Evidence of meeting #17 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 million.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
You're not preparing the hangars for receiving them yet...?
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
It's on an individual basis, so 427 Squadron, which you would know from your riding, is getting an upgrade to its facility, but it's agnostic of the selection of the helicopter.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
Will the people remain the same? Is there allocation for the upgrading of the training as well as any new recruits and the housing for them?
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
This is an excellent question. It's absolutely what we need to consider in the integration of the capabilities. It's all going to be factored in.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
Okay.
What amount has been spent so far, or allocated to, in regard to the SMR prototype? Has a place for the prototype been selected for the SMR that will eventually go into the Arctic? Do we know how much is going to be spent towards a prototype?
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
I think you're referring to the funds being spent with AECL, which is developing a business case for a micro modular reactor. That is being delivered through Natural Resources Canada directly—
Conservative
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
Right now it's a prototype. It's in development. They would need to consider what place makes sense to do any testing, and then eventually, when it's all in good shape, where we could purchase as a government and deploy.
Conservative
Scott Anderson Conservative Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC
My question is for the Minister, if I may.
Minister McGuinty, do you agree that our forces should have the best possible equipment to keep them safe?
Conservative
Scott Anderson Conservative Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC
Do you agree that the only metric we should be using is the quality of the equipment we're using and the advantage it gives our forces in the field?
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
I agree that we should be relying on the operational advice of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Conservative
Scott Anderson Conservative Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC
Okay.
“Inflection Point 2025” considers four entire divisions, for a total of anywhere between 60,000 and 80,000 soldiers, and the infrastructure and equipment required to allow them to operate. At the present time, we can't fund a single brigade that's combat ready.
This paper contemplates 16 of those brigades, four of which have to be combat ready. So far, we have the Coast Guard dragged into the mix, and now we're moving part of Transport Canada. Can you tell us how much of the 2% is being allocated and how much of the 2% is being made up by the Transport Canada addition?
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
It's a tiny fraction of the total.
Conservative
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
I couldn't tell you, because they're not even here yet. This is still a discussion.
Conservative
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
In terms of FTEs, it's about 350 people. If you consider that in terms of overall budget, they will come with some operating money as well, but it's not going to be a significant increase.
Conservative
Scott Anderson Conservative Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC
Okay.
We're also moving another 3,000 civilians into DND, I understand.
Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
This would be part of the growth that is planned because of the new work we are taking on. Some of the 3,000 would be regular attrition and replacement of existing FTEs, existing people.
Conservative
Scott Anderson Conservative Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC
Okay. I guess my concern is that the claimed intent of the government is to turn what has become an atrophied military operation into a warfighting machine in the 21st century capable of symmetrical warfare. Is that the intent?
Conservative
Scott Anderson Conservative Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC
My concern is that with all of the scrambling to drag all this stuff into the DND budget without any real kinetic ability or addition, we are going to get second-rate equipment like the Gripen, for instance, instead of the F-35. Can you assure us that the only criteria we're using is the safety of our soldiers moving forward?
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
You ask a very important series of questions, and I think we should all admit that we've all been negligent for the last 40 years. What we're—