National Defence committee  If I understand the question correctly, you're asking if there are certain missions that may be out there that Canada may not have readiness capabilities for. What is really quite impressive about Canadian capabilities is that even though we have been down to numbers as low as the mid 50,000s in decades recently, we've maintained a hand in just about every capability.

National Defence committee  I will have to claim ignorance on exactly what the secretariat is doing with options. What you've just suggested sounds like a very reasonable way forward, but I've heard from the Minister of Public Works in open press that the statement of requirements will be set aside as the secretariat does its work.

National Defence committee  I will. I do thank the member for the question. It's a very important point, and yes, the Canadian armed forces continually takes a look at all of the problems—the weather, the equipment we have, the number of crews we have. I will say that in comparison to Sweden—I think it was Sweden you mentioned—there are two things.

National Defence committee  It's one of my top priorities, and one of the four that I spoke about. Mental health, in particular, is one that we've really made great strides in. Operational stress injuries and the Canadian approach have been recognized by some of our biggest allies. They're coming to us to see how we've done it.

National Defence committee  We do track where our recruits come from provincially, and we do find imbalances, which is probably reasonable, based on the economies in certain provinces when economies in other provinces are hurting or ailing, and we find that to be very cyclical whenever that cycle changes.

National Defence committee  Indeed, cyber threats have the attention of the Canadian armed forces. In the larger sense, of course, it falls under Public Safety, but we are partners in this as we address it. Much of what we call our weapons system is based on an infrastructure of information technology, and what we're finding is that if not increasingly vulnerable, it's certainly under increasing attack from external agents and parties.

National Defence committee  Yes. It's not so much maritime surveillance. That remains extant with the navies and the coast guards of both nations, right down to constabulary elements at various ports up and down the coasts. The part that's been federally mandated for NORAD is the role of maritime warning.

National Defence committee  Now that we've come out of Afghanistan, for as long as we are not being used in a combat role—and we will be ready if the government needs us in any way to defend Canadian interests—we have an opportunity to focus on some of the other things that are deeply entrenched in the Canada First defence strategy: to look more closely at the Arctic; to open up a port at Nanisivik; to open up our Arctic training centre in Resolute Bay; to work on unmanned aerial vehicles; to work on intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance; and, as we spoke of before, to bring that into the regular operations of the army, navy, and air force to focus on joint capabilities.

National Defence committee  Thank you for your question. You make a very important point. We need to continue to connect with Canadians, even if that presence becomes difficult for us as budgetary pressures or any sort of pressures, personnel pressures, come to us. You speak of northern Ontario and northern Quebec, but it's an even larger issue.

National Defence committee  I'm not part of the negotiations or the process that Public Works is going through, so I'm not sure which options come forward, but I can say that each of those aircraft that you're listing has an element of stealth capability. I would agree with you as well, with my background as a pilot and as an admiring engineer of any type of advanced technology, that the F-35, like the F-22, which of course isn't for sale, provides a level of stealth that those other aircraft you've talked about have not provided.

National Defence committee  I can confirm for you, Mr. McKay, that I am of the same opinion you are, that all options are on the table.

National Defence committee  I believe our relationship with NATO remains extremely strong. We're the sixth largest contributor to NATO. The deputy commander of Joint Task Force Naples is Lieutenant-General Marquis Hainse, who replaced Lieutenant-General Charlie Bouchard, who, of course, led the combat mission over Libya.

National Defence committee  It's a unique relationship in that it's a binational relationship, and as far as I know, it's the only binational military relationship in the world. It encourages the decrease of considerations toward sovereignty to allow for greater interoperations for the defence of the continent.

National Defence committee  That statement of requirements does raise stealth as a priority.

National Defence committee  The statement of requirements, as you know, Mr. McKay, is based on looking at the equipment we have, looking forward to how it may be used in the future, and looking at what threats that equipment will face. That statement of requirements is written in such a way that it's blind of whatever is out there, except in terms of technology that may be available.