House of Commons Hansard #56 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, that is a very specific question, and I do not have the answer off hand. I am happy to get the answer for the member. In fact, I can give the member a much wider perspective on the search and rescue aspect of all our aircraft.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, could the minister tell the House how many critical failures have the Buffalo aircraft experienced in the past year?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I am happy to answer a lot of these questions, but I cannot answer the member's questions because these are extremely detailed questions that require some more research. If the member has these types of questions as part of this, I am happy to discuss generally a lot of the work that they do. If the member has any concerns about not having these questions answered, she can rest assured that my office is always open for questions like this and even broader ones.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, that is surprising, considering the assistant deputy minister, Patrick Finn, said ,“...we don't fly aircraft that are unsafe”.
The contract for the new fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft is ongoing since 2002. Are you on target for signing the contract by the end of this year? Why has it taken so long?
The Assistant Deputy Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
I want to remind the hon. members to talk through the Chair.
The hon. Minister of National Defence.
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, there was a difficulty when it came to our fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft. I was advised that in the past it was challenged because of the procurement, but it is now back on track and we are getting to a phase where the process is moving along. We are committed to replacing these aircraft as quickly as possible.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, what key capabilities does the RCAF require from its new fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, when it comes to search and rescue, it is not just about the aircraft. There is a far greater system in place. I am happy to answer in detail about these things, if we want to talk entirely about search and rescue.
It is aircraft, it is some of our helicopters, and it is our personnel. Our search and personnel, especially our search and rescue technicians, are an extremely important part of that. Pilots are one part of the equation. Our search and rescue technicians are like the special forces of search and rescue. They are training for adverse weather and in many different areas.
When we look at our capability to respond, if that is what the member is asking, Canadians can be extremely proud of the response. As part of the defence review, we will be looking at ensuring it has all the capabilities as we look to its potential increase of search and rescue to the north as well.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, what were the performance-based recommendations after the National Research Council review?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I do not have the detailed answer. It seems like the member came with a list of questions, trying to ask certain things that I cannot answer. However, as the member knows, and the member who is sitting next to her knows also, my office is always open. If these questions are urgent to you, I could have answered these questions in much more detail at any time. I will take down your list of questions and answer them in detail.
The Assistant Deputy Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
I just want to remind the hon. members to speak through the Chair, not directly across the floor.
The hon. member for North Island—Powell River.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, I would like to ask the minister this. What were the limits imposed by the department after the National Research Council review?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I do not have the answer at this time. As I stated, I am happy to get the answers.
On the National Research Council review, I am trying to see if it is even within our mandate. If it is, I am happy to answer these questions in detail, and any other questions that she might have that require a level of detail that is beyond the committee at this time.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, I thank the minister for working with me. These are the important issues for the people I represent.
The next question I have for the minister is on the delivery of the aircraft, which has been delayed since 2007. When does the minister expect all 15 to be fully operational in the RCAF squadrons? Is he thinking 2019, or 2020, or perhaps 2025?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I am assuming the member is talking about the Auroras. We are expecting them in 2019.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, could the minister tell me what the current shortage of pilots and trained crew is?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I do not keep track of the number of pilots. We have a recruiting system that looks at all aspects of pilots, infantry, armoured, and all the different trades.
Perhaps the member did not get my memo where I opened up my office for these types of questions. Other members of the member's party have already taken advantage of this. I am happy to answer those questions. However, when it comes to the number of pilots, there is a system in place that all services have that feeds into the recruiting system making sure that we have the right number of pilots, doctors, and all trades. It is constantly reviewed, on a regular basis.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, I know the army reserves are down 20% in recruitment numbers, when will the retention strategy for the army reserves be implemented?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, when it comes to the retention strategy, retention is an ongoing thing. It is not about a certain strategy that is implemented by the wider government. This is something that is done regularly within every single unit. The chain of command looks at it across the board, whether it is from the regular force or the reserves. All commanding officers, at all levels, should be looking at retention. This is something we push down because it is far better for us to retain our members than to constantly recruit.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, how will recruiting and retention training be more engaging?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, if the member wants to get into the details of it, I will give her my example of when I was a commanding officer. When it comes to retention, what we require is challenging training. We need a chain of command that is engaged.
Reserves are not like the regular force. People have civilian work and civilian lives. They could be students. It is more than just serving one's country. It is about giving them something that is different. One thing I found, and I worked in the recruiting system considerably, is that we need to make sure they have challenging, relevant training that they look forward to doing and that has meaning, and make sure they have the right equipment. Currently, in the reserves, as well as when I was a commanding officer, we had all the necessary tools.
This is also a leadership function in making sure we, from the top, from the Minister of National Defence, through the chain of command, ensure that all the chain of command, right down to the commanding officer level, and even to the sub-units, have the ability to plan exercises that are challenging and that would recruit and retain some of these members.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, when will our reservists be fully ready to be deployed?
National Defence—Main Estimates, 2016-17Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, when we have certain deployments they will be ready. All reserves are not usually deployed. It depends on what operations. Reserves are not designed to be put on deployments. If an operation comes up, a request is made through the various chains of command. It also depends on which region of the nation is responsible for those deployments and a call-out is done through the various commands. Then pre-deployment training is selected. Certain members are DAG green. After that, they go through their training, and then they are selected and go on deployments.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Chair, in terms of training, is it expected or normal for reservists to use pickup trucks to simulate light armoured vehicles?
Harjit S. Sajjan Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, the reserves or any military personnel do not use civilian vehicles. They can only authorize and use military vehicles, and the type of vehicle they use is of an individual unit's choice, whether it is a G wagon or a command post that is used.
Many different vehicles can be used. It all depends on the circumstances and it all depends on the trade, whether armoured, reconnaissance, or artillery, or it depends on the type of exercise that is being conducted. Potentially, they might be doing a scenario that requires a civilian vehicle, and then they would request that to be utilized in the exercise. It all depends really on the situation and the training exercises.