Thank you very much.
I'd like to thank the committee for the opportunity to explain the role and actions of the Canadian Forces during the G-8 and G-20 summits and also to address any questions or concerns that committee members may have.
I'm here today in two capacities. First, I am currently the chief of staff of Canada Command, the organization that is responsible for all routine and contingency domestic operations, less air defence, which remains a NORAD responsibility. Second, and perhaps equally important, in my previous job I was the Canadian Forces joint task force commander for the G-8 and G-20 summits, and as such was responsible for all the tactical planning and execution of the military operations associated with the summits.
In these short opening remarks, I would simply like to offer a few main themes and also describe in broad terms the primary functions undertaken by the Canadian Forces during the summits.
First and foremost, it is important to remember that the Canadian Forces were in support of law enforcement agencies; we were not the lead. You are aware that the overall responsibility for summit security rested with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Working with them and other police forces of jurisdiction, the Canadian Forces developed plans and executed operations as part of the larger team, but always in support of requirements and requests from our law enforcement partners.
Specifically, the Canadian Forces provided, either directly or indirectly, support to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Services, and Peel Regional Police. Throughout and consistent with normal practice and government policy, the Canadian Forces focused on providing capabilities that are unique to the military or capabilities that were clearly beyond the capacity of the first responders. Our main roles can be summarized in four broad areas.
First, the Canadian Forces, working within the bi-national command known as NORAD, were responsible for Air Defence. This is a standing task for Canada's military, which is executed 365 days a year. For the summits, there were increased demands in the form of "restricted flight zones" and increased forces required to satisfy the demands and potential threats, but, essentially, the task was one which our military executes on a regular and continuous basis.
Next, the Canadian Forces contributed significantly to surveillance and early warning. We did this with ground, air, and, to a limited degree, naval resources. Our main task was to ensure that all potential hazards and threats were identified and communicated quickly and accurately to the decision-makers for action.
The Canadian Forces also provided military air transport with both fixed-wing airplanes and rotary-wing helicopters in support of the summits. Tasks included the transportation of the heads of state and other VIPs to and from the G-8 summit location and administrative transport of some police forces to alternate locations. We were also prepared to execute other tasks, such as emergency air evacuation of the heads of state, rapid delivery of police emergency response teams, and emergency medical evacuation. In the end, none of these tasks were required.
Finally, the CF provided assistance in establishing and then operating the command and control architecture for the summits. To be clear, we did not lead this effort nor were we the only agency to contribute to it, but, our past experiences and our integral capabilities were used to enhance the capabilities at various command nodes; most notably at the RCMP led Integrated Security Unit and Unified Command Centre at Barrie, Ontario.
As a sidebar comment, it is important to also remember that the Canadian Forces were not asked, nor would we have entertained the request even if asked, to conduct crowd-control operations or what police forces call public order duties. Maintaining public order is clearly a police responsibility, and the Canadian Forces are neither trained nor equipped to fulfill that role. For that matter, we also did not undertake any of what might be termed traditional police functions such as arrests and evidence-gathering. These limitations on the use of Canadian Forces personnel were clearly understood by all of our security partners and led to no difficulties whatsoever in our ability to support the police in the four broad areas I have just outlined.
To accomplish this support, the Canadian Forces contributed approximately 3,000 personnel dispersed primarily in and around Huntsville, the Lester B. Pearson Airport in Toronto, the Toronto waterfront, at various command and control nodes, and in the skies overhead. The majority of the elements were deployed for no more than 25-30 days and this included all of their movement and training requirements.
The initial budget allocated to the Department of National Defence was approximately $77 million, of which, although the final figures have yet to be tallied, we expect to have expended only approximately $20 million, or 26%. The significant reduction can be attributed to several cost-saving measures that were implemented and the fact that since everything went according to plan, contingency funds, which were approximately $20 million, did not need to be used.
Overall, from a CF perspective, the planning and execution of the summits were resounding successes. I was quite pleased with the leadership and competencies demonstrated by our police partners, and together we formed an outstanding team. As the Canadian Forces joint task force commander, I must close by stating how impressed I was with the professionalism and accomplishments of all CF personnel associated with the summits. I know I also speak for the entire senior leadership of the Canadian Forces when I state that we would have it no other way, and that our men and women in uniform continue to do us proud.
Thank you very much.