployed our reserve of relief supplies.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Thank you.

I would like to quickly go over something you said in your presentation. You stated that, on November 24, full operational capability was declared. Could you explain to us how that capability is determined?

[MGen Michael Hood]

Thank you for the question.

As I already mentioned, there are several components to DART. It is really a matter of meeting the needs. In some cases, however, we may not need to provide a reverse osmosis water purification system, for instance.

When the commanding officer in the Philippines declares full operational capability, that means the needs in the Philippine situation are being identified.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I assume that budget issues are also taken into consideration to determine whether full operational capability has been achieved.

[MGen Michael Hood]

Budget is not taken into consideration at all.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

In this case or in general?

[MGen Michael Hood]

Both in this case and in general. This is not a question of money. We could have provided other vehicles, but we have benefited from the support of the Philippine army. We did not send all of our military stocks to the Philippines because that was unnecessary.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I understand that it was not necessary in this case, but I would like to know whether, in general, that is part of the criteria that must be taken into account to determine the full operational capability.

[MGen Michael Hood]

Costs never come into play in my work. We never talk about the budget, but simply about what the Philippines needs. That's all.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Merci.

Mr. Bezan, please.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank our witnesses for appearing today. Through them, I want to pass on our gratitude to everyone who has been deployed as part of the DART team, both from the Canadian Armed Forces and from Foreign Affairs. I know they're doing Canada proud and they're doing great work over there. All of us are very proud of them for being able to deploy so rapidly, get into a situation that is less than ideal, and help people who really need assistance through one of the most horrific hurricanes ever experienced on the face of the world.

I want to go back to some of the points Ms. Murray made concerning funding.

General Hood, in your opinion, were we at all constrained in any way, shape, or form in getting DART out in a timely fashion compared with previous deployments of DART?

[MGen Michael Hood]

As I mentioned in my last answer, the cost associated with the deployment of the military capability is not a criterion that we use. We've identified the DART in total as a scalable unit and we are free to deploy as much of that capability, once given a direction to deploy. If we felt we needed more than what DART provided, and this was the case in Haiti—if you recall we had upwards of 2,200 people deployed in Haiti, as opposed to just 300, which is the core competence of the DART—we would then make that recommendation. Once the direction to deploy the DART is given, we have free rein to consider everything within that DART as deployable.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Where is the compromise? It was on high readiness; the train was there. Are troops ready to go at the drop of a hat?

[MGen Michael Hood]

Absolutely, sir.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

That's perfect.

General Hood, you and I talked previously about the logistics. This follows on what Mr. Harris said. By the time we got the go-ahead on November 11, it wasn't fully operational until November 24. Even though we have the C-17s, the heavy load capabilities, we were able to use our Polaris aircraft and get troops there relatively quickly. Talk about the time lag and moving from Trenton all the way to the Philippines, the different legs of the journey, and how much equipment and personnel had to be moved in that process.

[MGen Michael Hood]

I'd be very happy to.

The capacity of the C-17 is upward of 120,000 pounds of equipment, a tremendous capability. But even to get to that final operational capability, it took six C-17 chalks, as well as Airbus, and some other supporting aircraft. The real challenge for us was the distance involved, as I said.

On one such mission, we would leave from Trenton with a full airplane, go to Comox, British Columbia, stop for fuel, travel to Hawaii, stop for fuel, travel to Guam, another eight hours past Hawaii, then four more hours into the Philippines. That distance drives our ability to project force, and it is quite incredible.

Once we have the air crews in place, the airplanes don't stop. We switch the crews out. I talked about that air bridge. Our initial response always depends on the distance. We can fly only so far in a day, but once we've pre-deployed crews in those positions, we're very efficient at moving that equipment into place.

It is farther to the Philippines than it is to Afghanistan in the opposite direction, to give you a sense. To the Philippines and back is almost a complete tour of the globe.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

The one thing I think a lot of people want to know is how we compare with other countries in getting Operation Renaissance on the ground and operational. I know the United States has military bases in the region, both in Guam and in Japan, and are able to get there rather quickly.

[MGen Michael Hood]

I can't speak to all allies.

You're quite right. The U.S. response, which you would have seen very early on in Tacloban, is largely a result of the number of forces they have in very close proximity in both Guam and Okinawa.

If I look at other allies, we were certainly the first into Panay Island and the first ally other than the Americans that was there in any considerable capability. Allies were still coming in well after the 24th, depending on their direction and the response times of their forces.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Mr. Larose, you have only about a minute left to ask a quick question.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

I'll be quick.

Concerning the DART project, 316 personnel, can we send more? What is the maximum capacity of DART in the Canadian Armed Forces and why only 316? Was it because the Philippines didn't ask for more help? Do we have a capacity for a lot more? Do we need to be a lot bigger, maybe several theatres of operation?

[MGen Michael Hood]

The DART is postured with a group of about 300 people in various capabilities, as I have described, but if the demand on the ground required more, we would then reach into other aspects of the Canadian Forces and offer contributions as the interdepartmental teams would suggest.Haiti is a perfect example of that, where the DART was only 300, but we sent naval ships, a huge helicopter, and a C-130 detachment, and so it grew to about 2,200 people. It's on a case-by-case basis.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

So DART is limited to what it is right now.

[MGen Michael Hood]

The standing capacity of DART on high readiness is approximately 300 people.