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June 1, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff, has announced the second Lieutenant-General/Vice-Admiral promotion of 2023. Major-General B.F. Frawley was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and will be appointed Deputy Commander North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, replacing Lieutenant-General A.J.P. Pelletier who will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces. NORAD is a bi-national military command responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for Canada and the United States. It is the cornerstone of Canada’s defence relationship with the United States and provides both countries with greater continental security than could be achieved individually. The NORAD Deputy Commander supports the NORAD Commander in the execution of the command’s missions. As a bi-national command, the NORAD Deputy Commander’s position is approved by both Canada and the United States. Across our nations, Canadians and Americans monitor and defend North American airspace 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This is a military relationship like no other—one based on common values, friendship, and a lasting unbreakable bond. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), through its evolving promotion process, continues to choose inclusive leaders who embody its professional values and ethos. Promotion candidates complete an evidence-based character assessment followed by a “360 degree” evaluation known as a multi-rater assessment. This approach uses a diverse group of evaluators to reduce bias and foster diverse perspectives to obtain a holistic perspective of the candidate’s leadership behaviour and effectiveness. Additionally, the promotion candidate is subject to an interview conducted by a third party, external to the Department of National Defence and CAF, which focuses on personal experiences, self-awareness, past challenges, failures, and successes. Additional information regarding the promotion selection process is available here. Further promotions, appointments, and retirements will be announced when they have been confirmed. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2023/06/chief-of-the-defence-staff-announces-new-deputy-commander-north-american-aerospace-defense-command.html

The project builds further upon the relationship between Canada, Leonardo, and Leonardo’s Canadian partners, and is expected to contribute $79 million annually to the Canadian GDP over 12 years.

An umbrella group for high-tech firms and research groups also calls for a National Space Council, chaired by the prime minister.

The Quebec-based jet manufacturer Bombardier is calling on the federal government to launch a "fair competition" to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force's surveillance planes.

The federal government says certain defence contracts will be subject to a mandatory cybersecurity certification process starting in the winter of 2024.

According to an independent study conducted by Doyletech Corporation, selecting the Boeing P-8 Poseidon for Canada's Multi-Mission Aircraft requirement would bring significant benefits to the country.

Le ton monte entre les prétendants au contrat pour le remplacement des avions militaires de surveillance d’Ottawa. Si Boeing est convaincu de sa supériorité, il ne devrait avoir « aucun problème » à soutenir un appel d’offres, suggère Bombardier — un terrain sur lequel le géant américain n’ose pas s’aventurer.

May 31, 2023 - Ottawa, Ontario - Public Services and Procurement Canada  The Government of Canada is committed to implementing robust cyber security measures, which are fundamental to Canada’s economic stability and national security. Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that the Government of Canada will develop and implement a Canadian program for cyber security certification that will result in mandatory certification requirements in select federal defence contracts as early as winter 2024.  Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), in partnership with National Defence and the Standards Council of Canada, will lead the Government of Canada’s efforts to establish this new program. Engagement sessions with the defence industry and other key stakeholders are expected to begin in late 2023. Canada’s defence industry is subject to frequent malicious cyber activities targeting contractors and subcontractors, threatening the protection of unclassified federal information. To protect supply chains critical to Canada’s defence, it is imperative that Canada acts on the matter.  Without certification, Canadian suppliers risk being excluded from future international defence procurement opportunities. The new program will aim to reduce industry burden by pursuing mutual recognition between Canada and the U.S., allowing certified Canadian suppliers to be recognized in both jurisdictions.  Quotes “Threats to cyber security are complex and rapidly evolving, and in the world of defence procurement, cyber incidents pose a threat to the protection of unclassified federal information. That’s why we are taking action to protect our defence supply chain by establishing a Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification to protect Canadians and Canadian businesses.” The Honourable Helena Jaczek Minister of Public Services and Procurement  “Cyber security is national security. In government and in the private sector, we must adapt our practices to the changing security environment. Today, we are presenting a plan to improve the resiliency of our defence supply chains. The Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification will help ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces have the secure tools that they need to meet their operational demands, today and into the future. Because this certification will increase the trust in the resiliency of Canadian suppliers, our world-class defence industry will also benefit, and be in an even better position to access procurement opportunities with our closest allies.” The Honourable Anita Anand Minister of National Defence  “With this new certification, we are protecting our critical supply chains, and ensuring Canadian suppliers can continue to play a key role in the U.S. defence procurement supply chains as it is critical to grow our industry and to create jobs and prosperity for workers across Canada.” The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Quick facts As part of Budget 2023, the Government of Canada allocated $25 million over 3 years for the creation of a new Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification for defence procurement. The new Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification will help to maintain Canadian companies’ access to international procurement opportunities with Canada’s close allies and partners, where mandatory cyber security certification is required. Increasing the cyber security resilience of the Government of Canada’s defence industrial base will reinforce the goals of Canada’s National Cyber Security Action Plan and National Cyber Security Strategy. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s National Cyber Threat Assessment for 2023-24 assesses that Canadian organizations will continue to be targeted by malicious cyber threat activity by state-sponsored actors over the next 2 years. The Canadian Program for Cyber Security Certification will verify and strengthen the cyber security measures Canadian defence companies are taking to protect their networks, systems and applications. Associated links Budget 2023: A Made-In-Canada Plan https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2023/05/government-of-canada-helping-defence-industry-protect-itself-from-cyber-security-threats.html  

Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training announced IBM Canada as a strategic subcontractor for Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program.