May 11, 2021 | Local, Naval
State Department Approves $1.7 Billion Aegis Sale To Canada - Defense Daily
The State Department approved a potential $1.7 billion Foreign Military Sale of the Aegis Combat System to Canada for use in its new CSC ships.
July 20, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Why it is time for smart protectionism
Put simply, Canadian governments have a responsibility to practise smart protectionism where the risks to Canadians' personal security and national security are high.
Free trade is good economics. Protectionism is bad. Global supply chains are efficient. Favouring domestic goods, services and industries is inefficient. Canada has long adhered to these orthodoxies. And most of the time it makes sense to do so. However, through the COVID-19 pandemic, both the public and private sectors have seen weaknesses associated with heavy or total reliance on foreign sources and global supply chains for essential goods, notably personal protective equipment (PPE). As of June 2, for example, the Government of Canada had ordered close to 122 million N95 masks from international suppliers, yet 12 million had been received and 9.8 million of those failed Canadian standards. We are learning the hard way that foreign sources cannot necessarily supply the products we need in the time, quantity or quality required during a national or global emergency. China, as the dominant global producer of many of these PPE supplies, has become the focal point for an emerging debate around domestic control over certain goods, technologies, and services. A recent report from the Henry Jackson Society in the U.K., for example, has argued the “Five Eyes”—the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand—are far too reliant on Chinese sources for all kinds of strategically important goods, and that this is a threat to the national security of those countries. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service, too, has warned that Canadian companies that produce certain critical technologies are vulnerable to foreign takeovers by entities with agendas hostile to Canada's interests. This is not just an issue with China, though. In Canada, we like to believe that in national or global crises we can rely on the U.S. or other allies for help. Canada, in other words, would be at or near the front of the line with allies. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the behavior of the U.S. and European countries, suggests this is naive. Italy, a founding EU member, requested and was denied face masks from the EU's stockpile at the peak of their COVID-19 outbreak. In April, a presidential executive order gave the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency the power to “allocate to domestic use” several types of PPE that would otherwise be exported. U.S. produced masks bound for Germany, a close American ally, were reportedly diverted back while in transit. Ultimately, Canada was exempt from the U.S. order, but this episode should tell us that global emergencies can lead to “home front comes first” attitudes, even among our closest allies. Fundamentally, the issue comes down to one of efficiency versus necessity. Sometimes, in some areas of the economy, security of supply is more important than efficiency. While this thinking is new to most companies and governments in Canada, it is not new to Canadian companies working in defence and national security. The Canadian defence industry has long highlighted the need for focused sovereign production and control in key national security capabilities—in part to ensure security of supply—as our allies in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere have been doing for generations. The argument has fallen largely on deaf ears. There seems to be a greater aversion in Canada to any kind of protectionism than among our more pragmatic allies. There is also a belief that Canada can always rely on obtaining critical supplies from the U.S., owing to both our close trading relationship and bi-lateral defence agreements dating from the 1950s that purport to establish an integrated North American defence industrial base. Canada puts too much faith in these beliefs, to our peril. While we can still hold free trade and integrated global supply chains as the goal, we also need to recognize that this view of the economy does not always serve our national interests. Put simply, Canadian governments have a responsibility to practise smart protectionism where the risks to Canadians' personal security and national security are high. Christyn Cianfarani is president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). The Hill Times
https://www.hilltimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/072020_ht.pdf
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December 17, 2018 | Local, Naval
Canadian Coast Guard welcomes two new high-endurance search and rescue lifeboats to the West Coast
SIDNEY, BC, Dec. 14, 2018 /CNW/ - Keeping our oceans and waters safe is a priority for our Government. Two new search and rescue lifeboats have arrived to join the Canadian Coast Guard fleet on the West Coast, enhancing the critical marine search and rescue services provided by the Coast Guard in the region and helping to keep Canadians and our Canadian waters safe. The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, was in Sidney, B.C.today to announce the arrival of the new High Endurance Self-Righting Search and Rescue Lifeboats, named CCGS McIntyre Bay and CCGS Pachena Bay. The Canadian Coast Guard informally refers to the lifeboats as "Bay Class", as each one is named after a Canadian bay. The boats are 19-metre long, have a top speed of 25 knots in calm conditions, and can operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore. They are considered all-weather vessels, with the ability to operate in hurricane force conditions, and will right themselves should they capsize. CCGS McIntyre Bay will be deployed to Prince Rupert, B.C. in 2019, and CCGS Pachena Bay will be deployed to Port Hardy, B.C. in 2019. The two new search and rescue lifeboats are the third and fourth of 20 such vessels being built under the Federal Infrastructure Initiative, the Fleet Renewal Plan and the Oceans Protection Plan. The Coast Guard has already taken delivery of CCGS Baie de Plaisance, which will be stationed in Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and CCGS Pennant Bay,which will be stationed in Atlantic Canada. Quotes "The Government of Canada will continue to provide the Canadian Coast Guard with the equipment it needs to ensure the safety of mariners, and to protect the marine environment. Our investment in these new Bay Class search and rescue lifeboats is enhancing the essential marine search and rescue services we provide in Canada's waters every day, while supporting and promoting Canada's marine industry." The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Quick Facts The Canadian Coast Guard leads the maritime component of the federal Search and Rescue system through distress monitoring, coordination of maritime incidents, and by providing assistance to disabled vessels and those in distress on the water. Chantier Naval Forillon won a $45.8 million contract in July 2015 to build six new lifeboats. This contract created 25 new jobs for workers at the Chantier Naval Forillon Inc in Gaspé, Quebec, as well as sustaining approximately 35 jobs at the shipyard. Hike Metal Products won a $43.4 million contract in July 2015 to build six new vessels. This contract created and sustained 45 jobs for workers at Hike Metal Products in Wheatley, Ontario. On December 6, 2018, Public Services and Procurement Canada announced contracts for the construction of eight new lifeboats, bringing the total to 20 new vessels for the Coast Guard. Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is working with Indigenous and coastal communities and marine stakeholders to help keep Canadian waters and coasts safe and clean for today and into the future. Associated Links Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue Program Government of Canada to invest in eight search and rescue lifeboats for Canadian Coast Guard Stay Connected Follow the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Subscribe to receive our news releases and more via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/rss-eng.htm. SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada For further information: Jocelyn Lubczuk, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-548-7863, Jocelyn.lubczuk@dfo-mpo.gc.ca; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, Media.xncr@dfo-mpo.gc.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadian-coast-guard-welcomes-two-new-high-endurance-search-and-rescue-lifeboats-to-the-west-coast-702810062.html
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December 16, 2019 | Local, Aerospace
Canadian NORAD Region hosts first Arctic Airpower Seminar
Two senior officers from the New York Air National Guard of the United States Air Force visited Winnipeg, Man., on Nov. 19 and 20, 2019, as part of the first official 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region (1 CAD/CANR) Arctic Airpower Seminar. Col Michele Kilgore and Col Clifford Souza, commanders of the 109th Airlift Wing and 109th Operations Group respectively, engaged in discussions with a diverse group of operators, specialists and advisors to talk about training and operational opportunities that would benefit the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and its United States Air Force (USAF) allied partners. BGen Ed “Hertz” Vaughan, deputy commander of CANR and deputy Combined/Joint Forces Air Component commander for 1 CAD/CANR, hosted the two-day seminar. A partnership last September between the RCAF and the 109th Airlift Wing executing Operation Boxtop, the mission to bring supplies to Canadian Forces Station Alert in Nunavut, prompted him to invite members of the 109th Airlift Wing to the seminar to exchange information on processes and objectives. “The Arctic is critically important to the security and defence of North America, and our ability to survive and operate in the Arctic domain are essential parts of our daily mission at 1 CAD/CANR,” said Vaughan. “We established this series of seminars to help build relationships and deep dive into the specific of polar logistics and sustainment. Forging partnerships across Arctic communities, mission stakeholders, and allied forces are requirements for success.” The RCAF is no stranger to bi-national operations. Every day, military personnel and defence team members from Canada and the United States work together to protect and defend North American airspace through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) mission. Comprising more than 40 per cent of Canada's land mass (and 75 per cent of Canada's coastline) with about 120,000 inhabitants, the Arctic is undergoing significant change. Retreating ice cover is opening the way for increased shipping, tourism, and resource exploration, increasing interest in the region. Following the presentations and discussion sessions, seminar attendees visited with members of 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron, a unit that routinely deploys north in support of Canada's NORAD and search and rescue commitments, to learn more about the role they play in the daily delivery of air power in the North. “The Arctic can be a complex, harsh and unforgiving location to operate in if one isn't prepared to face its challenges,” said Vaughan. “These seminars permit us to learn from our partners and allies as we continue developing the skills, technology, and relationships to work effectively in a polar environment. I look forward to our next seminar in Yellowknife, focused on energy security at remote locations, and many more seminars to come. “ https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/canadian-norad-region-hosts-first-arctic-airpower-seminar