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November 6, 2023 | Local, Naval

Canadian military begins investigation into allegation officer threatened to execute sailors on supply ship

Officer on Royal Canadian Navy supply ship allegedly threatened to execute fellow sailors because he was unhappy with their performance.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-military-begins-investigation-into-allegation-officer-threatened-to-execute-sailors-on-supply-ship

On the same subject

  • COMMENTARY: Canada should follow Australia’s example in defence, foreign policy

    July 14, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    COMMENTARY: Canada should follow Australia’s example in defence, foreign policy

    By Matthew Fisher Special to Global News Posted July 13, 2020 7:00 am Updated July 13, 2020 11:32 am Those who follow developments in the Indo-Pacific often claim that Australia has a far more robust security posture there than Canada because of geographic necessity. The argument is that Australia must be especially vigilant because China is closer to it than Canada is to China. That perception may partially explain why Australia spends nearly twice as much per capita on defence as Canada does with little public discussion Down Under, let alone complaint. But here's the thing. It depends where you start measuring from, of course, but the idea that Australia is physically closer to China is hokum. By the most obvious measure, Vancouver is 435 kilometres closer to Beijing (actual distance 8,508 km) than Beijing is to Sydney (8,943 km). By another measure, Sydney is only 1,000 km closer to Shanghai than Vancouver is. Mind you, it must also be said that Australia is far more reliant than Canada on trade moving through the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca. Canada has many more shipping lanes to choose from. Despite their similarly resource-oriented export economies, extreme climates and thin populations, there are startling differences in how Canada and Australia have tackled the security challenges of this century. The standard line from Ottawa these days is that the Canadian government cannot possibly consider any other issue at the moment because the government's entire focus is on coronavirus. Yet faced with the same lethal disease and the horrendous economic fallout and deficits that it's triggered, Australia has found time to address alarming security concerns in the western Pacific. Pushing the COVID-19 calamity aside for a moment, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared last week that because it was “a more dangerous world,” his country intended to increase defence spending by as much as 40 per cent, or a whopping $255 billion over the next decade. The money will pay for submarines, greatly improved cyber capabilities, and the establishment of military partnerships with smaller nations in the western Pacific, which are constantly bullied by China. The Canadian government has often seemed paralyzed by the COVID-19 crisis and China's kidnappings of the Two Michaels and has been slow to react to the rapidly changing security environment. This includes not yet banning Huawei's G5 cellular network, as Australia has done. Nor has Ottawa indicated anything about the future of defence spending in an era when Canada's national debt has now ballooned to more than $1 trillion. Faced with similar public health and economic challenges as Canada, Australian diplomats, generals and admirals have recently increased military and trade ties with India and are completing a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with Japan that affords troops from the two countries legal protections and presupposes that they will collaborate more closely with each other in the future. Canberra also inked a deal with Tokyo last week to collaborate on war-fighting in the space domain and closer military ties. Despite complaints of “gross interference” in China's internal affairs by Beijing's foreign ministry, Australia has also agreed to let about 14,000 visitors from Hong Kong extend their visas by five years and will offer an accelerated path for Chinese students to obtain Australian citizenship. Perhaps most alarming from Beijing's point-of-view, the Quad intelligence group, which includes Australia, Japan, India and the U.S., could be about to add a military dimension. Navies from all four countries are expected to take part in joint naval exercises soon in the Indian Ocean. Even before announcing a huge increase, defence spending was already at 1.9 per cent of Australia's GDP. The defence budget in Canada has remained static near 1 per cent for years, despite a pledge to NATO six years ago by former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, and repeated several times since by current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, that defence spending would soar to 2 per cent. As it is, the Australian Defence Force spends about $15 billion a year more on defence than Canada does. That money buys a lot of kit and capability. The ADF has two new fleets of frontline fighter jets, the Super Hornet and the F-35, has attack helicopters and new maritime surveillance aircraft, is building a dozen French-designed attack submarines, and already has two huge, new assault ships and other new warships. The Canadian Armed Forces are a very poor second to Australia with 40-year old CF-18 fighter jets and surveillance aircraft, 30-year old submarines that seldom put to sea and no assault ships or attack helicopters. Aside from the red herring of geographic proximity, there are other factors that account for the stark differences in how Australia and Canada regard defence spending and the threat posed by an ascendant China. Many Canadians believe that the U.S. will protect them so do not see why should they pay more for their own defence. Australia also has a longstanding all-party consensus that national security is a top priority. The two main political parties in Canada regard procurement as football to be kicked around. Neither of them has a declared foreign policy. A cultural contrast is that Canadians have bought into a peacekeeping myth that has never really been true and is certainly not true today, while largely ignoring the wars its troops fought with great distinction in. Australians remain far more focused on recalling what their troops did in the Boer War, the two World Wars and Korea. As well as finally working on some joint defence procurement projects, Canada and Australia should collaborate with each other and other western nations to prevent China from playing them off against each other in trade. For example, Canadian farmers recently grabbed Australia's share of the barley market after China banned Australian barley in response to Canberra's demand for an independent investigation into what Beijing knew and when about COVID-19. The Australians did the same in reverse when Canadian canola was banned by China. Australia has moved to protect what it regards as its national interests by calling out China on human rights and spending much more on defence with little apparent fear as to how China might retaliate. Ottawa has not yet articulated what its interests are and acts as if it is scared at how China might respond if it takes a tougher stance. What must be acknowledged in Ottawa is that the coronavirus has not caused China to abandon or even pause for a moment in pursuit of its goal of shaping a new world order not only in the western Pacific but wherever it can. Australia is seriously upping its game in response. Canada remains silent. Matthew Fisher is an international affairs columnist and foreign correspondent who has worked abroad for 35 years. You can follow him on Twitter at @mfisheroverseas https://globalnews.ca/news/7161890/commentary-canada-should-follow-australias-example-in-defence-foreign-policy/

  • National Defence wins award for its efforts to hide information from the public

    May 12, 2024 | Local, Security

    National Defence wins award for its efforts to hide information from the public

    The “Outstanding Achievement in Government Secrecy” award is handed out annually by the Canadian Association of Journalists.

  • Canada's Halifax-class frigates: Ready for duty, now and in the future

    November 2, 2018 | Local, Naval

    Canada's Halifax-class frigates: Ready for duty, now and in the future

    GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 1, 2018 /CNW/ - Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the Government of Canada is providing the women and men of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) with safe and effective vessels required to protect Canadians and Canadian interests. Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of National Defence, has issued Advance Contract Award Notices (ACANs) to Irving Shipbuilding Inc., of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chantier Davie Canada Inc., of Lévis, Quebec, and Seaspan Victoria Shipyards, of Victoria, British Columbia, for maintenance support services for Canada's 12 Halifax-class frigates. The combined value of the three contracts will be approximately $7 billion (including taxes). These contracts will be awarded under the repair, refit and maintenance component of the NSS and will ensure that maintenance and engineering work continue on the 12 Halifax-class frigates until the replacement Canadian Surface Combatant ships are delivered. These notices follow extensive industry engagement, which began in December 2016. Based on these consultations, it was determined that these three Canadian shipyards possess the required workforce and infrastructure necessary to conduct the work on the Halifax-class frigates. The ACANs confirm Canada's intention to enter into a contract with each of the three identified Canadian shipyards. Other interested suppliers have 15 calendar days to signal their interest in bidding for this contract, by submitting a "statement of capabilities" that meets the requirements laid out in the ACANs. Quotes "Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the process of renewing fleets for the Royal Canadian Navy over the next 30 years is underway across the country. Our Government's long-term commitment to maintaining an agile and responsive naval force will provide the Royal Canadian Navy and its sailors with the reliable ships they need to do their jobs while protecting the interests of all Canadians." The Honourable Carla Qualtrough Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility "As outlined in our defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, we are ensuring that the women and men of our Royal Canadian Navy are equipped with the ships they need to serve Canadians. Our Government is taking measures to ensure that our modernized Halifax-class frigates are able to continue to protect Canadian waters and contribute significantly to international operations. These contracts will ensure that our frigates remain operationally ready while increasing the number of jobs and strengthening the ship maintenance capacity in Canada as outlined in our National Shipbuilding Strategy." The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan Minister of National Defence Quick facts The Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, including Value Proposition, will be applied to this procurement. Periodic docking maintenance work periods are essential to ensure the Halifax-class frigates are available and reliable during their operational cycle and deployments. The RCN has 12 Halifax-class frigates; seven are stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while the five are stationed in Esquimalt, British Columbia. The RCN requires that at least eight of 12 frigates are able to deploy at all times to meet the Navy's commitment to the Government of Canada. The ships require a wide range of engineering change work, equipment installations, docking work and corrective maintenance activities to ensure that they remain operationally available and relevant through to end of life. SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadas-halifax-class-frigates-ready-for-duty-now-and-in-the-future-699259681.html

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