Evidence of meeting #71 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 housing.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Do we know how many of these applicants are citizens and how many have been through as a result of the permanent resident program?
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Yes, Ma'am. It's about seventy-thirty. Seventy per cent are Canadian citizens, and 30% of the new applicants we've received are coming from permanent residents.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Thank you.
For a successful applicant, what is the average length of time from application to acceptance of a prospective CAF member?
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
I may have to turn to our officials to tell you that, because I'm not sure of the amount of time, but I will point out for you that one of the challenges we have been facing is in what we refer to as background checks, particularly for the cohort of permanent residents. We've also recognized that they've all been subject to background checks through IRCC in order to become permanent residents, so we're working with IRCC to see if we can use the work that was done there and apply it to expedite this process.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Could you suggest how this process compares to that of our ally nations or NATO allies? Also, how can we get troops through the door quicker?
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
It is a question that I've raised with our ally defence ministers, but also, the general has been kind enough to introduce me to a number of people. Almost all of our like nations are facing the same challenge in recruiting. It appears, by the way, as I've been told, that only the Marines so far are not struggling in getting recruits through the door. It is a challenge, but I think it's also an opportunity.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
It appears to me that the problem is the delay in processing the applicants. If we have a million applicants wanting to get through and we can't process them, what's the holdup?
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
There are 30,000 applicants, and we're working through them as quickly as possible. First of all, it's really important when they are hiring.... They are also intent on hiring the very best of people—
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
We're also looking for certain skills that will enhance the capability of the Canadian Armed Forces.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
I respect that, but if the reconstitution effort has focused on recruitment, is there any focus on recruiting the people who actually process the applicants? Is prioritization given to human resources and medical trades?
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Yes, ma'am. I will tell you it's an important part of the work we are doing in the defence policy update, looking at not only people who process recruits but investments in digitizing some of those systems so that we can move more efficiently.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Excellent. Thank you.
Here's my next question. Earlier, you mentioned the naval experience program. How many individuals are currently taking part in this?
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
I think there were 142 applicants. I had the opportunity to speak to the rear-admiral about it. There are, as I understand it, about 345 more people in the queue who are being processed.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
How quickly is that onboarding happening?
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
It's onboarding fairly quickly. They have been able to move fairly quickly in that program. Because it's a relatively short period of time, it's almost like a probationary period, whereby the navy can determine whether this person is right for the navy and the person can determine if the navy is right for them.
I think there's real value in that program.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Okay.
Let's talk retention. Recently, your department updated the post living differential to the Canadian Forces housing differential, which was met with near universal condemnation by forces who have time in.
The PLD needed to be updated. However, your department, along with the Treasury Board, did so in a manner that severely impacted long-serving members in a negative way. In some cases, people will actually lose money for getting promoted. This is including the increase in pay your government brought in at the same time. The provisional post living differential does nothing to address the core concerns of our forces members.
What substantive actions will you take to fix this issue?
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
We've already done a number of really important things. First of all, we've added more money into that fund to make it more accessible to more people. There were some changes that were made because we saw that people in the lower ranks and the lower pay grades, particularly, were not getting access to the funds they needed, so we made it available to far more of those lower pay grades. There was obviously an impact on the higher pay grades that did not require that same level of support.
However, recognizing the impact it was having on people—and I think this is an important point—we implemented a program of phased implementation so that the support they receive will be reduced by one-third in the first year, two-thirds in the second year and—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Okay. Perfect.
Just in the interest of time, I have one last question. Have you met with your predecessor and current Minister of the Treasury Board to discuss the burdensome regulations that Treasury Board places on defence? Is there any effort to give your department more latitude or agility in making the time-sensitive decisions that are necessary in the CAF, without having the Treasury Board stamp everything?
You can answer yes or no, if you'd like.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
I have not had an opportunity to speak to my very busy colleague in her new role.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
September 28th, 2023 / 4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Andy Fillmore Liberal Halifax, NS
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Minister Blair, General Eyre and team, thank you very much for making time for us today.
I am sorry I'm not with you in person today. I'm in Halifax.
Minister, I want to start by saying thank you for attending and, in fact, opening the first-ever Halifax International Fleet Week. You've mentioned it a couple of times in your testimony already. That was in September. It was in time to complement Operation Cutlass Fury, the NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise hosted every two years by the Royal Canadian Navy.
As I think you heard while you were there, we welcomed somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400 sailors from our NATO allies, who joined our own Royal Canadian Navy sailors for an incredible agenda. There were ship tours, concerts, information booths—including recruitment booths—receptions and a very hard-fought rugby game with the Royal Navy.
I want to take this moment to recognize on the record the incredible team at the RCN under Vice-Admiral Topshee, including Rear-Admiral Josée Kurtz and fleet commander Trevor MacLean and his amazing team, who brought ships out from behind the curtain of CFB Halifax right onto our city's waterfront. It was incredible outreach.
I'll give you some quick stats. HMCS Moncton had 3,800 visitors over three days. HMCS Margaret Brooke had 4,500. HMCS Fredericton had 4,500 people over three days. In just one day, HMCS Glace Bay had over 1,000 people. Over 50,000 everyday citizens came down to the waterfront and took part in these festivities. Downtown businesses recorded their best-ever second weekend in September for business.
I have to say that all of this is incredible for the inaugural year of what we're going to be doing every two years as Cutlass Fury continues. The impact of this was that it really exposed Canadians to what our serving members do on behalf of Canadians and our NATO allies around the world every single day.
I wonder if you could reflect for us on how you view these kinds of outreach initiatives as a tool for the Canadian Armed Forces going forward.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Andy, if I were 50 years younger, I'd have signed up myself.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
It was a terrific day. You and I have talked about this. We witnessed it first-hand. I have to tell you how proud I was. I could also see that on the faces of Canadians on the street and on the docks when visiting those sailors. As someone said to me, “It's going to be hard for any sailor in this town to buy a drink tonight.” I thought it was a great opportunity for the people of Halifax, for Canadians, to acknowledge the pride in the armed forces and to say thanks. It really was quite extraordinary.
When I reflect on the importance of these events, I think we need to do more. When we have Canadian Armed Forces members who are in a flood-ravaged community or helping evacuate people out of a fire zone, it really is an opportunity for Canadians to see how truly valuable they are. Sometimes when we talk about the Canadian Armed Forces, particularly in foreign deployments—don't get me wrong, because those overseas expeditionary deployments are critically important to Canada's interests—it sometimes feels a little bit remote for the average Canadian. During International Fleet Week or deployments or even when some of our bases open up their doors to invite in people in the community, I think it's a really great opportunity to demonstrate how really important the Canadian Armed Forces are, with all their proud and glorious history, to our country and its future.
I guess I'm vigorously agreeing with you. It was a terrific day. I was very grateful to have the opportunity to participate.
