Debates of Dec. 9th, 2019

Supplementary Estimates (A), 2019-20

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Madam Chair, as I said, this money is earmarked for other developing countries facing challenges. Climate change is a global problem that affects every country, and we must all participate in fighting it. Developing countries have fewer resources to combat climate change. Canada is setting this money aside to help these countries better fight climate change.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Chair, it seems that, in Canada, it is quite the challenge not to invest in oil. It seems this country is always burning oil and cannot help but invest in oil. However, it would be easy enough to impose conditions. We are sending $296 million abroad, but what is to stop the countries that receive that aid from investing the money in something other than oil? I did not get an answer to my question.

In 2019 alone, the federal government promised $19 billion to oil companies. However, those companies are rolling in money. When will we have a government in Ottawa that will stop investing in oil? Perhaps Quebec has to become a country so that we can finally stop our taxes from being used to fund oil and make the situation worse.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Madam Chair, I am shocked. I would like to ask my colleague where he is getting the information that the money we are sending to help third world countries fight climate change is ending up in the hands of oil companies. Does he have proof of what he claimed in his last three questions?

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Chair, it is hard to show proof because the money has not been disbursed yet. Once it is, we will be able to confirm that. What I want is some assurance that the money will not be used for that. I think that should be easier.

I will move on to other questions about spending.

I see $23 million for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. I am glad the Minister of Transport is with us this evening, because, during his previous term in office, he authorized travellers to carry knives aboard airplanes. Is this extra $23 million related to that authorization?

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The minister may reply, but time is up.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Madam Chair, the requested increase is not related to knives being allowed. It is for explosive detection equipment.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Madam Chair, as this is the first time I am formally addressing the House, I would like to thank the residents of Davenport for placing their trust in me once again and electing me for the second time.

I am pleased to rise in the House this evening to speak about the ways National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are partnering with Canadians to enhance our national security. Together they are developing innovative tools and strategies and facilitating economic opportunity, while ensuring that our military can remain agile and adapt to a constantly changing and often unpredictable security environment.

It is no secret that Canada is facing threats in new and emerging domains. Global instability is heightened by the effects of climate change and scarcity, while rapid advances in technologies bring both opportunity and risk. Unlike the Conservatives, who cut billions of dollars in defence spending and mismanaged procurement projects, our defence policy, entitled “Strong, Secure, Engaged”, invests in our women and men in uniform and looks to tackle the challenges that a modern world faces.

Canada is looking at historically non-military threats through a military lens. Let us take cyber-domain as an example. As cyber-technologies continue to become a part of our everyday lives, Canada's responses must become increasingly nimble and nuanced to ensure we meet the new challenges they create. As a result of these and other emerging factors, National Defence is increasingly looking beyond the traditional defence and security sphere for input and for solutions, a whole-of-Canada approach to conducting defence.

Two years ago, the Minister of National Defence committed that the Department of National Defence would strengthen our relationship with the academic and expert community. We are doing exactly that through our new mobilizing insights in defence and security program, also known as MINDS. This program allows National Defence to reach out and mobilize the defence and security academic and expert community across Canada to gain expert insight on global security policy and to generate knowledge in the public policy realm. These measures also allow us to better anticipate and understand threats, opportunities and challenges that Canada will face. The MINDS program has recently launched three collaborative networks, bringing together multidisciplinary experts to address key defence and security challenges.

The department is reaching out even further with the innovation for defence excellence and security program, also known as IDEaS. Through this program, National Defence is supporting defence innovation across Canada, because we know that the federal government does not have a monopoly on good ideas. That is why, through IDEaS, we are reaching out to Canadian companies and innovators so they can put forward their best solutions to help us solve defence and security challenges. The IDEaS program was launched in April 2018 and, through it, challenges have been posted for the Canadian innovation community. The various elements of IDEaS include competitive projects, contests, innovation networks, sandboxes and innovation assessment and implementation.

Being able to adapt quickly to changing threats is one of the main goals of National Defence. This program will help bring forward the best ideas in each of these areas to help better support our women and men in uniform. It does not matter if someone is working from home, in a university lab or in a small company or large corporation; everyone is invited to participate in the IDEaS program.

The department has launched five calls for proposals under competitive projects, encompassing a total of 40 separate challenges. These calls for proposals cover a variety of existing and emerging defence and security challenges, from supporting Canadian Armed Forces members' physical and mental well-being, to enhancing Canada's cybersecurity, to finding ways to green defence, to all other ways the Canadian Armed Forces can be more nimble, more effective, more sustainable and more responsive to Canada's defence needs in the 21st century.

IDEaS also presents opportunities for innovators to field-test their projects in a realistic setting. This happened earlier this year at CFB Suffield, where participants had the opportunity to test their prototype solutions for detecting and countering micro- and mini-unmanned aerial systems in a real-world setting.

Finally, through IDEaS, the department is also running a variety of independent contests like the Pop-Up City challenge. Through this challenge, competitors are working with the Department of National Defence to develop improved energy, water, and waste management solutions through relocatable temporary camps that the military could one day use domestically or on deployments around the world.

Although these challenges are centred on defence, we know that innovation sparks further innovation. Canadian innovators are encouraged to workshop their ideas in a defence setting, but their work could also have applications across many other domains, just as the camera in our smart phones was originally designed to be small enough to sit on a spacecraft while still producing imagery of scientific quality.

Taken together, the IDEaS and MINDS programs demonstrate National Defence's dedication to inspiring innovation and to learning from new perspectives on defence and security.

We are also focused on ensuring that the Canadian Armed Forces receives the capabilities it needs now and in the future, one that takes into account our diversity. That is why our defence team completes a gender-based analysis plus as part of all defence team activities, making sure that our policies and our equipment support those who serve, no matter what their gender.

At the same time, when we invest in our capabilities, it helps build up the Canadian economy, creating well-paying middle class jobs for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

As members can see, National Defence is working hard to provide the Canadian Armed Forces with the capabilities they need to stay agile and effective.

While the Conservatives spent a decade underinvesting in our Royal Canadian Air Force, our government is stepping up to ensure that we can meet our NORAD and NATO commitments at the same time.

National Defence is making progress on the competition for Canada's future fighter for the Royal Canadian Air Force, the largest investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in over 30 years.

By investing in 88 future fighters, Canada will have the advanced capabilities it needs to remain a dedicated international partner around the world. Through this process, National Defence will work with suppliers and other stakeholders to support industrial and technological growth across Canada.

In the meantime, National Defence is exploring ways to extend the lifespan of our CF-18 fighters until this procurement is complete. Phase one of the Hornet extension project is already under way. It will deliver enhancements designed to meet international regulatory requirements and improve interoperability. In the coming years, this project will also deliver key improvements to the CF-18's combat capabilities by enhancing sensors, weapons, survivability, and mission support systems. Throughout this project, in-service support will be conducted through existing contracts with Canadian industry, creating additional opportunities for the people who build and maintain Canada's fighter jets.

Likewise, the department is continuing to make progress on the new Canadian surface combatant for the Royal Canadian Navy. Construction is scheduled to begin in the early 2020s. These warships will provide improved combat power at sea and facilitate missions such as counterpiracy, counterterrorism, humanitarian aid and search and rescue. They have started work on the armoured combat support vehicle project. This means they can begin to replace Canada's current fleet of LAV II Bison and M113 tracked LAV fleets as early as 2021, ultimately saving money that would otherwise be spent maintaining an aging fleet.

Because the combat support vehicles are being built here in Canada, this project is estimated to support over 10,000 jobs across the country. That is intentional. National Defence's capital projects have a significant impact on Canada's economy, providing jobs and opportunities across different industries. We see that in projects like the Arctic and offshore patrol ships as well.

Last month, the minister was able to visit the future HMCS Harry DeWolf just as it began the builder's sea trials, a major milestone. As a result of the hard work of shipbuilders and suppliers across the country, these will be the first Canadian-made ships in 20 years.

There is also the fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft replacement project. We expect this plane to arrive in Comox this spring, enhancing the Canadian Armed Forces' vital search and rescue capabilities, including in Canada's north.

These projects demonstrate the ways that National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are driving innovation and creating jobs for Canadians, ensuring Canada remains a valued international partner while also supporting Canada's economy.

Whether we are talking about programs like IDEaS and MINDS or some of the largest procurement projects in the department's history, National Defence is making sure our military is ready for tomorrow's challenges, challenges that increasingly operate beyond a military context.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Does the hon. member have questions and comments to the ministers?

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Yes, Madam Speaker.

As members of Parliament, we are very privileged to be able to interact with the many wonderful military families that exist in our respective communities. We hear their stories about the challenges our military families face. Their spouses are deployed across the country; they spend a great deal of time training and they move across the country when required. We can only imagine the stress that this places on our military families.

Could the minister please tell us what this government is doing to support our military families?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Madam Chair, I want to thank my hon. colleague for her question and also for her tireless advocacy for the Canadian Armed Forces.

As I stated before a number of times, supporting the families of the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces is a top priority for us. Making sure that they are looked after drives the operational effectiveness of the Canadian Armed Forces, because if the troops know their families are looked after they are able to perform better.

We heard about the challenges the families go through when they go from posting to posting. That is why investments in military family resource centres are extremely important. Those investments provide everything from day care to mental health support for family members.

We have also started an initiative called seamless Canada, to start talking with the provinces and territories about the challenges that military families go through when they get posted from province to province, such as accreditation issues and finding a doctor.

A number of provinces are looking at those challenges and figuring out how they can provide the right types of solutions moving forward, because they agree that supporting the families of our Canadian Armed Forces members is the right thing to do.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Madam Chair, our Rangers, the guardians of Canada's north, are a cornerstone of our forces. Can the minister inform us of the latest activities concerning Canada's Rangers?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Madam Chair, our Rangers are a gem within the Canadian Armed Forces. They provide a tremendous capability for us that is sought after by even some of our allies. Supporting them is about supporting our communities in the north, and having that knowledge base is extremely important.

That is why we are modernizing their equipment. New rifles are starting to arrive and they are being trained on them. We are investing $32.8 million in delivering state-of-the-art equipment for them. This equipment allows the Rangers to have a tremendous impact because we have to make sure they maintain those skills.

Just as important as the Rangers program is the Junior Canadian Rangers program. Having junior rangers who eventually move up when they decide to become Rangers ensures that we have this tremendous experience that will be passed on from generation to generation.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Madam Chair, I would now like to ask about the international operations of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Our military always punches above its weight when it deploys and it does great work abroad. Could the minister provide more details on the important work our military personnel have been doing around the world, working closely with our allies and partners?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Vancouver South, BC]

Madam Chair, before I talk about the tremendous contributions and operations that we conduct internationally, I want to mention that with the launch of our defence policy, any international operations our Canadian Armed Forces members are deployed on are now tax-free for them. That provides a lot of flexibility for the families who are left behind.

We have had a significant footprint since we formed government. I have outlined our significant contributions to NATO on a number of occasions, being in Latvia, in the Mediterranean with our ships, air policing or supporting the NATO training mission.

We are in Ukraine supporting our Ukrainian counterparts there against Russian aggression. Operation Impact in the Middle East supports our Iraqi partners where now Daesh does not control any territory whatsoever, but challenges still remain for our air force training and our special forces doing tremendous work there. Also, the capacity-building that is happening around Iraq, in places like Jordan and Lebanon and even in Kuwait, is providing that region with stability.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the peacekeeping mission in Mali. Our troops there did tremendous work. They took the lessons learned from their allies and applied Canadian ingenuity to their work and enhanced the mission. The way they were able to operate allowed the troops on the ground to reach more areas because of how they operated.

I also want to talk about the Pacific, being a member of Parliament from Vancouver, and the sanctions and monitoring we are doing against North Korea.

I will wait for the next question.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I am sorry. There is no time left, unfortunately.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Chair, I will ask the ministers present some questions.

The Liberal government failed to spend 40% of the funding promised for infrastructure over the past four years. Canadians still do not know how much the federal government is currently spending on infrastructure.

How does the President of the Treasury Board explain this loss of control over Canadian taxpayers' money?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Chair, there is no loss of control whatsoever. On the contrary, between 2015 and 2019, in Quebec alone, and we are both lucky enough to come from Quebec, six times more infrastructure projects were funded by the federal government than over the four previous years. That is no coincidence. Investing in infrastructure is central to our mission to grow the middle class and grow the economy.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Chair, the question was not about comparing one government to another. Why was 40% of the funding earmarked for infrastructure over the past four years not invested and committed?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Madam Chair, we are proud to talk about the success of the past four years, and we anticipate with pride our successes in the coming years. This is a plan that will be carried out over several years. We announced record investments in partnership with the provinces and municipalities that will make a big difference in the next few years.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Chair, I gather that the President of the Treasury Board does not have an answer for us.

Before the election, the Parliamentary Budget Officer asked for a list of all the specific infrastructure projects funded by the government, but he did not get a response. Why?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Madam Chair, I am pleased to talk about the Parliamentary Budget Officer because he does exceptional work. We will continue to work with him to ensure that the work of MPs, in the House in particular, is done as transparently and openly as possible.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Chair, in that case, will the government commit to tabling the list of all the specific infrastructure projects as requested by the Parliamentary Budget Officer?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Madam Chair, the answer is yes. We will do everything possible to ensure that the member, who is interested in our infrastructure program, can receive all the information he wants.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Chair, my question is for the President of the Treasury Board.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Madam Chair, the member can come to see me this evening after the sitting, and I will explain how to obtain this information, which is nevertheless already available on the Internet. After that, we will remain at his disposal.