National Defence Committee on March 9th, 2020

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

During your opening presentations, I believe there was a comment about countering propaganda by Daesh, if I'm not mistaken. Could you just talk a little about what is being done to counter propaganda, if anything, whether it's through our mission or more broadly through the coalition?

[LGen Mike Rouleau]

Thank you for the question. It's a very topical question.

One thing I'm seized with is the information theatre being the central theatre of conflict, essentially, in a way that it wasn't even 20 or 30 years ago. While I didn't say anything in my opening comments about countering any propaganda or whatnot, we are always concerned with the disinformation that may flow from an opponent. We're always looking for ways where we can, as speedily as possible, counter that disinformation with accurate information so that we're not put in a negative light, or that people don't start buying into a perspective that we're somehow doing something that's against the laws of armed conflict, or whatever.

We are trying to sharpen up our game in that sense. We don't have CIMIC or psy-ops teams deployed. That is not part of what we're doing in Operation Impact, but we obviously pay very close attention to the strategic communication and narrative piece. At the operational level, we're always looking for as much clarity as possible and the platforms to deliver that clarity.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Mr. Garrison and Mr. Boudrias, are you good?

I'll hand it over to Ms. Vandenbeld for the last question.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I'm cognizant that right now, as we speak, a lot of the family members of our troops are probably listening. I can only imagine that there's some concern about COVID-19 and the safety of their loved ones. I just wonder if there's anything you'd like to say to those family members who might be listening, or if there are other methods of communication—many of us have people in our own constituencies who may be calling to ask us about this—if you have anything you'd like to communicate to them about the precautions being taken.

[LGen Mike Rouleau]

This is not specific to Iraq, but four or five days ago I instituted for my command, which includes all deployed operations, very stringent mitigation measures. For example, all non-essential travel that's not directly related to a core mission's output is cancelled until further notice. There are restrictions like that, all in an effort to preserve the force. If there is going to be a spike in COVID-19 infections, we want to try to minimize the amplitude of that spike and push it out to the right so that our force does not get sick all at once. We're trying to husband the force.

I would tell the families that we're taking all of the strongest precautionary measures we can while still realizing that we have to be postured to deliver on a mission. It doesn't mean we can lock ourselves in isolation and hide from something. We're not only putting mitigation measures in place. We're also doing due diligence so that, not if, but when, it hits—at some level, we will likely have people affected by this—we have the right resources and expertise in place all the way to evacuation. I am heartened by the fact that if you listen to the experts, the vast majority of the demographic in the Canadian Armed Forces should do okay because of their age, but we're leaving nothing on the table.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

With that, we will call our testimony to an end.

I just want to say how refreshing it was to hear from the four of you and to be able to see this from a big, strategic point of view. Talking with our Global Affairs colleagues and the liaison and the relationships between the two and the military, I think that's huge. I think that will put us in such good stead if we set that example here at home and for the rest of the world.

From me and all of the rest of my colleagues on the committee, thank you so much for your time today. It was amazing.

We'll suspend for a few minutes to thank our guests in person. Then we'll reconvene.

[Proceedings continue in camera]