Russ Hiebert

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, National Defence recognizes the challenges the Canadian Forces will continue to face in recruiting that may ultimately affect their capacity to meet their overall recruiting and force expansion objectives to grow the regular force by an additional 13,000 and the reserve force by 10,000.

Our recruitment and retention strategy is a crucial part of our development, sustained and effective professional defence team initiative. The Canadian Forces are standardizing applicant procedures across Canada and are implementing e-recruiting, which is also expected to further reduce wait times by improving the accuracy of the applicant information.

We are also putting in place numerous subsidized and direct entry plans. Also, National Defence will continue to connect with Canadians through a broad range of coordinated, community based activities to attract and enrol quality recruits.

The aim is to make Canadians aware of the unique opportunities, benefits, challenges and rewards of a Canadian Forces career, and to effectively compete for the best people during a period of force expansion. The Canadian Forces have adopted a robust and cohesive recruiting strategy, a comprehensive national recruiting campaign supported by a national recruiting attraction plan, new advertisements and appropriate advertising federally--

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, the Department of National Defence intends to address the challenges faced in the coming years through means articulated in our publication Learning Architecture. This publication discusses the impact of new learning technologies and methodologies, notably distributed learning and important new trends such as knowledge management.

There are three other learning opportunities within the department that I want to highlight at this time.

The first is the articles of clerkship program. This is an articling program that allows students in law to develop skills in the areas of military law, including military justice and administrative law. Each year, up to three articling students carry out a 10 month articling phase as part of their bar admission program. This program is moderated through the Judge Advocate General's senior legal officers, and they act as articling principals and mentors to these students. This arrangement has the added benefit of increasing the JAG's recruiting base, since some of these students may apply for positions as military lawyers within the office of the JAG.

Another opportunity is the organizational learning or lessons learned program. The Department of National Defence has a long history of managing and mobilizing knowledge, primarily in the context of the conduct of operations. The current focus for DND is to harness the success of these organizations and create a corporate-wide DND vision and strategy for knowledge transfer, or lessons learned, that will promote continuous learning and improved performance.

The Department of National Defence will lead the advancement of knowledge transfer and lessons learned practices by creating knowledge and awareness of the practice, by providing governance and guidance within defence, and by offering a link to products and services to assist the organization on its journey.

The third and last opportunity that I want to highlight is called individual learning. In an effort to maintain a professional qualified force, the Canadian Forces continues to strive for a degreed officer corps through individual learning. The aim here is to recruit officers with degrees or assist members who meet policy requirements to attain a degree, but there are also efforts under way to enhance the educational qualifications of non-commissioned members.

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

I would encourage the member for Vancouver South to listen. I am in fact giving the correct answer to the correct question.

The current project received approval from Treasury Board on June 22. We should be able to award the contract in the coming months and could receive the first aircraft as early as next summer.

With respect to tactical aircraft, the C-130 is the workhorse of the Canadian Forces. Variants of this aircraft have served the Canadian Forces since the early 1960s. However, Canada's Hercules aircraft has logged more flying hours in total than any other military Hercules operating in the world.

Renewal of the tactical airlift fleet has long been a military priority and a priority for this government. As announced this summer, the estimated total project cost for the acquisition phase is $3.2 billion, including the cost to purchase the aircraft. An additional $1.7 billion has been estimated for 20 years of in-service support.

With respect to medium and heavy lift helicopters, new helicopters are an essential capability for the Canadian Forces. They will help protect Canadians at home by providing a quicker response to emergencies throughout Canada. Operational experience over the last decade, both here at home and in places such as Afghanistan, has taught us that we need medium and heavy lift helicopters capable of carrying equipment and personnel within Canada and in operations overseas.

The government has determined that the Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter is the only known western certified aircraft currently in production able to deliver the capabilities required by the Canadian Forces.

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, that is a very complex question and it is going to take a moment to respond.

Our strategic airlift capabilities are presently limited. When we purchase the strategic airlift, we will fulfill the requirements of our Canadian Forces for an independent and reliable transport capacity to support our operations. Acquiring strategic airlift will make for more effective deployments within Canada and significantly contribute to our Canada First defence strategy. It will also help fulfill a top NATO requirement and allow Canada to take a leadership role among its allies.

We looked at the aircraft available and we are confident that the C-17 is the only aircraft that meets our minimum acceptable requirements. Negotiations are under way with Boeing to acquire four C-17 Globemaster aircraft and Boeing will be required to invest in Canadian industry in an amount equal to the value of the contract.

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, the Arctic region has featured prominently in debates about Canadian sovereignty and there has been a renewed focus on the Arctic due to the effects of climate change in the region, notably the melting of the polar ice caps. At the same time, there are continuing strategic issues relating to potential incursions into Canadian Arctic territory at various levels including the aerospace, surface and subsurface.

The Joint Task Force North is one of five regional commands under the new Canada Command structure. Canada Command was created to address the realities of the new international security environment facing Canada and to place greater emphasis on the defence of Canada and North America.

It is also the cornerstone of the command and control dimension of Canadian Forces transformation. As an integrated and national operational command headquarters, Canada Command allows the Canadian Forces to bring the best available military resources from across Canada to bear on a crisis or threat wherever it occurs nationwide.

The creation of Canada Command means that for the first time a unified and integrated chain of command at the national and regional levels will have the immediate authority to deploy maritime, land and air assets in their regional areas of responsibility in support of domestic operations.

Canada Command is based on a more command-centric approach to command and control. As such, the commander of Canada Command is delegated the authorities necessary to perform the responsibilities assigned and will directly command all Canadian Forces assets and personnel in operations.

The effects of this new approach, a new command structure with the emphasis on being able to bring an integrated military response to a given area for maximum effect, will be significantly improved in the north through a combination of enhanced surveillance, from satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles and radar to a more visible military presence in other improved capabilities including air lift and communications. The Canadian Forces will be better able to respond to the northern contingencies and the government will be able to more strongly assert Canada's interests in this vital region of the country.

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, the needs of our men and women in uniform are our first priority when it comes to procurement. The government has a plan to ensure the Canadian Forces have the right mix of vehicles, lightweight vehicles to armoured personnel carriers, to support them in their domestic activities and international operations.

As announced in June, we are investing approximately $1.1 billion in the 2,300 new medium sized logistics trucks for the Canadian Forces. The new fleet will be the logistics backbone of the army, getting supplies and special capabilities where they are needed in the most efficient way possible.

We are in the process of acquiring these trucks through a competitive process that is still ongoing. We will ensure that Canadian firms have significant involvement over the life of the project.

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, we are committed to making the business of military procurement faster and more cost efficient. This will ensure that Canadian taxpayers get the most for their money and that our men and women in uniform get the equipment that they need to do their jobs properly.

We are absolutely committed to implementing a number of significant initiatives to improve and expedite the defence procurement process. For example, we will try to procure tried and tested off-the-shelf equipment as much as possible. A good example of this is Nyala. The Nyala provides high levels of protection for Canadian troops operating in Afghanistan. These new vehicles are effective in providing protection against attacks from a variety of explosives and mines that have proven their worth many times on operations and patrols in Afghanistan.

We are also changing how we define what needs to be purchased. We are working to minimize detailed and lengthy technical specifications and instead define high level performance requirements for industry to satisfy. For example, the statement of interest and qualifications, or SOIQ, for strategic lift was only two pages long. Further, we are improving how projects are contracted. We have initiated a new process that involves bundling multiple requirements into a few contracts in an effort to streamline the process.

We are working with four other ministers to reform the defence procurement process in a way that will improve and expedite the acquisition of new equipment for Canadian Forces. We expect these initiatives to cut the time to award a contract by over 40%. In fact, the government has already announced intent and is proceeding with the negotiations for two major equipment acquisitions.

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, there is no doubt that Canadian Forces personnel serve Canada well, both in operations abroad and here at home. They are Canada's force of last resort and, as such, Canada asks them to put their lives in harm's way when necessary.

Therefore, it is important that this nation provide, sustain and improve the standard of health care offered to Canadian Forces members at home and abroad. Various parliamentary committees have been made aware of the initiatives undertaken by DND to implement a plan that ensures Canadian Forces members have access to comprehensive primary and occupational health care and that the Canadian Forces have an effective health service system that responds to training and operational needs.

Would the Minister of National Defence outline the initiatives that his department plans to undertake in the coming year to ensure that Canadian Forces members have proper health care?

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, the minister touched briefly on the issue of recruiting in the armed forces and the plan by the new Conservative government to increase the regular force by 13,000 and reserves by 10,000.

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts recently heard positive feedback from the Auditor General on efforts by the CF in recent years to improve recruitment and retention levels. By 2005, Canadian Forces had stopped the decline in the number of trained and effective members and was actually showing a small increase.

At that time, the department was working toward a national recruiting strategy to bring more focus and cohesion to its recruiting efforts and was working on performance measures for 2007 to help it assess the success of its recruiting efforts. As well, National Defence has taken action to improve its military human resources management and is examining ways of improving its human resources information.

That was a long preamble, I understand, but could the minister elaborate on the specific efforts by the Canadian Forces over the last few years to improve recruitment rates and highlight what progress has been made to date?

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, this past August, I had a unique opportunity to get to know our Canadian Forces better. I joined in an all-night military training exercise in Kamloops, British Columbia. I had only an hour's rest that night but that was more than most of the camouflaged soldiers who stood around me. These soldiers were dirty, tired and had been living on military rations for weeks. However, as the dawn broke, their mood was jubilant. They were celebrating. After weeks of intense training in the wilderness of those mountains, these soldiers emerged into the early sunlight that morning to be congratulated as the members of Canada's newest regiment. They were now part of Canada's special forces and I was so fortunate to get the opportunity to tag along on their final night of training and to stand by them that morning during a mountaintop ceremony.

My conversations with the soldiers through the night had been brief because most of the time they had to remain silent. Their jobs require stealth. Despite the brevity of our conversations, I gained insight into the kind of people they are. They are strong, confident and even fierce, but they are also humble and very approachable. They have families and friends, homes, future plans and career ambitions.

Some members might be asking what that has to do with tonight's debate. Tonight's debate is about the 2006-2007 main estimates for National Defence. To some, these numbers are just financial allocations, but to me these numbers represent real people, equipment, support and operational achievement. They represent real things that are happening on the ground, in the mountains around Kamloops, at the air force base in Trenton and as far away as Afghanistan.

I want to remind the House that at the heart of every project, plan and initiative that we talk about this evening are people, real people, amazingly dedicated people. They are soldiers, sailors and air force personnel of our Canadian armed forces.

The Minister of National Defence framed this debate well by laying out the program activity architecture that is now guiding the work of the Department of National Defence. As he said, the overarching goals of the Department of National Defence are threefold: first, to have a military in which Canadians have great confidence; second, to succeed in our operations; and third, to support the Government of Canada, to contribute to Canadian society and to extend Canada's influence in the world.

However, National Defence is not alone in this. The Treasury Board requires that all federal departments use this type of planning and accountability structure. Nonetheless, it is important—if we want to debate defence expenditures—to remember the goals of the department.

When I reflect upon the department's three strategic outcomes, I am reminded that none of them can be achieved without the brave Canadians who volunteer to put on a military uniform every day. Our investments need to reflect the essential role that people play in Canada's defence and security.

The current government is determined to do more.

We need more soldiers in uniform so that the burden on our existing troops is manageable. This year, the government initiated a program to increase the regular force by 13,000 and the reserves by 10,000.

To meet these targets, we are also working to expand and modernize both our recruitment and training systems. Indeed, as of this month, 30% of applicants are now being processed within one week and 50% within one month.

We are currently getting double the recruits compared to this time last year, but the answer does not lie solely in increasing numbers. We also need to take better care of the members we have, whether they are in training, on deployment or returning home.

Our forces can be sent on high risk deployments. When they return, some have to cope with painful physical, mental and emotional wounds. They endure long periods of separation from their families. Even when they are not deployed on operations, they and their families have to manage frequent postings across the country and abroad.

The demands of a military career are high and are borne by both members and families alike. They bear these burdens in order to serve our country. As a government and as parliamentarians, we have a responsibility to make sure they are well compensated for the jobs they undertake and are adequately cared for in their times of need.

That is why the Minister of National Defence personally went to the opening of the operational stress injury social support centre at Gagetown in May. Not all military wounds are visible. Many military personnel suffer from operational stress injuries that are difficult to detect.

In 2002, the operational stress injury social support program was created as a peer support program for Canadian Forces members suffering from these unseen wounds, but the dedicated program staff at CFB Gagetown had been working out of their own homes and coffee shops for the last four years, so the Minister of National Defence went to the opening of their first permanent office, confident that they will now be able to provide even better service to the Canadian Forces community.

That is just one small example. The government's efforts to support our military community are much broader than that. We are working hard to provide fair pay and allowances, to improve base infrastructure and housing, and to provide appropriate compensation for special forces and other members engaged in our operations.

As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, I have visited military communities across the country to hear directly from our troops and their families and to find out what they need. I have toured bases from B.C. to New Brunswick. I have talked to the troops. I have visited with families and friends at the military family resource centres. I have been to London, England to talk to British officials about their experiences with military recruitment and retention.

I know, and this government knows, that more can be done for the army, navy and air force than has been done in the past. The supplementary estimates recently tabled by this government reflect our commitment to do exactly that.

Supporting the people of the Canadian Forces must be an ongoing effort. We must be attuned to the unique needs of our military personnel and we must be heartfelt in our response. It is often said that we have some of the most highly qualified military forces in the world, and that is absolutely true. I have seen at first hand how true this is. I am grateful that they are the people defending our nation. They can be assured that this government is fully dedicated to supporting them.

I would like to use the balance of my time to ask the Minister of National Defence a question. The new security environment requires that the Canadian Forces maintain multi-role, combat capable defence forces while integrating and increasing their interoperability with their defence partners. Combat capable and interoperable forces will become more important in the future as the Canadian Forces operate increasingly in failed and failing states, including complex urban areas.

In addition, the Canadian Forces must also strike a balance between capabilities required for domestic defence and those required to support international operations. In order to achieve this, would the Minister of National Defence outline the transformation that his department is currently undertaking to introduce these new groups of capabilities?