Evidence of meeting #32 for National Defence in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was going.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Mark Norman  Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Department of National Defence
John Forster  Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
Jaime Pitfield  Assistant Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Environment, Department of National Defence
Patrick Finn  Assistant Deputy Minister, Materiel, Department of National Defence
Greta Bossenmaier  Chief, Communications Security Establishment
Claude Rochette  Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister, Finance, Department of National Defence
Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Philippe Grenier-Michaud

1:45 p.m.

Col Claude Rochette

It's $250 million on $19 billion, so it's—

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

No, I can figure that out.

That's all I have, Mr. Chair.

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

We have some time left. Does anybody else on this side want to pick up? You have about three and a half minutes.

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

We have to adjourn. We have question period in 10 minutes.

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

I'm conscious of the time. I want to give you guys an opportunity to run your time out. If you have a question, then I want to give everybody an opportunity.

Then I would next move to Ms. Gallant and then Mr. Garrison.

1:45 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

I have a quick question. With respect to the transfer going to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, what specifically is that being used to pay for?

1:45 p.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence

John Forster

That's under the security program. Again, we kind of run this program on behalf of the whole of government, so departments apply to us to do research in areas of national security. They can apply. We rate the proposals with Public Safety, and then we're kind of the holder of the funds.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission requires an elemental analyzer to measure oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen in ore materials. I'm not sure that helps. It doesn't make me understand it exactly, but that's the project. We can give you some more information on it, if you'd like.

1:45 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Thank you.

I guess James wants to use the rest of the time.

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

James, you have the floor.

1:45 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB

I want to move a motion in relation to the supplementary estimates:

That the Committee request that the Parliamentary Budget Officer provide the Committee with a general analysis, within twenty-one (21) calendar days after the adoption of this motion, in regards to the decision of the Government of Canada to sole-source the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet for National Defence; that this analysis include, but not be limited to the Department of National Defence’s estimates on the coast of the F/A-18 Super Hornet for: a. Acquisition; b. Maintenance, training and operations; c. Lifecycle costs; d. Associated costs of operating a mixed fleet of fighter jets; and That the Committee order the Government of Canada to provide the Committee with electronic copies of the following: 1. All documents that outline acquisition costs, lifecycle costs, and operational requirements associated with the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet; 2. All potential industrial losses if the Memorandum of Understanding in regards to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 JSF program were to be altered and if industrial benefits were to leave Canada.

On that—

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

Just a second, James. I'm going to suspend for a second to make sure this motion's in order, and then I'll get back to you.

After conferring with the clerk and pulling the book out to make sure that we do the right thing for the right reasons, I have concluded that this motion doesn't refer back to supplementary estimates (B). There are a bunch of supporting documents that the clerk is saying we would need, and because it doesn't relate directly to what we're talking about here, I'm going to rule it out of order. You're welcome to table something similar in the future if you would like to discuss this particular bill.

To be fair, I think somebody else wants the floor, so I'm going to rule this out of order.

1:45 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB

Can I just—

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

No, because I don't have time, and I want to make sure that everyone gets a chance. This particular motion is out of order.

1:45 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB

[Inaudible—Editor]

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

We accept that motion on notice. That's fair. You can do that.

Mr. Garrison, you have the floor.

1:50 p.m.

NDP

Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I move that the Standing Committee on National Defence reject the DND supplementary estimates (B) for 2016-17 on the basis of its failure to provide sufficient funds to meet the recruiting needs of the Canadian Forces, including targets for recruitment of women.

1:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

May we have the text?

1:50 p.m.

The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Philippe Grenier-Michaud

Would you repeat that for us?

1:50 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Would you do us the pleasure that James did so that we know what we're voting on?

1:50 p.m.

NDP

Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC

[Inaudible—Editor] because I hadn't heard from the minister and the officials.

1:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

You have the floor. Could you repeat it for the rest of the committee?

1:50 p.m.

NDP

Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC

I move that the committee reject the supplementary estimates (B) for 2016-17 on the basis of failure to provide sufficient funds to meet the recruiting needs of the Canadian Forces, including targets for recruitment of women.

1:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

On that particular one, these have actually been reported already, so this was an opportunity for us to talk to the officials and the minister. This was reported, I believe, on Tuesday.

1:50 p.m.

The Clerk

Monday.

1:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

They have been reported already, so it's out of order in the sense that this has already occurred.