Public Accounts committee  In our case we prioritize on three criteria: health and safety, compliance—environmental compliance, as an example—and then operations. We have almost zero. There are a couple of museums that have a tourist value. The majority of our buildings are, of course, on bases, many of them quite remote, so it's health and safety, compliance and then operations.

Public Accounts committee  I can begin, if that helps. Our audit committee is intently tracking every single audit and management action plan. They actually rejected some of our actions and told us they were not sufficient. They are a critical part of the management of the department, and something on which I rely enormously.

Public Accounts committee  As we noted, we have 292 buildings that are designated sites. It adds a level of complexity in what can be done to the building. It limits our ability to demolish. There's absolutely no doubt. We have old hangars, for example, heritage sites. They are part of Canadian heritage and they do matter.

Public Accounts committee  As was noted, the designation—in fact, all the management of infrastructures being reviewed by Treasury Board.... As the public accounts committee, you are aware that infrastructure is grossly underfunded and perhaps a problem across all departments. So, it is being reviewed to look at how we can consolidate, have departments share infrastructure, etc., rather than building new.

Public Accounts committee  We were not part of the 2003 audit. We were, in 2007, and what was recommended for National Defence is that we have a strategy to ensure that conservation objectives are met in National Defence buildings. The study for the strategy was completed and the strategy delivered. The reality in Defence is that we have to prioritize operational requirements.

Public Accounts committee  I'll ask my ADM to answer that question. I would tell you that we have a rough order-of-magnitude idea of what investment is required at any given time that is specific and project-by-project, not as detailed costing.

Public Accounts committee  That is not, in fact, how we manage the infrastructure portfolio. We're certainly aware of which buildings are heritage sites, but we have a prioritization of where we need to invest, for operational reasons. If the building is a heritage site, then we take specific steps to maintain the heritage nature, and we work with our colleagues to ensure that we're not causing any damage.

Public Accounts committee  In the case of National Defence, we actually have the data. We haven't always been able to say that about every program, but we do have the data with regard to our infrastructure. We have 20,000 buildings across the country. We have 11,000 works—jetties, runways and roads—and the total value of our assets is about $26 billion.

Public Accounts committee  At Defence we knew the number of buildings we had: 292. They weren't all appropriately listed in our database, and that's now been updated, and we have 78 to assess this coming year.

Public Accounts committee  It's a complete condition report of the assets, so it is foundation to roof, everything about that asset, and then we list it in our database. We decide on a priority basis what we will address in terms of repair and maintenance.

National Defence committee  I believe so.

National Defence committee  Certainly our policy group and Global Affairs Canada have been very engaged on that.

National Defence committee  That's a very important question and certainly one that we appreciate. It is critically important that Canadians and I would say parliamentarians, if I may, understand the importance of continual investment in the Canadian Armed Forces. The boom and bust that we have gone through—not just in the shipbuilding industry, which is a phrase used about NSS all the time, but with regard to reinvesting continuously in the Canadian Armed Forces and equipment procurement, and capital equipment in particular....

National Defence committee  Thank you. I think Canadians can also be reassured, as can parliamentarians, by the fact that we are continually asked to lead missions around the world. The quality of the Canadian Armed Forces is unchanged and is probably only increasing. We are working toward meeting our diversity targets and changing the nature and culture of the Canadian Armed Forces.

National Defence committee  The Canadian Armed Forces and our team on the ground and the training team here are working very closely with Romania to ensure a smooth transition. We're assisting them in their preparation. That's been a very close relationship from the moment Romania announced that they were replacing us.