Disconnect between veterans and Canadians is ‘a concern,’ says minister

On the same subject

• 

  June 27, 2023 | Local, Other Defence

  La ministre de la Défense Anand visite le Royaume-Uni pour approfondir la relation de défense

  Le 27 juin 2023 – Ottawa (Ontario) – Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes La ministre de la Défense nationale, l’honorable Anita Anand, sera au Royaume-Uni du 27 au 29 juin 2023. Pendant son séjour, la ministre rencontrera le secrétaire d’État à la Défense du Royaume‑Uni, le très honorable Ben Wallace, et d’autres responsables britanniques, de sorte à discuter des efforts visant à soutenir l’Ukraine, à promouvoir l’ordre international fondé sur des règles et à développer la solide relation de défense qu’entretiennent le Canada et le Royaume‑Uni. Le 28 juin, la ministre Anand visitera l’école de Liphook pour rencontrer des élèves qui effectuent des recherches sur l’entraînement canadien réalisé au Royaume-Uni durant la Première Guerre mondiale. Elle tiendra également une réunion bilatérale avec le porte-parole de l’opposition officielle en matière de défense, le très honorable John Healey, et des représentants de BAE Systems. Le 29 juin, la ministre Anand visitera le camp d’entraînement militaire de Lydd pour rencontrer des membres des Forces armées canadiennes en déploiement au Royaume-Uni en vue d’entraîner le personnel des forces armées ukrainiennes dans le cadre de l’opération UNIFIER du Canada. Par après, elle adressera la parole à des membres du Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) – groupe de réflexion sur les questions de défense et de sécurité. Le 29 juin, la ministre tiendra aussi une réunion bilatérale avec le secrétaire d’État Wallace et participera à un point de presse conjoint avec ce dernier. Enfin, la ministre prononcera une allocution lors d’une réception à l’occasion de la fête du Canada, à la Maison du Canada. Le 29 juin 2023 (heure locale) 13 h. La ministre Anand présentera une allocution sur les priorités du Canada en matière de défense à des membres du Royal United Services Institute. Remarques à l’intention des médias : Lieu : Army & Navy Club, 36 Pall Mall, Londres Veuillez vous inscrire en communiquant avec le RUSI, à l’adresse rusip@rusi.org. Renseignements supplémentaires : https://www.rusi.org/events/members-events/ukraine-indo-pacific-exploring-canadas-defence-priorities (en anglais seulement) 15 h 45. La ministre Anand et le secrétaire d’État à la Défense du Royaume‑Uni, Ben Wallace, tiendront un point de presse. Ils prononceront des allocutions et répondront à des questions des représentants des médias y participant en personne. https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2023/06/la-ministre-de-la-defense-anand-visite-le-royaume-uni-pour-approfondir-la-relation-de-defense.html

• 

  May 10, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  Canada changing rules of competition for $19B fighter jet fleet to allow consideration of F-35: sources

  David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen The Canadian government is changing the terms of the $19-billion competition to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets to allow the U.S. to enter its F-35 stealth fighter. The changes will allow for a more flexible approach in determining the value of the benefits bidders offer to Canadian defence firms, industry sources say, and come after a series of discussions with the U.S. government and threats by the Pentagon to withdraw the jet from consideration. Under the current terms, bidders were required to offer industrial benefits to Canada as part of the competition. That system, which would have disadvantaged the F-35, will now be amended, sources say. But those companies that do guarantee work for Canadian firms will receive more consideration under the new rules. U.S. officials had warned that the agreement Canada signed to be a partner nation in Lockheed Martin's development of the F-35 prohibits those partner nations from imposing requirements for industrial benefits in fighter jet competitions. “We cannot participate in an offer of the F-35 weapon system where requirements do not align with the F-35 Partnership,” U.S. Navy Vice-Adm. Mathias Winter told Canadian officials in a letter sent in December. Under the agreement, companies from the partner nations are eligible to compete for work on the F-35s, and contracts are awarded on a best-value basis. Over the last 12 years, Canadian firms have earned more than $1.3 billion in contracts to build F-35 parts. In a statement issued last week, Lockheed Martin Canada said that hundreds of Canadian jobs had been created by work on the jet. The firm noted that it continued to provide feedback to the U.S. government, which is involved with Canada in government-to-government discussions on the fighter jet program. The competition to win the Canadian contract for a fleet of 88 new fighter jets was launched on Dec. 12, 2017 and at this point four fighter jets are expected to be considered. Those include the F-35, the Super Hornet, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Gripen. The Canadian government expects to award the contract in 2022. A request for bids for the new jets was scheduled to be released in conjunction with the CANSEC defence trade show in Ottawa at the end of the month, with bids to be evaluated by 2021. However, the government now admits that schedule is risky. In its latest update on major equipment projects the Department of National Defence said “The approved schedule is considered very aggressive,” and that “The project team is managing a number of risks which have the potential to impact schedule.” The document doesn't outline the specific risks but DND officials have acknowledged that figuring out how to deal with industrial benefits linked to the project could cause delays. The delivery of the first of the jets is expected in the mid-2020s, with the full capability available in the early 2030s, according to the DND document. The plan to purchase used Australian F-18s in the interim, the first already delivered, is also outlined in the document. It noted the final delivery of those jets is set for the end of 2021. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canada-changing-rules-of-competition-for-19b-fighter-jet-fleet-to-allow-consideration-of-f-35-sources

• 

  June 26, 2024 | Local, Aerospace

  Workers to continue strike at Canada's Bombardier, union rejects company's proposal