Evidence of meeting #88 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 region.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I see that's it's 11 o'clock. I see that there's quorum, and we have our witnesses in place. I want to welcome you all back after the break. Particularly, I want to welcome our clerk back. We are very pleased.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
In your absence, Andrew, the committee almost derailed, but fortunately your substitutes were quite helpful. We are very pleased to see you back.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
With that, I want to call our witnesses in no particular order. I will leave them to decide who goes first.
You all know the drill because you've all been here many times before. With that, I will ask whoever is the lead to begin.
Major-General Gregory Smith Director General, International Security Policy, Department of National Defence
Mr. Chair, I have an opening statement.
Mr. Chair and members of the committee, we are honoured to once again appear before you. I am Major-General Greg Smith, director general of international security policy. I am joined by my colleague Major-General Paul Prévost, director of staff for the strategic joint staff, in addition to my two GAC colleagues, Amanda Strohan and Jennie Chen.
Thank you for this opportunity to continue our discussion with the committee on the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces' efforts to help implement the government’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
Despite a challenging global security environment, the Indo-Pacific remains a priority for the defence team. We have continued to move aggressively to implement the Indo-Pacific strategy. In 2023, we delivered on all our stated strategic objectives and look forward to building on these successes in 2024.
In short, we have increased our defence presence in the region, allowing for more engagement, co-operation and collaboration. This includes increased security co-operation with partners and expanded engagement through regional training, multilateral exercises and events.
From deploying our third Royal Canadian Navy warship to engaging in large-scale, strategic, multilateral exercises in the region for the first time and expanding our defence relations with priority countries, National Defence has delivered.
The defence team’s main effort in 2024 will be maintaining, and where possible, increasing active and meaningful operational contributions to the region on a sustainable and enduring basis. This will be critical in demonstrating that Canada is a reliable partner to the region and a net contributor to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Operation Horizon will be the primary vehicle for delivering the defence lines of effort in the Indo-Pacific strategy, capturing operations, existing and new exercises, and activities from all elements of the Canadian Armed Forces, including capacity-building programs.
Through Operation Neon, we will also continue monitoring United Nations Security Council resolutions against North Korea as we maintain our long-standing support to the United Nations Command, and for the importance of denuclearization and the promotion of peace on the Korean peninsula. In December 2023, as part of this commitment, Canada increased the Canadian Armed Forces' footprint within the United Nations Command, including assuming the position of deputy commander of the United Nations Command.
Together, these operations will directly support the promotion of peace, resilience and stability in the region, and they will help uphold the rules-based international system.
The defence team will also continue to foster defence relations with key regional partners and communicate our defence and foreign policy interests, as well as highlight Canada’s significant contributions to the collective effort of promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
In fact, last week, a defence delegation visited the region for defence policy talks to deepen relationships with partner nations and hear from them how Canada can become a better and more trusted defence and security partner. These talks resulted in concrete deliverables, advancing relationships one step at a time. For example, we signed a defence co-operation memorandum of understanding with the Philippines, establishing a framework that will significantly enhance the level of co-operation and the types of activities between our forces.
As well, during the Canada-Vietnam defence policy dialogue held in the fall, we signed a United Nations peacekeeping co-operation memorandum of understanding, allowing our forces to share expertise and support training efforts through Vietnam’s peacekeeping training centre.
As we head into the second year of the Indo-Pacific strategy, the defence team will continue to promote and share our key accomplishments, as well as the vast array of activities and strategic impacts that Canada delivers in the region to support our shared interests with partners.
In sum, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces will continue to deliver a meaningful and multi-faceted regional presence for Canada from which we can promote peace and stability in support of our national interests and values.
I look forward to your questions.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Thank you. We're ready for questions.
Do you have an opening statement from Global Affairs?
Amanda Strohan Director General, Indo-Pacific Strategic Planning, Policy and Operations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
We don't have an opening statement, but perhaps we'll introduce ourselves, if you're all right with that.
Director General, Indo-Pacific Strategic Planning, Policy and Operations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
My name is Amanda Strohan. I'm the director general for Indo-Pacific strategic planning, policy and operations. I'm joined by my colleague.
Jennie Chen Executive Director, Greater China Political and Coordination, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Good morning, everyone. My name is Jennie Chen. I'm the executive director for our greater China political division at Global Affairs.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Thank you.
We know Major-General Prévost.
With that, Mrs. Gallant, you have six minutes.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Reportedly, top Chinese and U.S. officials held candid talks in Bangkok aimed at lowering tensions between the superpowers on Taiwan and other subjects. How realistic is it that an invasion of Taiwan will be avoided? What military assets does Canada have in order to do our part should it become necessary?
MGen Gregory Smith
I can start, Mr. Chair.
The important thing is that the Indo-Pacific strategy, I think, establishes deterrence. We have a presence in the region. We're doing Taiwan Strait transits. We're doing exercises. We're showing ourselves as a regional partner. I think all of that sets a tone in the region that we're present. Canada is not the biggest player there, but we're a willing and able partner in the region. I think that helps create an overall environment in the area to say that we're present and it's important.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Should a conflict erupt, what can Canada actually provide in terms of firepower or evacuations? How are we set up to do the part of the plan that we may be called on to do?
MGen Gregory Smith
Mr. Chair, I'll start. Maybe my operations colleague will want to join me on this one.
We're trying to prevent that. That's what the Indo-Pacific strategy is about. It's about creating overall deterrence. I like to call it a “rules-based international order presence”. It establishes the idea that we must follow the guidelines of how we act in the world internationally. Beyond that, we're working very closely with our allies and partners to try to prevent such a threat.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Prevention is certainly worth a pound of cure, but our job is to protect Canadians and the region in the worst-case scenario. What assets do we have in place and what plans do we have in place should the worst-case scenario come to pass?
MGen Gregory Smith
I'll start by saying that we're planning with our allies and our partners, but we hope that never happens. Beyond that, I think we've already talked about some of the presence we have there with the three ships that go into the region periodically or throughout the year. Beyond that, we're increasing our army, air force, special forces and cyber presence throughout to try to prevent that from happening.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Okay.
Let's move a bit north. North Korea fired several cruise missiles in waters off its east coast yesterday, and nuclear-capable cruise missiles were test fired last week. Is this the usual sabre-rattling over western naval exercises in the region around this time of year? If not, how is Canada prepared to protect our residents from potential collateral damage should missiles enter our airspace?
MGen Gregory Smith
Mr. Chair, I'll start. I'll see if one of my colleagues wants to join in.
I talked about Operation Neon. Op Neon is designed to try to do sanctions monitoring. We have a continuous presence there. It's episodic, but again, it helps set the tone in the region to say that we're monitoring what's happening and trying to prevent any type of conflict from continuing. Again, it's not going to prevent the firing of missiles, but it does show continuous presence. We're a big player as far as that goes.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
If the missiles are launched, what type of air defence does Canada have in place in order to protect our residents?
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Residents of Canada.
Our Canadian citizens in South Korea will be the next question.
MGen Gregory Smith
Okay.
We're talking about ground-based air defence. We don't have any ground-based air defence on the B.C. coast or anything like that, but that's why we have an Indo-Pacific strategy. That's why we do Operation Neon. It's to try to prevent these types of things. It's continuous presence to create deterrence, if you will.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Okay.
Many people in my community have a son or daughter in South Korea teaching or living permanently. I know that it's on their minds all the time. Whenever the sabre-rattling happens, at what point do we start making plans to get them out of there? What is the signal? If you had family of your own in South Korea, when would you tell them to get out?