National Defence Committee on Feb. 24th, 2020

[Sven Spengemann, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Can we ask to suspend for three minutes?

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Of course.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

We have a motion on the floor.

Madam Gallant, on the notice of motion.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

In the past we did have regular briefings on ongoing missions. We got away from that in the last four years. As committee members, we're better informed. The best way to get the information is first-hand from the minister.

Our forces are suffering from a very poor recruitment phase right now. We're short of pilots. We're short of people in almost all the careers. Opening up the committee to the public so they can hear first-hand what the minister has to say about the ongoing operations can attract people to the forces, rather than their having to read everything through the lens of a reporter. We are the committee on national defence. We should have the right to hear first-hand what is going on, recognizing that what we're listening to is not secret or classified. We're getting the basics so we know what's going on with our troops in our own country.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Thank you.

Mr. Bagnell.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

I'm very in favour of this, but I move that we adjourn the debate until Wednesday's subcommittee.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Mr. Bezan.

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

Madam Chair, I know that people don't want to be here any longer debating, so I'm going to table notices of motion so that we have these at subcommittee. The first one is:

That the Parliamentary Budget Officer appear at Committee for no fewer than two hours to provide Members with a briefing on his February 2019 report, Fiscal Analysis of the lnterim F-18 Aircraft and that the meeting be televised.

The second motion on which I shall give notice is:

That the Committee undertake a study on the state of Canada's NORAD modernization and need for critical upgrades, that the meetings be televised, that the findings be reported to the House, and that the Government table a comprehensive response.

If others on the committee have ideas that they want to be studied, they should table those motions now so that we have a chance to consider them before we get to the meeting on Wednesday.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

I also have a motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Monsieur Martel.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

That the Auditor General appear before the Committee before March 5, 2020, concerning the fall 2018 Report 3—Canada’s Fighter Force—National Defence, and that the meeting be televised.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Mr. Bagnell.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

To Mr. Bezan's motion on NORAD, I just want to let him know that I was planning to submit something similar, but to add that in that motion we also look at where military spending in the north could help civilian infrastructure needs. The military has a big budget, and so things they build could also be used by civilian people. That's just as a part of the review of NORAD.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Mr. Dowdall.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I have a notice of motion as well:

That the Committee, in accordance with its mandate under Standing Order 111 (1) and (2), invite the Department of National Defence Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel) appointed on November 11th 2019 to testify before the Committee, that the meeting be televised, that the findings be reported to the House, and that the Government table a comprehensive response.

I have copies in French and English.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

This too will be referred to the subcommittee?

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

That's correct.

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

Mr. Troy Crosby is the new ADM of Materiel. Under our usual order in council appointments, we have 30 sitting days to report it back, but that has long passed. He was appointed back in November.

I don't know if that's still in effect or not. Are there still 30 sitting days on that OIC?

[Evelyn Lukyniuk]

I haven't seen the order in council—

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

It's because we're just getting struck. That's the problem, right?

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Mr. Robillard.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Martel's proposal says “appear before the Committee before…”

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

We are just going to take that to the subcommittee meeting.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

I know, but it doesn't make sense.

We will not be here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Those are the routine motions. We have notices of motion to go to the subcommittee. The subcommittee has been established and will meet for the first time on Wednesday.

With that, the meeting is adjourned.