Public Accounts Committee on Oct. 17th, 2006

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Yes, welcome. It's always good to see you, Ms. Fraser.

Rear Admiral Pile, I want to begin with page 56 of the Auditor General's report, paragraphs 2.30 to 2.31, where the beginning sentence is, “We expected National Defence to have a policy to attract the required target populations.” Then at the end of paragraph 2.31, it says, “National Defence needs a comprehensive plan to guide and co-ordinate national, regional, and local activities for attracting and recruiting applicants.”

I have to say that during this meeting I've become kind of confused, because in paragraph 2.33 there's a target of 5,000, and then somehow we have a figure of 13,000 mixed in with the Auditor General's statement today. Now it's 64,000 that we're standing at and then 70,000 for 2010. Could you please tell me, is there a comprehensive plan now? To remove all doubt about the figures, is the target 6,000 more boots on the ground by 2010?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

Mr. Chair, I think the confusion emanates first from having a government policy in 2005, and then we had a change of government. The policy continued, but it changed slightly, so we were going to grow even larger than first anticipated. At that point we were around 62,000, so that's where the 13,000 comes from—to grow to 75,000.

Right now, with the current policy, our target is to achieve 70,000 in the regular force by 2010. At that point in time, we're going to look at the situation to consider growing to 75,000 beyond 2010. Does this help clarify that portion?

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

It does.

Is there a robust comprehensive plan now, as the Auditor General mentioned in her report? Is that in place today? Are you still working on it?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

Yes, that is part of our comprehensive plan. We know what our intake requirements are from now until 2010. If we continue to grow to 70,000—under a smart growth plan, where we can actually take in, train, and absorb the people we anticipate recruiting—we already have statistical models in place to deal with this, and we have a very comprehensive national recruiting attractions plan to achieve those goals.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Okay. Can this committee get a copy of the smart growth plan you're talking about?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

Most certainly. In fact, I will provide to this committee our national recruiting attractions plan as well as our strategic guidance on national recruiting, which is just about to be signed by the Chief of the Defence Staff.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Very good.

Either clear up a rumour for me or answer a tough question. Is it true that after someone enlists in the reserves and serves, if they want to enlist in the regular service, they actually have to go down to a recruiting office and enlist just like someone who comes in off the street? Is that true?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

That used to be the case. That is no longer the case.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

That's been fixed now?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

That's been fixed.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

So what would be the timing for the transition from a reserve unit to regular force if someone applied today?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

If their unit got their papers in order, the time should be just five days for a component transfer.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

It would be five days because they've already gone through medical and security, etc.?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

Exactly.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

I have spent some time as well on HMCS Montreal and HMCS Halifax, and I was quite impressed. I was impressed by the bilingualism on the ships, although on those two particular ships orders were given in English, but there was plenty of conversation in both languages.

On the way back from certifying the weapons in the Atlantic, the ship was commanded on the bridge by a female officer. There was such a degree of professionalism in every rank. I have to say also that in all three messes I was spoken to very frankly about how they felt about things. However, the officers' mess was much more diplomatic, and we'll save that kind of language for later.

I noticed that there was a good sharing program, and I want to know whether that is going to be able to tide you over in the gaps. There is a sharing program for medics and doctors. In fact, on those two ships, the medics who were being supplied for that manoeuvre were from the army. Is that one of the ways you're trying to fill the gaps? Is that going to be enough?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

What you witnessed on board the ship was a principle of Canadian Forces integration. There are certain occupations, such as those in the medical or logistics fields, that actually serve a common purpose throughout the Canadian Forces, regardless of the colour of the uniform. They can serve in any number of units in any organization, whether it's in the army, the navy, or the air force. We call them common support trades or common support occupations.

That's what you witnessed on board the ship. It wasn't a matter of sharing. Those individuals were actually trained in that particular occupation and could be posted anywhere.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

I understand 106% of your 2005 target was reached. Did you reduce any of your professional standards at all to achieve that overachievement?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

None of our qualification standards were touched.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

I have one last question. I was going to question you about a spike in recruitment that I'd heard about through the national media, and you said that it's too early to tell. But do you have any kind of evidence as to why there is this spike in the province of Quebec, and does that make up the vast majority of the increase in recruitment right now?

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

It probably is too early to tell. I don't even know if Commodore MacIsaac would have anything further to add, Mr. Chair, but we're very pleased with the response. It may have something to do with the attention the Canadian Forces is getting both in the media, with the additional advertising, and also through our national recruiting attractions plan.

We're focusing on those regions on which we traditionally did not place a lot of emphasis before. We had focused there but just not to the extent that we are focusing now.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Good. But you are analyzing that to find--

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

Oh, absolutely. We're trying to find out.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

--whatever evidence there might be to be able to capitalize on the opportunity to nourish that along.

[RAdm Tyrone Pile]

Yes, we are. Yes, absolutely.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Good.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.