National Defence Committee on Dec. 4th, 2025

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

You're not preparing the hangars for receiving them yet...?

[Stephen Kelsey]

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.

[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?

[Stephen Kelsey]

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.

[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?

[Stefanie Beck]

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—

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Onto DND property....

[Stefanie Beck]

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.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Go ahead, Scott.

[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?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Yes.

[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?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I agree that we should be relying on the operational advice of the Canadian Armed Forces.

[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?

[Stefanie Beck]

It's a tiny fraction of the total.

[Scott Anderson, Conservative, Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC]

How much money, though?

[Stefanie Beck]

I couldn't tell you, because they're not even here yet. This is still a discussion.

[Scott Anderson, Conservative, Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC]

Okay. We don't know how much—

[Stefanie Beck]

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.

[Scott Anderson, Conservative, Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC]

Okay.

We're also moving another 3,000 civilians into DND, I understand.

[Stefanie Beck]

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.

[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?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

That's the intent.

[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?

[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—