Evidence of meeting #11 for National Defence in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was arctic.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 11 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence. Pursuant to the motion adopted on September 16, the committee is meeting to continue its study on the integration of the Canadian Coast Guard into the Department of National Defence.
Today's meeting is taking place in hybrid format pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person and remotely using the Zoom application.
Clerk, is there anybody on Zoom?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
There is nobody on Zoom for the first half, but there will be in the second.
I ask that all participants consult the guidelines on the table. These measures are here to prevent audio feedback incidents and to protect the health and safety of both participants and our interpreters. I'd like to remind witnesses and members to please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking, and for those participating—they're not by video conference until the second half—to please raise your mic and raise your hand. Again, all comments should be addressed through the chair.
If you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, of course, use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can, and we appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.
Now I would like to welcome our witnesses. We have Marc Mes, deputy commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard programs, and Andy Smith, deputy commissioner, shipbuilding and materiel.
I'd like to invite the deputy commissioners to make their opening statement.
You have up to five minutes. Thank you again.
Marc Mes
Good morning, Mr. Chair and committee members. Thank you very much for the invitation. I am Marc Mes, deputy commissioner of Canadian Coast Guard programs, and I'm joined here today by my colleague, Andy Smith, deputy commissioner of shipbuilding and materiel. Of course, the chair has already introduced us.
We really do appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today.
This is a major turning point in the history of the Canadian Coast Guard, or CCG, as we recently joined the defence team and anticipate the proposed expansion of our services in relation to national security.
To help contextualize these priorities, we’d first like to provide a brief overview of our roles within the Canadian Coast Guard.
As deputy commissioner of Coast Guard programs, I am responsible for delivering the Canadian Coast Guard's operational mandate and ensuring the effectiveness of our programs from coast to coast to coast, as well as in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence. I provide oversight for the critical maritime programs and services that Canadians have depended on for over 60 years. These services ensure the safety of mariners on the water, protect the marine environment and enable economic prosperity through the safe and efficient movement of vessels in Canadian waters.
At its core, my role ensures that the Canadian Coast Guard delivers its mandate as an integrated, efficient service. I now invite Deputy Commissioner Smith to speak to his role and responsibilities.
Andy Smith Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Materiel, Canadian Coast Guard
Good morning, Mr. Chair. Good morning to the committee members as well.
I appreciate the invitation to join you today.
As deputy commissioner of shipbuilding and materiel, I oversee the complete lifecycle of our assets—from procurement through to disposal. This keeps the Canadian Coast Guard operationally ready to provide the vital services Deputy Commissioner Mes outlined earlier.
My responsibilities include the acquisition of large and small vessels and helicopters. However, procurement is just one part of our work. I also oversee the maintenance and life-cycle management of the Coast Guard's fleet and shore-based assets, which ensure the continued delivery of Coast Guard services to Canadians.
Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that the Coast Guard has the right equipment in the right condition at the right time, so that our personnel can perform their vital work safely and effectively.
Marc Mes
As I mentioned earlier, the Canadian Coast Guard stands at an inflection point in its history, especially in relation to how we contribute to Canada's sovereignty and national security.
The Canadian Coast Guard is proud to have recently joined the defence team. While CCG will remain a civilian special operating agency reporting to the Department of National Defence, this transition will facilitate greater collaboration and interoperability with our defence partners, and strengthen synergies in the areas of infrastructure, cyber capabilities, and recruitment and retention of operational personnel.
As you know, legislation currently before Parliament proposes amendments to the Oceans Act that would formally expand the Coast Guard service to include security activities to support maritime domain awareness, with a particular emphasis on the Arctic. These legislative changes would authorize the Canadian Coast Guard to collect and share information for the purposes of security, which was previously not possible.
We will also be able to conduct security and surveillance patrols, which would include, for example, monitoring suspicious vessels in remote, northern locations and sharing the information collected with intelligence, security and defence partners.
While these represent significant changes, the Canadian Coast Guard is well positioned to meet the opportunities on the horizon and to be a force multiplier by utilizing its extensive suite of 126 vessels, 23 helicopters, sensors, shore-based assets and operational centres to collect critical information about what is taking place in Canada’s maritime domain.
Our vessels already navigate the waters on all three coasts, as well as the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. We're often called “Canada's ears and eyes on the water”.
The Coast Guard maintains the most substantial Canadian government presence in the Arctic, a region we know is of escalating geopolitical importance. Climate change is fundamentally altering our work environment. We see how warming temperatures are opening new Arctic shipping corridors while simultaneously creating hazardous conditions, extreme weather events and impacts to our marine infrastructure. As receding ice opens new sea routes and attracts international attention, our established Arctic presence allows us to provide enhanced domain awareness in these waters.
The large geographic area of the Arctic poses a unique challenge. Canadian Coast Guard vessels and other assets are integrating the capabilities of increasingly sophisticated digital systems. Our awareness of what's happening on the water is evolving, thanks to tools like RADARSAT, Canada's third generation of Earth observation satellites, and uncrewed aerial surveillance systems that give us eyes where our vessels can't go.
We're also working to remain at the forefront of increasingly digitalized navigational services. For the Canadian Coast Guard, that means implementing e-navigation and other digital services in our marine communications and traffic services, icebreaking and aids to navigation.
Our contributions to maritime domain awareness are also bolstered by our established partnerships with federal organizations like the Canada Border Services Agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Armed Forces—partnerships that are strengthened through daily operational co-operation.
We also understand that effective domain awareness requires meaningful engagement and partnerships with indigenous communities. The Coast Guard has established relationships with indigenous communities across Canada. Through initiatives like the indigenous community boat volunteer program and the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, we are not merely consulting with indigenous partners but collaboratively codeveloping services that respect traditional knowledge and address community-identified priorities.
Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Materiel, Canadian Coast Guard
This foundation of presence and partnerships is being strengthened by investments that will enhance our capabilities in the coming years. The ongoing commitment to renewing the federal civilian fleet represents a generational and transformational investment in the Canadian Coast Guard.
Via the national shipbuilding strategy, now in its 15th year, the Canadian Coast Guard fleet renewal will include the acquisition of two polar icebreakers, up to six program icebreakers, up to 16 multi-purpose icebreaking vessels, and two Arctic and offshore patrol ships.
The new polar icebreakers, in particular, represent a significant advancement in our Arctic capabilities. These vessels will enable the Coast Guard to maintain a year-round sovereign presence in the high Arctic, enhancing our ability to contribute to domain awareness.
Deputy Minister Beck and Commissioner Pelletier will be appearing before this committee in a few weeks to address in greater detail the Canadian Coast Guard's transition to the Department of National Defence, as well as the Coast Guard's expanding mandate.
In the meantime, Deputy Mes and I thank you again for the opportunity to speak with you today, and we look forward to answering your questions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
Thank you, Deputy Commissioners. I appreciate your opening statements.
To start us off on our first round of six minutes is Mr. Kibble.
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My questions, through you, are for Mr. Mes and Mr. Smith.
Thank you for being here and thank you for your service to Canada. I certainly would like to acknowledge the experience the Coast Guard has, especially operating in the Arctic, where they operate like no other.
Also, thank you for helping us better understand this proposed transition, as you said. However, I would suggest it is now a transition.
Were either of you consulted about the expansion prior to the introduction of Bill C-2 and Bill C-12?
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Was your department and were you personally consulted, Mr. Mes?
Conservative
Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Materiel, Canadian Coast Guard
Yes, I was.
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Before you were consulted, how did you find out about this decision?
Conservative
Marc Mes
Yes, that's how we found out.
Well, we were involved in the consultations. We knew that things were...but we didn't know specifically when this would be announced. It was through the announcement of the Prime Minister.
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Were you involved with consultations prior to the announcement in the news?
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Thank you.
You mentioned that the mandate would change and would now include security and surveillance patrols. In your opening remarks, you mentioned monitoring.
Is there anything else beyond monitoring in the definition of security patrols or surveillance?