National Defence Committee on Oct. 4th, 2022

Evidence of meeting #32 for National Defence in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was capacity.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Rising Domestic Operational Deployments and Challenges for the Canadian Armed Forces

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Richard Fadden As an Individual

Conrad Sauvé President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Red Cross

Johanu Botha Assistant Deputy Minister, Emergency Measures Organization of Manitoba

Amy Avis General Counsel and Chief of Recovery Services, Canadian Red Cross

12:55 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Emergency Measures Organization of Manitoba

Johanu Botha

There is a fairly good relationship between Public Safety and the emergency management agencies at the provincial level across the country. One of the aspects we are focusing on as an initiative is a humanitarian workforce model and what that could look like.

The relationship exists. I would just say to continue to support it, but that link between Public Safety Canada and the EM side in each province is quite robust. Of course, it doesn't always include some of this discussion around the military and National Defence, so that might have to be fused into it. Every single EMO across the country has good links with the Red Cross, and we have these kinds of discussions quite frequently as well.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

On behalf of the committee, I just want to thank you for your presentations. Both were thoughtful and very thought-provoking. I'm sure all of us associate with Mr. Battiste's comments about the role of the Red Cross in the last few days and weeks in this last disaster. It has been very impressive, and I know it was very much well received, not only by the local population but also the Canadian population writ large, so thank you.

I know it's kind of trite but true when we say, “Thank you for your service,” but in this particular case, thank you for your service. Both organizations have been very impressive.

Colleagues, before I bring down the gavel—witnesses you're free to go as you see fit—ironically, Public Safety will be our first witness on Thursday morning, and we're expecting other witnesses for Thursday afternoon. We also will submit the subcommittee report, for which I'll allocate about five minutes. We have to go in camera on that one, don't we?

12:55 p.m.

A voice

It's not required.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Okay, hopefully we will not have to go in camera, and then we don't have to do all that.

We just got authorization to travel in November, so start setting aside time in your calendars accordingly.

With that, the meeting is adjourned. Thank you.