National Defence Committee on March 9th, 2022

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

How does Canada's role in NATO's operations in central and eastern Europe under Operation Reassurance compare with those of other NATO member states?

[MGen Paul Prévost]

It's at par, for sure; it's even more than at par. As I just mentioned, we are the lead in the Latvia battle group right now. There are three battle groups established under the old construct. NATO is in the process of adding battle groups along the eastern front, but on the three battle groups that were already established, Canada is the lead of many nations in there. Actually, the battle group we command in Riga, Latvia, is the most multinational of all the battle groups deployed along the eastern front.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Thank you, General.

For the first time in its history, the NATO Response Force has been activated as a defensive measure in response to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. As I said, Canada has earmarked up to 3,400 Canadian Armed Forces personnel—land, sea and air—to join NATO's main response force. What exactly does this historic moment signify? What role will the high-readiness forces play within a deterrence and defence role?

[MGen Paul Prévost]

I think there are a few aspects to this one, for sure. One, it proves that there's a crisis that we have to be concerned about. That would be number one. At the same time, it proves that NATO is relevant. The fact that SACEUR came to the NAC and asked for the high-readiness forces to be put on standby, and the NATO alliance agreed to that, shows our alliance.

Then there are the next steps for this. As I mentioned initially, the concept here is that all nations have been asked to contribute [Technical difficulty--Editor] voluntary contribution, because there obviously are a lot of forces already available in Europe who are mounting a new force in accordance with the graduated response plans. That high-readiness force will be used at the right time to reinforce, should it be necessary.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Just quickly, because I know my time is running out, you mentioned Canada's strong participation. What factors would you attribute to that participation?

[MGen Paul Prévost]

I think it's our commitment to our alliance. Canada has always been about alliances and multilateralism. NATO is now calling upon us to help. We have to answer that call.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Excellent.

I will use my last 10 seconds to say thank you very much for being here on such short notice and for helping contribute to this study.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Mr. May.

On behalf of the committee, I too would like to thank all three of you for your time. We have talked a bit about misinformation and disinformation. The best antidote to misinformation and disinformation is truth. You have shared truth with us within security boundaries. I think it's very important to have a continuation of these kinds of meetings as we get deeper and deeper involved in this conflict, because we need to continue to counter the misinformation and disinformation campaigns with factual truth, such as you have shared with us today.

So thank you for doing that. We appreciate your ongoing willingness to appear before this committee. Stand by your phones. You might be asked again. In fact, I can pretty well assure you that you'll be asked again.

[MGen Paul Prévost]

Thank you. It's always a pleasure.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hamilton, and Ms. Kutz.

I'll let them go, and then we have two things to deal with. I hope it is routine in nature, unless people want to enter into some grand debate about a budget of $4,625-plus cookies.

I'll ask somebody to move it.

I see Jennifer is chewing on her cookies as we speak, in anticipation that this budget will pass.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

I so move.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Ms. O'Connell has moved it.

Is there any discussion? Seeing no discussion, we will vote.

(Motion agreed to)

The second item is the report of the subcommittee. I appreciate the work of the members of Monday. We've arrived at two elements from the subcommittee. I'm assuming that everyone has received a copy of the draft report.

I will ask somebody to move—I see Mr. May.

Is there any debate?

I see none. Those in favour?

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

Pardon me. I did not see a draft report. What is this the draft report of?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

It is of the subcommittee that met on Monday.

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

We're approving the report of what they met on. It's not the report we are working on right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

No.

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

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

It's just the way forward.

(Motion agreed to)

Thank you very much.

Again, thanks to the subcommittee for their work on Monday.

Go ahead, Ms. Gallant.

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

On a point of clarification, Mr. Chair, we have this very fluid situation with Ukraine and we're going to be tidying up our work on this study. What if new threats surface? How will they be incorporated into the study? Will we have the flexibility, given what was passed, to have a special or even an additional meeting, should it become necessary during this time?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I would anticipate that any one of the members could move, with 48 hours' notice, a motion to study whatever it is that's related to this study. In fact, as you well know, if it's related to the subject matter at hand, you can move it without the 48 hours' notice. Failing that, you can persuade the chair, with its usual level of charm, that a meeting should be called. There are at least three ways I can think of right off the top of my head to set aside additional time.

I will just make the comment though that because we're in a hybrid format, it's extremely difficult to get up and get meetings organized outside of our time slots, a situation that I hope over time will be rectified, but we'll see.

You're absolutely right to point out what a fluid situation this is. I don't know whether it's a conflict or a war, but, regardless, I think General Prévost, in response to Mr. May's question, said that things are dramatically changing and that Canada's threat posture is going to have to change with them.

That brings me to just a brief summary of what we passed, which is that March 11 is the deadline for updated threat analysis witness lists. March 18 is the deadline for recruitment and retention witness lists. March 21 will be for supplementary estimates, assuming the minister is available, which we have some assurance she might be. March 23 we will continue with threat analysis and potentially have Latvian government officials. The deputy prime minister and defence minister of Latvia has asked to meet with us. We will try to accommodate his request, but again we have limitations, and I'm not quite sure how this will work out. March 28, we will continue on threat analysis. March 30 will be on threat analysis and/or drafting instructions. April 4 and 6 will be on recruitment and retention and the commencement of that study.

That's kind of the outline for us as far as we can take it at this point. Again, I appreciate all of your co-operation in making this meeting happen. We're all glued to our televisions and/or media watching the events unfolding in Ukraine, and it's good for all of us and good for the people of Canada to have this medium that allows for a fulsome discussion with officials in a format that is informational as opposed to confrontational.

With that, seeing no objections, I will adjourn this meeting.

Thank you.