National Defence Committee on March 7th, 2023

[Gen Wayne D. Eyre]

We've had this challenge for a long time. NORAD modernization is going to plug that gap.

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

What does this mean for the growing risks in the Arctic? Gaps aren't plugged. We have aggressors in the area.

[Gen Wayne D. Eyre]

That speaks to the necessity of ensuring that we have the capabilities and the readiness to deal with an increasingly dangerous world.

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

What degree of resource investment would be required to ensure that Canada could adequately protect its citizens without the support of the United States? We're talking maritime, not just air.

[Gen Wayne D. Eyre]

I think we need to take a look at our competitive advantage. We're going to be in an era of competition and confrontation, certainly for the rest of my career and probably for the rest of our lives.

For Canada, given our position in the world, it would be unrealistic for us to go it alone. Thus, our competitive advantage is the network of friends, partners and allies that we have around the world. Investing in those relationships, maintaining the engagements that we have, is so important for our ability to collectively deter imperialism, adventurism and expansionism by powers that don't respect the rules-based international order and would reform what the world looks like to be in their vision.

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

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Mrs. Gallant.

The final question goes to Ms. Lambropoulos.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

A lot of the questions have already been answered, so I'll ask something that I didn't get a chance to ask the minister in the last round.

Of course, NORAD investments and investments in infrastructure in the north mean that we're working a lot in areas that are controlled by first nations communities. I am wondering what is being planned in order to make sure these communities remain protected and have their rights respected throughout this process over the next 20 years, as we continue to build infrastructure in the area.

[Bill Matthews]

I have a couple of points. We've already detailed today how engagement works on a specific incident, but there is ongoing and regular engagement with indigenous peoples as we plan for NORAD modernization.

I would flag a couple of things. Indigenous people are actually quite involved in NORAD modernization already, including some contractual arrangements to maintain the existing North Warning System and contracts to support CFS Alert. As we go forward with future plans, we will continue to do that.

We are engaging, both from a procurement strategy perspective but also from an infrastructure perspective, to make sure they are well engaged along the way.

Jonathan, if you want to add anything, please do.

[Jonathan Quinn]

Thanks, Deputy.

The only thing I would add is that the specific infrastructure investments associated with the NORAD modernization plan are to be located at existing Canadian Armed Forces locations, the forward-operating locations that NORAD uses and also some existing fighter infrastructure in southern Canada.

Having said that, as we enhance those existing locations, build additional infrastructure and modernize our infrastructure, we absolutely intend to consult very closely with local first nations groups. Indeed, some of those early engagements for the northern NORAD infrastructure investments are already under way.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

That brings our questioning to a close.

Before I bring the gavel down, I just want to thank General Eyre for his recent trip to Ukraine and give him an opportunity, if he wishes to take it, to comment on his trip to Ukraine and Poland and on the training that's going on by the Canadian Forces.

[Gen Wayne D. Eyre]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As you mentioned, I was in Ukraine last Thursday and Friday, and in Poland on Saturday and Sunday, so I'm not sure which time zone I'm in. I will say the engagements that I had were illuminating.

I had the opportunity to sit down with my counterpart, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, for a number of hours to talk about future plans, equipping and challenges that they are facing. We had detailed briefings from their general staff.

What Canada is doing is well appreciated. We need to maintain our resolve, because this is going to be a long, drawn-out conflict. For Ukraine to survive, it's going to be predicated on the west's collective resolve to continue to support Ukraine. The Ukrainians are deeply appreciative of Canada and what we've provided.

I went into Poland and I visited our troops. First of all, I met my Polish counterpart, who, again, was deeply appreciative of what Canada is doing to support Poland and the front line of freedom in eastern Europe. I visited our troops, who are training Ukrainians, and talked to them. The sense of motivation.... Young troops were telling me that this is the most meaningful thing they have done in their lives.

Mr. Chair, the Canadian Armed Forces are filled with great Canadians. They're people who want to make a difference. This is an organization that is making a difference in the world, and the world needs more of us.

The Ukrainians I talked to.... In Ukraine, I met a number of non-commissioned members who had undergone training under Operation Unifier. They were so thankful for what Canada has done.

We need to keep it up. We need to continue to support Ukraine in its battle for survival against brutal, naked aggression. It really drives home how much the world has changed.

Again, we're facing an era of confrontation for the rest of our lives. We're facing adversaries who respect only hard power. They view compromise as a weakness to be exploited, so the rules of the game have changed. If we want our national prosperity to continue, we have to be willing to defend our democracy, willing to defend the rules-based international order and willing to support friends like Ukraine.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Voices]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you.

I think the round of applause from all sides of this chamber indicates that we are all behind you. We really appreciate your service.

With that, colleagues, before I bring this meeting to an end, I want to make sure, with my clerk, that we're going to present the travel budget on Friday. I'm hoping, colleagues, that we will, one way or another, have worked out our difficulties about travel.

With that, the meeting is adjourned. We'll see everybody on Friday.