Evidence of meeting #98 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 work.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
I'd like to thank the minister and department officials for joining us this morning. It's been a very good discussion so far.
Minister, currently we have DND moving forward with the interim fighter capability project and the future fighter capability project. To date, how much has been spent on the interim and the future fighter capability projects?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
I'll pass that over to the officials to talk about exactly what we have in terms of the costs so far.
The projects are actually going quite well. I met with the Australian ambassador just yesterday. I talked about where we're at and thanked them for the work they've done.
First of all, we're progressing very well. We have five companies that are part of the process for replacing the permanent fleet, a replacement of up to 88 aircraft. When it comes to the interim as well, this is not just about purchasing the interim fleet, but how we can make that system even better. We're making sure the right investments are going into place.
I'll give you one example of this. This is a very important point, one that will help to answer your question.
For example, we had a system in place where they had proper helmets that actually modernized the system, but didn't come with the weapons systems. Now we're going to be able to have those weapons systems to make the capability of the F-18 even greater. For example, the AIM-9X missile will drastically improve things. It was great that the investment was made on the advanced helmet, but this is now going to allow us to put even greater systems on, to make the current system far more effective.
Conservative
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
I can answer that. We're pleased to get you the numbers of what has been spent to date. We have with us today the expected expenditures for this fiscal year on the two projects, but we can take that on notice.
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
Okay, I appreciate that.
What is the estimated cost for the 32-year-old Australian F-18s? This is a big concern because we don't really know what they are going to cost. Do we have any idea what the total cost is to have these planes on Canadian soil?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
We don't have the exact cost just yet, as we're still going through—
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
I assume we have a budget. What is the estimated cost? Can we get an estimated cost? Do we have—
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
No, we will know, but we want to make sure we have the right details. Giving you an estimated cost right now would be irresponsible. It's better to make sure that we get you the correct information once we have further details. The team is currently working on that diligently, and once we have those costs, we'll be able to give you a formal distribution on that.
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
Okay, I understand that. Thank you very much for that. We don't have anything for the committee today.
I'm just wondering when we can expect delivery of the first fighter jets from Australia.
Liberal
Conservative
David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
Do we have any information regarding the status of the planes, what kinds of repairs they require? Do we know which planes we're getting because I understand the Australians haven't decided on which planes we'll have. How can we guarantee that we're getting a plane that is ready for use?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
I'm glad you asked that question. In fact, we're going to have some very detailed information on this because a Canadian company, L3, which works on our planes, set the parameters on how the testing is done for the Australian F-18s. Pat will give you the details of what it's called. This is going to give us very detailed information on what we're getting. Also, we are a Five Eyes partner and we have a tremendous relationship. We're going to make sure that we get the right aircraft for our folks.
Patrick, do you want to elaborate on that?
Patrick Finn Assistant Deputy Minister, Materiel, Department of National Defence
Sir, quickly, the tail numbers have not specifically been identified. They will be negotiated for the very reason that you say: that they still have hours on them. We don't want to take aircraft at the very end of their service life. These will be flyable assets that are in service with the Royal Australian Air Force as we see today. In some of the discussions that have commenced, we have not signed the instrument of sale yet, but we're getting the final approvals, the final third party transfer out of the U.S.. We will then discuss with the Australians the rate at which they're transferring aircraft. If it means delaying a few months so we get an aircraft with better hours, we will do that. But we will ensure that the actual aircraft that come into service here are fully capable and fully serviceable.
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
[Inaudible—Editor] specify the number of days, and we'll be discussing this topic as well.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr
That's your time, I'm sorry.
I'm going to have to yield the floor to MP Vandal. Welcome.
Liberal
Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB
Thank you, Minister.
During the last election campaign and through about two and a half years of governing, our party committed to renewing nation-to-nation relationships with indigenous peoples across Canada. In support of this effort, and to move forward with reconciliation with indigenous communities in Manitoba, I know the Department of National Defence has shown great leadership by the actions they've taken on the divestment of the Kapyong barracks in my hometown of Winnipeg. This is a very important file for Manitobans. It's something that's been lagging for over 15 years, so I want to commend your department for showing that leadership.
Can you, Minister, expand on the role that the Department of National Defence and our government is playing with reconciliations with indigenous people across Canada?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
The ceremony that we attended for the Kapyong barracks—they did it for the land transfer—was quite emotional. You can see the impact there. That was, I think, a direct result of the relationship that our leadership in the Canadian Armed Forces and National Defence have built with the first nations community leaders. That is an example of what we're actually trying to do across Canada by working with first nations communities to make sure that the communication there is back and forth, including even at my level. I had a conversation with Grand Chief Perry Bellegarde just yesterday where I set up a meeting for a certain issue. Having that collaboration is where we build that trust. We've made significant efforts along the way when it comes to certain cleanups of certain sites. But out of this, we're trying to demonstrate it's not just the action, it's about how we're doing it. That level of relationship that is being built is demonstrating, through National Defence, what our government's commitments are, and more importantly, what is expected by Canadians.
It's heartening when you speak with people about the stories they're telling about the tremendous work that the Canadian Armed Forces' members are doing, especially when it came to the forest fires last year, when many first nations communities were impacted. The Canadian Armed Forces' members worked very closely together to not only help them, but also more importantly, to ask for the tremendous knowledge that the first nations communities actually have of their own land and how to deal with the forest fires.
Liberal
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Thank you.
Minister, I know there's been a further increase in capital funding related to “Strong, Secure, Engaged” investments in major capital projects, such as the fixed-wing search and rescue, Canadian surface combatant, and light armoured vehicle upgrade, as major factors contributing to the net increase in authorities.
Can you elaborate as to how these investments will enhance the security of our men and women in uniform when they're deployed overseas?
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Absolutely.
With the projects, if you look at the upgrade of our armoured vehicles, this now allows us to go to the full complement of upgrading our LAV 6. Our LAV 6 were being upgraded before, but not to the full quantity that we needed. By now getting to the full complement that the army had requested, it allows far greater flexibility for our leadership for what's needed in Canada, but also for further deployments, for example, the battle group we have currently in Latvia and our contributions we're making towards that.
On the fixed-wing search and rescue, this is one capability, in talking to some of the SAR techs in Comox, where we're going to have the centre of excellence, the training centre there, that is going to modernize how we do search and rescue. We're literally bringing the technology into this. Rather than just looking from binos, we're looking at how we can identify, from people to ships to aircraft, with sensors and being able to fine-tune, and getting the SAR techs, the people who are going to do the equipment....
As much as we're looking at the investment, this is the capability we were talking about in SSE. We didn't want to have just a laundry list of things that we're buying: what capabilities are we improving?
As you know, search and rescue is done across Canada, and this capability, in my opinion, is literally going to revolutionize search and rescue in Canada.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Minister, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure and honour to meet you today.
First of all, Minister, I think this is the first time I have had the chance to have an exchange with you. I'm very pleased for that.
As a Canadian, I want to thank you for what you have done for our country when you served in our army. You served well; you defended yourself well. You defended our country and the values of our country very well. Thank you so much, Lieutenant-Colonel, for what you have done.
When the government was elected two and a half years ago, we saw a major change in rhetoric, in words. A lot of emphasis was placed on those who have brought great honour to Canada in the last half-century. They are the peacekeepers, the people who go to serve with the blue helmets.
We have heard a lot about it, but the reality has sometimes been different.
Under our government, generally speaking, some 300 peacekeepers were deployed each year. Now there are barely 46 of them, and, a short time ago, there were no more than 22.
Mr. Minister, why so much rhetoric about peacekeepers, while in reality, there are fewer today than there were three years ago?