Evidence of meeting #38 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 industry.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
Thank you. That was very great. I appreciate it.
Ms. Normandin, you have two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Thank you.
Mr. Greenley, you touched on the issue of procurement governance. The Defence Investment Agency, which will be created through Bill C‑31, places a great deal of procurement power in the hands of a single minister.
I would like to know whether you see this situation potentially leading to the politicization of procurement. If so, what can we do about this?
Chief Executive Officer, MDA Space
I don't think consolidating powers under the Defence Investment Agency would necessarily be politicized. You would still have to go through the same approval processes with government to be able to expend funds. There would be the same budgeting processes and the like.
The biggest opportunity there is the opportunity for speed—to be able to establish partnerships with industry and to be able to move things with speed through the system. A lot of time is spent in the current system, especially on larger procurements, in the interactions between National Defence, ISED, PSPC and all of those authorities, to get them to always come together. I think if there is consolidation on the ones that matter, we can move much quicker. I think that's good.
Bloc
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Thank you.
Let me put my question another way. One of the complaints expressed to this committee in the past concerned the politicization of procurement. We saw this in particular with the foot‑dragging surrounding the F‑35 contract.
Do the new defence industrial strategy and the new structure planned for the Defence Investment Agency solve this problem of politicization, which already existed to a certain extent?
Chief Executive Officer, MDA Space
I was going to say that it already existed to a certain extent, so I don't think they're fixing it. I think politics is politics. Whether it was the maritime helicopter cancellation a couple of decades ago or whether it's somebody playing around with a fighter jet today, there will always be politics in the largest discretionary spend of government. I think that will be there. I don't see how the Defence Investment Agency makes it better or worse. Politics will be there. It just allows us, when it is time to go and buy something, to actually go at speed.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
Thank you.
Mr. Kibble, it's over to you, sir. You have five minutes.
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It's great to have such a large panel of witnesses today. I'm requesting that they make their answers short. I have three questions, and I'm going to try to hear from each.
Could you name a document—the single most recent Canadian government planning document—that your firm or organization actually uses to forecast defence demand, and the year it's from?
Chief Executive Officer, Reaction Dynamics Lab Inc.
That's a good question. This for us has been a very strong signal to understand where that demand will be heading. Something that I think is noteworthy is that we are building something that doesn't exist in the country already. We are building orbital launch capabilities.
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Is there a planning document to guide you to the capabilities of what you're building or particular products? Is there any document that you can name that's helping you plan your business?
Chief Executive Officer, Reaction Dynamics Lab Inc.
Based on the priorities of the DIS, we're able to navigate where we see that demand coming from. Is it more observation—
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Is there no document particularly you can name?
Chief Executive Officer, Reaction Dynamics Lab Inc.
Aside from the DIS, there's no document that comes to mind.
Chief Executive Officer, NordSpace Corporation
For us, one of the largest signals was the federal budget, which helped identify—
Vice-President, Government and Industry Affairs, Bombardier inc.
It's the defence blueprint, but I would say also proactive engagement to understand the needs of the future is very important beyond documents.
Conservative
Vice-President, Defence and Security, Canada and International, CAE Inc.
I would say it's between the budget and the defence blueprint.
Chief Executive Officer, MDA Space
The true north strategy and the budget.... That's why I was saying earlier that we need the road maps as we go forward into the future.
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
I'm going to try to squeeze in another one here. I have two left.
Again from left to right, have you signed any new military contracts since May 2025? I'm not referring to an MOU or that you entered into a discussion or talks, or stuff that we've seen, but an actual signed contract with dollars and work started for the government.
Chief Executive Officer, Reaction Dynamics Lab Inc.
It's with the DRDC Valcartier.