National Defence Committee on Dec. 7th, 2023

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

But then how are you training? What I'm hearing from our troops at different bases across this country is that a company's strength is supposed to be nearing 200 soldiers, and we're down to 120. Where we're supposed to have seven or eight LAVs, we're only running four or five, because we don't have enough LAVs that are usable at this point in time. We heard during the Liberal decade of darkness that instead of giving our troops bullets, we're training them to go around and go “bang, bang”. Are we going back to that, especially with this billion-dollar cut that the Liberals have done to our Canadian Armed Forces?

[LGen Frances J. Allen]

Perhaps I'll let Ms. Tremblay speak to the initiatives to try to improve spare parts going forward first, and then I can perhaps speak to any other training elements after that.

[Nancy Tremblay, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Materiel, Department of National Defence]

What I can say on the sustainment of equipment is that we're working very hard to make sure that we provide the right equipment that is safe and available to the Canadian—

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I'll stop you there. Before my time runs out, I just want to move the following motion:

That the committee report to the House, based on testimony:

1. the state of munitions production and procurement in Canada is abysmal;

2. the state of readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces is declining; and

3. the Canadian Armed Forces possesses insufficient quantities of certain munitions.

That the committee call on the Government to:

a. reverse the $1‑billion budget cut announced by the Liberal government to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces;

b. expand munitions production in Canada;

c. increase munition exports to Ukraine; and

d. support the development of weapons and munitions manufacturing capabilities in Ukraine by Canadian industry.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Okay. It's tabled. It's in order. It's a subject matter before the court, and his time is expired.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I'd like to circulate it in both French and English.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Now we go to Mr. Collins for a final four minutes.

I am assuming, colleagues, that if the bells start ringing, you'll allow Mr. Collins to complete his four minutes. Thank you.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I have a motion on the floor.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

You've got a motion on the floor, but we're not going to debate it.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

It's my right to debate it. It's in order.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I'm sorry. You are right. I apologize.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I did give notice.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Yes. I apologize.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Chair, I do thank our witnesses for appearing and providing testimony today, along with the minister, but just let me say this: We have heard through a number of our studies now that we have serious problems in procurement and that we have serious problems in the production of munitions in this country. I do welcome the announcement by the minister, but whether that would....

If you want in, you have to move a point of order.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

I have a point of order.

I'm wondering if we can also share it for those who are online, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

The clerk has a copy of it.

I will keep on explaining behind the conversation here.

We've seen two reports coming from the Department of National Defence, both the performance report from the department and the Roussy report that was done under the MINDS program on our air force. In addition to that, we saw Vice-Admiral Topshee's video on the state of readiness of our maritime fleet.

It is deeply concerning for all of us that our ability to defend Canada, our ability to be a reliable ally under NATO and our ability to take on any extra roles with the concern around the PRC and its aggressive posture that we're seeing in the Strait of Taiwan in the South China Sea, especially along the east Thomas Shoal, and in its interactions with the Philippines and its ongoing aggression towards Japan.... We have to be severely concerned that the state of readiness within the Canadian Armed Forces has been undermined.

We also know that Ukraine is in the fight of its life, that the conflict continues to drag on, that it has now become fairly entrenched on both sides and that the line is not moving much these days. Every day, Ukraine sends forward its soldiers, who are sacrificing themselves for the benefit of NATO and the rest of the world and standing up for freedom and liberty—

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I'm sorry, Mr Bezan. The bells are ringing. I have to adjourn this meeting.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

You mean suspend.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

No, we'll adjourn.

The meeting is adjourned.