National Defence Committee on Jan. 26th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Charles Sousa]

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome back. It's good to see everyone back at the table.

I appreciate the witnesses before us.

I also want to welcome our new clerk, Jean-Denis Kusion.

To all of you, welcome to meeting number 20 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted on September 16, 2025, the committee is meeting to resume consideration of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, modernization.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person, and remotely using the Zoom application. I would ask participants to consult the guidelines on the table. These measures are to help prevent audio and feedback incidents and to protect the health and safety of the interpreters.

I would like to remind witnesses and members to please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. If you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can.

For interpretation, use your earpiece and select the appropriate channel for floor, English or French. This is also available on Zoom. All comments should be addressed through the chair.

I would now like to welcome our witnesses.

We have Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force. We have Peter Hammerschmidt, assistant deputy minister, infrastructure and environment, and Jonathan Quinn, director general, continental defence and advanced capabilities. We also have Neil O'Rourke, director general, fleet and maritime services, Canadian Coast Guard.

I will now invite Jonathan Quinn to make his opening statement of up to five minutes.

[Jonathan Quinn, Director General, Continental Defence Policy, Department of National Defence]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and committee members, for the opportunity to speak with you today about NORAD modernization and continental defence.

My name is Jonathan Quinn, director general for continental defence policy at the Department of National Defence. I am responsible for several defence policy files, including continental defence, the Arctic, the Canada-U.S. defence relationship and the military use of such advanced capabilities as space and cyber.

It has been clear for some time that the world is becoming a more dangerous place and that Canada is not protected by its geography today in the same way it once was. In 1958, Canada and the United States created NORAD, which remains the only binational military command of its kind in the world, because our leaders at the time recognized that the best way to defend our shared continent from aerospace threats was to do it together. That remains the case today, especially as those threats become more and more sophisticated and the geopolitical environment more and more volatile and complex.

In Canada, we have been on a path for a number of years now to dramatically enhance our domestic and continental defence capabilities, including through NORAD. In 2017, the government released “Strong, Secure, Engaged”, a defence policy that committed to several major procurement investments, with many relevant to the defence of Canada and North America. This includes River-class destroyers, Arctic and offshore patrol ships, future fighters, maritime patrol aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft systems. Many of these projects are beginning to come online. Then, in 2022, the government announced a new package of investments specifically focused on modernizing Canada's contributions to NORAD.

The modernization of NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defence Command, is focused on delivering key capabilities to counter threats in North America, such as advanced cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons.

The Arctic Over the Horizon Radar is one of our flagship programs and will form the backbone of a new “system of systems” to detect and track threats in our northern approaches.

Alongside these investments in new sensors, NORAD modernization is delivering technology-enabled command and control systems to support timely and effective decision-making; air weapons; significant infrastructure investments and support capabilities, particularly in Canada's north; and dedicated science and technology funding for continental defence.

Here are some key upcoming project milestones: A first Arctic Over the Horizon Radar system is scheduled to be operational in 2029; and the delivery of the first fully converted multi-role tanker transport aircraft is scheduled for 2027.

While these NORAD modernization investments are quite targeted, they will support broader Canadian national defence objectives. This includes strengthening CAF capabilities in our northern and Arctic regions.

The release of the “Our North, Strong and Free” policy in 2024 built on these earlier defence policy announcements to provide funding for additional investments with a focus on the defence of Canada and the Arctic.

The northern operational support hubs, airborne early warning and control aircraft, tactical helicopters to replace our current fleet, and maritime sensors are capabilities that will expand the CAF's ability to operate our vast northern geography. “Our North, Strong and Free” also committed to acquiring new ice-capable patrol submarines to provide a strategic deterrent effect on all three coasts. This most recent defence policy also committed to strengthening our contribution to integrated air and missile defence.

In July 2025, the government announced that it had removed all restrictions on the air and missile defence of Canada, allowing us to consider the full range of capabilities Canada may need to effectively defend against rapidly evolving threats. Around the same time, at the last NATO summit, the Prime Minister announced that Canada would reach the NATO benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defence this fiscal year, and committed to reaching the new 5% target by 2035. This announcement came with an immediate injection of $81 billion, over five years, to fortify the foundations of Canada's defence readiness by, for example, investing in infrastructure, people and core fleets, and by strengthening our digital and cyber foundations.

Then, in September 2025, the Canadian Coast Guard moved into the Department of National Defence, along with a proposed adjustment to the CCG mandate, through Bill C-12, that would allow them to make important contributions to Canada's maritime domain awareness. This will be especially valuable in the Arctic, where the Coast Guard's unique capabilities and year-round presence will significantly enhance our ability to monitor our northern approaches and deter unwanted activity. My colleague Neil O'Rourke can speak more to that should there be any questions there.

Collectively, all of this means that National Defence is prioritizing the procurement of capabilities to deter and defend against threats to Canada and North America, in particular threats in, to and through our Arctic, and has a plan to modernize our capabilities for the all-domain defence of Canada. I anticipate that the defence of Canada, our Arctic, and North America will continue to feature prominently in future defence policy announcements and investment plans as we move deliberately to increase defence spending over the coming decade.

Thank you. I look forward to answering any questions you may have.

[The Chair, Liberal, Charles Sousa]

Thank you, Mr. Quinn.

For our first round of questions of up to six minutes, we'll start with our vice-chair, Mr. James Bezan.

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

Before you start the clock, I just want to raise a point of order.

The notice of this meeting went out late on Friday. The same government officials were going to appear. I understand that government officials knew late on Friday that they were going to appear. We as committee members didn't know who was appearing before committee until 9:22 this morning. It gave us little time to prepare. “Government officials” is a broad, sweeping group of individuals across the Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence. It could have been anyone from the commander of NORAD operations to the CDS, down to a wing commander in Cold Lake.

We have to raise the point that we need proper notice so we can prepare and make sure that we're not wasting the time of witnesses, this committee and members, who will ask the questions that need to be asked in this study. I would just caution the chair to make sure that he's respecting the rights of members so that we are properly prepared and can do our jobs in a timely manner—and today he's not.

[The Chair, Liberal, Charles Sousa]

The point is well taken.

I'll go back to you, Mr. Bezan.

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

Okay. I will start.

I want to thank our witnesses for appearing on very short notice, but this study is important to Canada.

Knowing the growing threats we see in our Arctic and around the world, I want to start off by quickly talking about the comment made by Ambassador Hoekstra to the CBC that if Canada doesn't buy the F-35s, the U.S. will have to pick up the slack and fly their F-35s in Canadian airspace to intercept any potential threats.

Lieutenant-General Speiser-Blanchet, what is your position on this? Can we maintain sovereign control of our airspace without F-35s?

[Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, Commander, Royal Canadian Air Force, Department of National Defence]

Thank you for the question.

Canadian presence in NORAD absolutely reduces risks, and it increases Canada's autonomy and ability to defend itself. The F-35 is one of the capabilities that Canada has decided to procure, in addition to several others, as part of an overall system of integrated air and missile defence that will ultimately strengthen Canada's ability to defend.

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

The F-35, though, would be the most interoperable for the fighter jet platform requirement we have, and it would be the best one to put Canadian pilots in to protect themselves and Canada.

[Lgen Jamie Speiser-Blanchet]

The F-35 is the only fifth-generation advanced technology fighter aircraft available to Canada, and it was selected in the competition that was conducted by the Government of Canada. It is the only one, at this moment, that can meet all of the most advanced adversary threats we are seeing that are being promulgated and advanced technologically by Russia and China.

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

Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

We know we're buying a minimum of 16 F-35s. The infrastructure to support those F-35s continues to be behind schedule, whether it's for the extension of the runway at Inuvik or for the added security needed, both cybersecurity and physical security, at our wings and forward operating locations.

When can we expect those projects to be completed so we can receive our F-35s to protect Canadian airspace and be a proper partner in NORAD?

[Lgen Jamie Speiser-Blanchet]

I can start, and then I'll hand it over to my colleague, the assistant deputy minister of infrastructure and environment.

At the moment, we do have, within the future fighter capability project, very clear objectives and milestones for all of the associated infrastructure required to support the F-35 fleet. There are interim capabilities, structures and constructions that are meant to mitigate some of the delays for the permanent fighter squadron facilities that are meant to be finished in the early 2030s.

When the first F-35 is due to arrive in Canada in Cold Lake in 2028, we expect to have sufficient interim infrastructure available to operate the F-35s and then continue—

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

That's only at Cold Lake. Would they be able work out of our FOLs in Inuvik, Yellowknife and Iqaluit?

[Lgen Jamie Speiser-Blanchet]

There will be a growth program. It's implementing in phases. Obviously, to reach an initial operating capability, not everything will be operable immediately. We will still be operating the CF-18s, as we draw them down, at the same time that we build up the F-35 capability, until 2032. We will absolutely ensure that we have the ability to operate from our forward operating locations.

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

From the air force standpoint, I believe the P-8s are going to require the same types of security measures at every wing. What has the Royal Canadian Air Force been doing to enhance the security of the perimeter and the wings across Canada so that F-35s and the Poseidons can operate?

[Lgen Jamie Speiser-Blanchet]

We have been working within the RCAF to address the very important security requirements, including physical security, at our wings and bases across Canada. We are already developing options for increased security forces, and we are looking at the kinds of capabilities they will need in order to provide the physical protection of very important assets.

We have developed and are already working with some counter UAS systems. They are in place and are continuing to be developed in certain locations across Canada. We will continue all of those efforts so we can provide the necessary security for all the modern capabilities we will be procuring, including the F-35, the P-8 and the remotely piloted aircraft system.

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

When we look at any incursions into Canada's air defence identification zones or our maritime space, do they predominantly occur in the western Arctic or the eastern?

[Lgen Jamie Speiser-Blanchet]

I don't know if I have a quantifiable answer to that. We respond to all incursions and are prepared to respond east or west.

At the moment, I think the predominant Russian threat would be more from the eastern side of the Arctic. However, we work within NORAD to respond across the entire geography we have.

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

I was led to believe that most incursions were happening in the western Arctic, coming across over the top of Alaska out of the Bering Strait. Also, of course, the maritime threat seems to be coming from that direction, especially as we see more and more Chinese vessels in our Arctic waters.

Wouldn't the need for Inuvik in particular to lengthen that runway become a major priority?

[Lgen Jamie Speiser-Blanchet]

Do you want to cover that, Peter?

[Peter Hammerschmidt, Assistant Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Environment, Department of National Defence]

Sure.

Thank you for the question.

On Inuvik, we recognize that we need to make some infrastructure improvements quickly. In fact, as you noted, the runway work is under way. It is a bit delayed because there are some permafrost issues that have to be dealt with, and we're taking the appropriate amount of time to get that done.

There is also a broader effort to ensure that, in particular, the Inuvik and Yellowknife forward operating locations start to see some injection of construction and infrastructure investment in the very near term. We will shortly thereafter be focusing on Iqaluit and the deployed operating base at Goose Bay as well.

There is activity happening. The construction program is going to launch shortly for those forward operating locations.

[The Chair, Liberal, Charles Sousa]

Ms. Lapointe, you have up to six minutes.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Mr. Quinn, you mentioned in your opening statement that several defence investments are about to come online. Can you share some details of those with the committee?

[Jonathan Quinn]

Yes, absolutely. I'd be happy to do that. I'll start, and given that a lot of the investments are air force-related, I'll invite General Speiser-Blanchet to amplify as well.

From a NORAD modernization perspective, there's a huge focus on domain awareness. We have the Arctic over-the-horizon radar project that's set to come online in 2029 and is based in southern Ontario. We have the polar over-the-horizon radar system, which would be specifically located in the High Arctic and would come online a bit after that. There's still a bit more research and development to do to deal with some interference from the auroral oval in that part of the world.

There are additional sensors as well. We call them “crossbow”. Those are a bit more sensitive, so we won't be able to get into details at the moment on what those are.

There are really significant investments in command and control. With all of the data coming in from new and existing sensors, we need to enhance our ability to digest it using artificial intelligence and machine learning, and translate that into operationally useful information that will reduce decision time in the event of a crisis.

In addition to that, we're investing in air-to-air refuellers to extend the range of our fighter aircraft. There are really significant investments as well in our northern infrastructure, which Mr. Hammerschmidt could speak to in more detail.

More recently, in “Our North Strong and Free”, we're investing in underwater maritime sensors and uncrewed underwater vehicles to make sure we don't have blind spots in the underwater approaches to Canada and the Arctic. There are also airborne early warning and control aircraft, which are a real priority capability for NORAD in terms of commanding and controlling other fighter aircraft from the air and providing additional early warning capability.

We're putting in a new Arctic ground station to enhance the collection of intelligence in the Arctic. There are space projects for both polar communications and surveillance from space. Also, as you know, there's a project under way to replace our submarine fleet with a new fleet. That is progressing really well.

Those are a few examples, but if there's time, I would invite General Speiser-Blanchet to amplify, if I've missed anything.

[Lgen Jamie Speiser-Blanchet]

That was a fairly thorough list, so there isn't much to add.

However, I would emphasize the space projects that were mentioned. These are the enhanced satellite communications project, polar, and the defence enhanced surveillance from space project, which are key contributions and very cutting edge in terms of what Canada is going to be able to contribute to its own defence and certainly to continental defence, with world-class capabilities.

The future combined aerospace operations centre capability speaks to the command and control that Mr. Quinn mentioned, because as we know, the defence of North America is about much more than just the air platforms that we're flying. It's very important to enable those aircraft to communicate. It's about sensing threats and detecting them, so the domain awareness he mentioned is very much key.

Many of the projects are designed to enhance our ability to sense and detect threats, decide from a communications standpoint what must be done about them and then have the necessary effectors to ultimately defeat those threats and provide the credible deterrence that is necessary to protect North America.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Lieutenant-General, are there lessons from some of the recent global conflicts and crises that we're seeing that have helped directly shape how NORAD modernization is being implemented today? You talked about the need to detect threats ahead of time. That might be part of the answer, but are there lessons that we have learned and are looking at as we modernize NORAD?