Public Accounts Committee on June 17th, 2008

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Okay, that's very good.

I see in paragraph 2.29 and 2.30 that the Auditor General is pointing out that when the goods arrive in Kandahar, that seems to be the most difficult time at which we can lose control. I am concerned that there is pilferage and that it ends up in enemy hands, so I appreciate your comment there, General.

Paragraph 2.48 deals with the medical supplies. Medical supplies are a very critical thing on a front line. I notice that you sometimes are short of medical staff. Is that being addressed?

[LGen Walter Natynczyk]

In terms of...?

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Are medical staff and medical equipment being addressed on the front line?

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

Yes, these are being addressed. One of the key issues was very rapid procurement of some of the items, and what we've done with the health support services is to have several standing offer agreements and a procurement mechanism to get all these pieces of critical kit, and we have increased the level of stocks in that theatre to between 60 days and 90 days so that whatever happens, we're there and we can react through the whole supply chain.

I visit the role three every six months when I visit the theatre. They are doing an outstanding job, and they were not missing any items.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

I have two more points left.

Paragraph 2.47 talks about the need for the contracting process. That sometimes kind of slows things up. Are you maintaining an adequate inventory bank here in Canada so that the tendering process does not hamper you in any way, shape, or form, so that you have bought it, you have it in stock, and you can ship it as needed? Is that under control?

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

Those are the standing offer agreements I was referring to, Mr. Chair.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

The last question I have is on paragraph 2.55. In some cases we are relying on our allies there, and they don't always come through. Are we able to ensure that if the allies don't come through, we can carry it ourselves?

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

Yes. This is an evolving one. New Zealand has just come up and are increasing the level of multinational support at role three in Kandahar. Australia is very much interested, and we already have our friends from the Netherlands and others. So it is a multinational effort.

I wish we had much more, but medical and health support services are an issue worldwide right now, and this is why it is so difficult to support and sustain such capability in that theatre.

[MGen Timothy Grant]

Mr. Chair, I would add that the role three hospital, although it's in a plywood barn, essentially, is a state-of-the-art facility. And I would add that it is in fact the organization that gives soldiers confidence to go outside and conduct combat missions. They know that if they are injured or hurt, the role three hospital will provide them with the best medical care possible. From that standpoint, a soldier absolutely has confidence in the ability of all of those multinational folks who provide that first-class, world-class medical support in Kandahar.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

What is the role three hospital? Can you define that for us?

[MGen Timothy Grant]

Not being a professional logistician....

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

A role three hospital is a hospital at a level that can do surgery. So as we evacuate our soldiers who have been injured, this is the first hospital in which we do the initial surgeries. After that, if they are stable enough, we do aerial medical evacuation to a facility in Germany, which is really state of the art, and this is where we do final stabilization of our folks before they come back to Canada. It is a very slick process.

We're getting tremendous help from the United States, which is doing the aerial medical evacuation from Kandahar to Germany. It's a beauty to see.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Thank you, Mr. Williams.

Mr. Lussier, pour cinq minutes.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Since the start, not much has been said about secure vehicles on the ground. I would like to get some information on the helicopters.

What is the program for the helicopter equipment in Kandahar? Do some delivery schedules extend beyond 2012? Do you expect to shortly receive transport helicopters for the troops on the ground?

[LGen Walter Natynczyk]

Sir, it is now up to the government to come to a decision regarding helicopter procurement.

We have done our planning. Major generals Grant and Benjamin, in conjunction with NATO, ensure planning and coordination at the Kandahar Airport, prior to the government decision being made.

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

Mr. Chair, clearly, with regard to planning, our people are already on the ground so as to be ready to incorporate the new capacity we might receive, and which will be used not only by Canada but also by the NATO forces in the region. Therefore, there is a lot of negotiation going on with NATO officials on the ground. We do, however require the government's decision, and as soon as we are given a signal, we will be ready to respond accordingly.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Could someone give me a brief overview of the current situation in Afghanistan with regard to the number of soldiers and civilian and Afghan employees who work for the Canadian troops?

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

Mr. Chair, I do not have the exact figure, but the total number has remained steady at around 3,000. We have increased the number of support staff. As for the number of military personnel that support the mission, their numbers increased from 1,034 to 1,288. That includes all support functions, including engineers, military police, medical practitioners and others. There are also many civilian employees on contract under CANCAP. At first, the program was not used...

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

I am only looking for figures.

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

There are now 265 employees working under CANCAP, and the number is still expected to increase. That is but a small part, because Canada is only one of the 24 countries present in Kandahar. Many multinational contracts are managed by NATO. The organization has close to 1,300 contract employees from many nations who have come to provide support in terms of operations, water, supply, etc. Every day, approximately 1,100 Afghans cross the check-point to support the effort. A colossal effort is required for such a large base, which is not only Canadian but multinational.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Have any goods that were checked by the controllers ever disappeared? Have attendants who work with material ever been caught with their hand in the bag? Have there been any reported cases, reports or files?

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

We know that military police is currently investigating the loss of a handgun. The paperwork of the audit into the $7 million in losses could fill up two pick-up trucks. That is what we would have to review if we wanted to spot other cases. The case we know of and which is under investigation is regarding a handgun.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Some 1,400 containers are stored in the warehouses. Is all of their content identified?

[MGen Daniel Benjamin]

No, Mr. Chair, not the content, that is for sure.

[Marcel Lussier, Bloc, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Therefore, the word “explosives” would not appear on a container.