National Defence Committee on Dec. 1st, 2016

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Are those lands that DND plans on keeping? What happens if land is transferred to Canada Lands? For instance, Shannon lands in Nova Scotia was transferred to Canada Lands, not cleaned up, not remediated, and left for them to remediate. When we're speaking about the projects that we're funding right now through the supplementary estimates (B), is that just land that DND is keeping? Do we have a responsibility on land that we're transferring or selling off to the private entities to clean it up beforehand?

[John Forster]

Maybe I'll ask Jaime Pitfield, our ADM on infrastructure, in terms of particularly even Shannon lands, how that transferred and what responsibility we retain on what gets done.

[Jaime Pitfield, Assistant Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Environment, Department of National Defence]

Thank you very much.

As part of that deal with Canada Lands, they're responsible for the cleanup, and before they did anything or would do anything with it, they would clean it up.

When we hold the land, if we intend to move it on to somebody else or to a different organization, we would either clean it up or they would clean it up as part of the deal, and the costs would be included in that transfer.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Would the cost be something that would be decided on once the level of contamination was agreed to?

[Jaime Pitfield]

Once it was assessed, yes. The costs would become clear, but the deal would specify which party was to cover those costs.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

The minister spoke to $19 million in transfers for land sales. That has nothing to do with contaminated sites, does it?

[Jaime Pitfield]

No.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Okay, perfect, thank you.

Our government has spoken to a commitment to improve our infrastructure. How is DND contributing to the broader goal? You spoke to $36 million, and then you spoke to jobs and communities. Can you talk a little about some of the infrastructure investments that DND is planning?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

I'll give you the wider picture, some of the opportunities that investment infrastructure obviously creates for our communities, and then I'll pass the question to the DM.

As part of our wider government's efforts on investing in infrastructure, the Canadian Armed Forces has a lot of infrastructure that needs to be improved upon, from our hangars to our various bases, and to our housing, as well. In those communities, when we invest in the infrastructure, the improvements of it, it actually has a direct economic impact for the communities, as well. We're taking that into account when we look at making significant investments in our infrastructure. In some places it is desperately needed, and we're prioritizing some of this work.

Do you want to give some of the details?

[John Forster]

Sure. In this past budget, the government announced about $3.4 billion for a lot of federally owned infrastructure and DND will receive about $200 million of that over this year and next. This year's portion will be about $30 million for defence projects and about $170 million next year. That amount includes, for example, $50 million for housing of the military. We'll be making upgrades and improvements to housing on bases for members of the military. We have money for armouries in several provinces and about $106 million for defence infrastructure for the forces, such as live-fire ranges, airfields, and hangar improvements. It's a sizeable extra bump of money, on top of what we would normally do in our base budget.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Minister, the Halifax International Security Forum took place from November 18 to 21. Unfortunately, I was not able to be there. This is a major event in my province and I'm happy to see that there's funding for that through supplementary estimates (B).

Is that just for the one that passed or are there plans on investing some of that money toward next year's event? Is there a plan to continue that in Halifax?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

When I first took on this role, I was very happy to support the Halifax security conference, because I knew the reputation of it. It was started by the previous government. I think it provides a lot of added value not just for Halifax, but for Canada's reputation as well. I'm very impressed with it. We have committed to funding it, but we have to make sure that we do make the right investment. We'll be in discussion with the president on this to make sure this forum is sustainable, because it does add a lot of value. We had the largest U.S. codel, congressional delegation, attend this year.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Excellent.

I assume that's my time, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

You probably don't have time for a question and a response, so we'll leave it there.

Thank you very much.

We're going to move to five-minute rounds of questions now.

The first one goes to Mr. Rioux.

[Jean Rioux, Liberal, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome, Mr. Minister.

I doubt if you will be surprised by my question, given that I come from the constituency of Saint-Jean.

In the supplementary estimates (B), there are amounts for the Royal Military College of Canada. Is there money to prepare for the arrival of future students at the Royal Military College of Saint-Jean?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

As I mentioned earlier, for us to be able to recruit the best, and based on the importance of French in our bilingual country, it's important for us to invest in an RMC in Saint-Jean. There is a much wider plan in place, but I want to work out some of the details before announcing anything. As I stated, we are committed to making sure that it gets the university status that it once had and that it is going to be sustained.

[Jean Rioux, Liberal, Saint-Jean, QC]

I am very pleased that the commitment is being honoured, not only for the army in general, but also for the constituency of Saint-Jean.

Another subject interests us in Quebec, the Davie shipyard. A contract was awarded to that yard and it is creating jobs. I am talking about the oiler replenishment ship.

Do you feel that the timeline will be met and that it can be delivered to the navy in 2017? Can you also explain to us how this interim solution will let us wait for the two new supply ships?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

That's why some of the investment that we're asking for the interim ship is important. When I talk about that capability gap that leads to a capability loss, this is that one aspect where we were faced with the decision to bring in interim capability. I think the project is going well. Time will tell, but it is absolutely necessary that the navy has this interim capability until we get the joint supply ships.

The vice-admiral can speak more to that.

[VAdm Mark Norman]

Mr. Finn can provide you with details about the interim project at the Davie shipyard. We believe that the deadline will be met and that we will be able to put this interim capability into service at the end of next year.

In terms of the large-scale needs, as the minister said, it's not a question of replacing one with another, but simply of dealing with the lack of capacity as the navy builds its own supply ships in the yard in Vancouver.

[RAdm Patrick Finn, Assistant Deputy Minister, Materiel, Department of National Defence]

As of now, the Davie yard project is on time. Communication with the people in the Davie yard is easy and we work closely with them. The deadline of the end of 2017 does not apply to the vessel being delivered to the navy but rather to its being put into service. As for the multiservice ships to be built on the west coast, construction will begin in 16 to 18 months according to the schedule that has been set.

[Jean Rioux, Liberal, Saint-Jean, QC]

The contract was for five years with the possibility of a year-for-year extension in any of the next five years. Do you still intend to invoke that clause?

[RAdm Patrick Finn]

As you have just said, the contract extends over five years. Options can be proposed in each of the five following years.

The goal of the plan that has been established was to provide an interim capability during construction. The timelines are essentially the same. That allows us to be flexible in case it becomes necessary to use that interim capability. Our plans have always built in that flexibility.

[Jean Rioux, Liberal, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you.

Do I have time for one more question, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

You don't really have time for a question and response, so I'm going to have to move forward.

I'm going to give the floor to Mr. Paul-Hus.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Minister, the supplementary estimates (B) contain an amount of $142 million for Operation Impact.

I am going to talk about the hospital in Erbil. Fabrice de Pierrebourg, a reporter who has been to the front in Mosul and elsewhere in Iraq, reports horrific scenes of people trying to save severely injured civilians and children on the hoods of armoured cars in the middle of debris-covered fields. In the meantime, the hospital in Erbil is empty.

Mr. Minister, how much did it cost to set up our hospital in Erbil? Who is able to get care there? Who decides who has to be transported to that hospital to receive care?