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October 1, 2018 | Local, Security

Border Security & Organized Crime

© 2018 FrontLine Security (Vol 15, No 5)

Canada's new Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Minister finally has a mandate: What should Canadians expect?

When Prime Minister Trudeau shuffled the federal Cabinet on July 14th, the entire country was taken by surprise when Bill Blair was named as the Minister for the newly-created portfolio of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction. At the time, Blair was serving as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and had been placed in charge of the Government's challenging initiative to legalize possession and use of marihuana. As such, Blair had worked with several federal departments, with Provincial and Municipal governments, with police organizations, the RCMP, CBSA, and also with U.S. officials who, understandably, were, and are, concerned about cross-border smuggling.

By all accounts, Blair did an exemplary job of working with the multiple stakeholders to identify and ‘solve' the many problematic issues involved with marihuana legalization. He was ably supported in this task by officials from Public Safety Canada's Border Strategies and Law Enforcement Division – those skilled policy people who understand and prioritize operational results.

Mr. Blair's success on the marihuana file was no doubt a significant factor in being chosen to handle this new responsibility. It is also clear that his lengthy career of law enforcement, including as the Chief of the Toronto Police Service and President of the Canadian Association of Police of Chiefs, was also instrumental in his selection for this new role.

Full article: https://defence.frontline.online/article/2018/5/10483-Border-Security-%26-Organized-Crime

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  • Canada's new frigates could take part in ballistic missile defence — if Ottawa says yes

    December 26, 2019 | Local, Naval

    Canada's new frigates could take part in ballistic missile defence — if Ottawa says yes

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"It's a great piece, and that is what we were looking for in terms of specification," McDonald told CBC News in a year-end interview. Selecting the radar system for the new frigates was seen as one of the more important decisions facing naval planners because it has to stay operational and relevant for decades to come — even as new military threats and technologies emerge. McDonald said positive feedback from elsewhere in the defence industry convinced federal officials that they had made the right choice. "Even from those that weren't producing an advanced kind of radar, they said this is the capability you need," he said. The whole concept of ballistic missile defence (BMD) remains a politically touchy topic. BMD — "Star Wars," to its critics — lies at the centre of a policy debate the Liberal government has tried to avoid at all costs. In 2017, Canada chose not to join the BMD program. That reluctance to embrace BMD dates back to the political bruising Paul Martin's Liberal government suffered in 2004-05, when the administration of then-U.S. president George W. Bush leaned heavily on Ottawa to join the program. In the years since, both the House of Commons and Senate defence committees have recommended the federal government relent and sign on to BMD — mostly because of the emerging missile threat posed by rogue nations such as North Korea. Liberals reluctant to talk BMD The question of whether to join BMD is expected to form part of the deliberations surrounding the renewal of NORAD — an undertaking the Liberal government has acknowledged but not costed out as part of its 2017 defence policy. Missile defence continues to be a highly fraught concept within the federal government. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan made a point of downplaying a CBC News story last summer that revealed how the Canadian and U.S. militaries had laid down markers for what the new NORAD could look like, pending sign-off by both Washington and Ottawa. Asked about Sajjan's response, a former senior official in the minister's office said it raised the spectre of "Star Wars" — not a topic the Liberal government was anxious to discuss ahead of last fall's election. The current government may not want to talk about it, but the Canadian navy and other NATO countries are grappling with the technology. Practice makes perfect Last spring, a Canadian patrol frigate, operating with 12 other alliance warships, tracked and shot down a supersonic target meant to simulate a ballistic missile. A French frigate also scored a separate hit. For the last two years, NATO warships have practiced linking up electronically in defensive exercises to shoot down both mock ballistic and cruise missiles. A Canadian frigate in the 2017 iteration of the exercise destroyed a simulated cruise missile. At the recent Halifax Security Forum, there was a lot of talk about the proliferation of missile technology. One defence expert told the forum Canadian military planners have been paying attention to the issue for a long time. The frigate design is an important example. "I think what they've tried to do is keep the door open by some of the decisions they've made, recognizing that missile proliferation is a significant concern," said Dave Perry, of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. "They haven't shut the door on doing that and I think that is smart." Opponents of BMD, meanwhile, have long argued the fixation by the U.S. and NATO on ballistic missile defence is fuelling instability and giving Russia and China reasons to co-operate in air and missile defence. Speaking before a Commons committee in 2017, Peggy Mason, president of the foreign and defence policy think-tank Rideau Institute, said the United States's adversaries have concluded that building more offensive systems is cheaper than investing in defensive ones. "The American BMD system also acts as a catalyst to nuclear weapons modernization, as Russia and China seek not only increased numbers of nuclear weapons but also increased manoeuvrability," said Mason, Canada's ambassador for disarmament from 1989 to 1994, testifying on Sept. 14, 2017. She also warned that "there would be significant financial costs to Canadian participation" in the U.S. BMD program "given American demands" — even prior to Donald Trump's presidency — "that allies pay their 'fair share' of the collective defence burden." https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/frigate-ballistic-missile-defence-canada-1.5407226

  • New lunar rover concept contracts awarded to MDA and Canadensys Aerospace Corporation

    October 15, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

    New lunar rover concept contracts awarded to MDA and Canadensys Aerospace Corporation

    Strengthening Canada's leadership in AI-driven robotics to support jobs NEWS PROVIDED BY Canadian Space Agency New lunar rover concept contracts awarded to MDA and Canadensys Aerospace Corporation LONGUEUIL, QC, Oct. 15, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is positioning Canada's space community to maintain its global leadership in space robotics. Accordingly, the CSA announced today that it is investing $1.6 million in two concepts for lunar rovers that would use artificial intelligence to make their own decisions. Canadian businesses MDA, a Maxar company, and Canadensys Aerospace Corporation have each been awarded a contract worth $800 000 to develop an innovative concept for the CSA. The CSA made the announcement at the start of a three-day event to promote Canadian space capabilities to major space companies, including Blue Origin, Airbus Defense and Space and Moon Express. As part of ongoing discussions with the international space community to prepare options for Canada's participation in the next chapter of space exploration, the CSA recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Moon Express, a US-based company. This agreement will enable Canadian firms and researchers to offer Moon Express their expertise and capabilities. The CSA will also explore the potential of using the company's lunar lander service for the delivery of future Canadian payloads. These activities will foster the growth and innovation of Canadian businesses in our modern economy and increase opportunities for them to export their technologies and services. Quick facts The contracts awarded to MDA and Canadensys Aerospace will support 61 well-paying jobs and position Canada to play an important role in future missions to the Moon with international partners. A lunar rover would be crucial for scientific research: it would collect lunar samples for return to Earth and test technology required for a future pressurized rover able to transport astronauts on the Moon's surface. The ability to make decisions using artificial intelligence represents a new chapter in planetary rover technology: the rover would be able to assess its immediate environment, analyze risks, and autonomously plan its trajectory to meet objectives. Rovers with autonomous decision-making abilities will be able to accomplish a greater number of science objectives more efficiently. 44 organizations are attending the CSA's Industry Days from October 15-17, during which time over 70 business-to-business meetings will take place. Quote "Canada's space sector not only inspires Canadians to reach for the stars, it has for a long time been at the forefront of Canadian science, technology and innovation. With these investments, our government is supporting a key sector of our economy that creates good jobs and will continue to propel Canada's innovation economy to new heights." The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Website: http://asc-csa.gc.ca Email: ASC.Medias-Media.CSA@canada.ca Follow us on Social Media SOURCE Canadian Space Agency For further information: Canadian Space Agency, Media Relations Office, Telephone: 450-926-4370 Related Links http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/strengthening-canadas-leadership-in-ai-driven-robotics-to-support-jobs-697585211.html

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