8 janvier 2019 | Local, Sécurité
David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen
The Defence Department has cut down on its use of rodents and pigs for research and experiments but says realistic instruction for its medical personnel still requires live animals to be wounded during training and later killed.
In 2018 the department used 882 animals, such as mice, rats and pigs, for training and experimentation, down from the 4,000 animals used in 2009, according to figures provided by the Department of National Defence and government records obtained by Postmedia.
The animals are used by Defence Research and Development Canada for assessment of emerging chemical and biological threats and by military personnel for what is known as “live tissue training,” according to a 2016 briefing for Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance.
In such a scenario the animals are anesthetized and then wounded. Military medical staff treat the wounds in order to gain experience. After the training the animals are killed.
“The Department of National Defence currently uses live tissue where necessary to provide advanced military medical training for specific operational requirements,” the department stated in an email to Postmedia.
But the DND is trying to reduce the use of animals as much as possible by using different experimental techniques and making use of simulators that can replicate a human patient, according to the 2016 briefing note. That has allowed for the drop to 2,000 animals in 2015 from 4,000 in 2009, the documents noted.
“The life-saving experiences, confidence and skills acquired by our young medical technicians using live tissue remain critical components of their curriculum,” Vance was told.
Various animal rights groups have been trying over the years to convince the DND and Canadian Forces to stop any kind of testing on animals and to use the simulators instead. The Animal Alliance of Canada has an on-going letter-writing campaign to try to convince Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan to put an end to using animals.
The organization noted that Canada is one of the few NATO nations that continues to use animals. Most NATO countries are using high-tech simulators which, unlike animals, accurately mimic human physiology and anatomy.
In its response to Postmedia the DND stated that it is “actively working to assess and validate the effectiveness of simulation technologies as part of our objective to find equal or superior alternatives to live tissue training in casualty care training.”
It noted that Health Canada regulations stipulate that new drugs or medical techniques can't be used on humans without going through pre-clinical trials “that scientifically test their efficacy and toxicity using non-human models.”
The Canadian military has a long history of experimenting on animals, exposing them to various chemical and biological warfare agents and more recently developed weapons.
In the 1980s the use of animals became controversial after details of a number of military experiments were made public. Monkeys were used at defence facilities in Suffield, Alta., for experiments involving nerve gas antidotes. In 1983 researchers at the University of Ottawa made headlines after their experiments for the DND on dogs became known. Twenty specifically bred beagles were exposed to high levels of radiation to make them vomit. They were then killed and their organs removed for study. The DND research was aimed at finding a cure for nausea.
In 2012, Defence Research and Development Canada subcontracted testing of a new taser projectile to a U.S. university. The projectiles were fired at pigs, according to documents obtained by Postmedia outlining experiments on “conducted energy weapons.”
That same year, a study in the journal Military Medicine revealed that Canada was only one of six NATO countries still using animals in its experiments.
dpugliese@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/davidpugliese
21 septembre 2022 | Local, Autre défense
The Canadian Forces does not yet have an idea when it wants improvements to be put in place, defence officials say.
26 décembre 2019 | Local, Aérospatial
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Two RCAF Challenger aircraft are too old to be upgraded with the modern systems required to meet new regulations for civilian airspace. Canada has cut a deal with the United States to allow two of the military's aging Challenger jets to continue to operate in American airspace despite not having the required new air traffic control equipment on board. The two Royal Canadian Air Force Challenger aircraft, used for VIP transportation and other military duties, are too old to be upgraded with the modern systems required to meet new flight regulations for civilian airspace. The new rules come into effect for the U.S., Mexico, Columbia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 1. For most of Europe, those rules will apply starting June 7. In Canada, the rules are being phased in between Jan. 1, 2021, and Jan. 1, 2023. The aviation rules call for increased reliance on data links, new air traffic control surveillance technologies and satellite-based navigation. The regulatory changes are being implemented worldwide and are commonly referred to as ADS-B. Canada had been in ongoing negotiations with the U.S. government and its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over the continued use of the Challengers in U.S. airspace. “The RCAF has confirmed with the United States Department of Defense and the FAA that we will continue to operate our aircraft in U.S. airspace under a Memorandum of Understanding,” Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said. “This interim measure will allow the RCAF to continue operating its Challenger aircraft in U.S. airspace with established processes and is a reflection of our strong relationship with our American partners.” The memorandum covers a five-year period. “Since two of our Challenger aircraft are not ADS-B compliant, they may still be subject to suboptimal flight routings in parts of the U.S., depending on location, density of air traffic and other factors,” Le Bouthillier added. That could mean, for instance, that the Canadian aircraft might need to be rerouted or take a different flight path if the level of air traffic in an area is high. The RCAF operates four Challenger jets, with the two more modern aircraft already outfitted with the new equipment. The Liberal government has been reluctant to buy new aircraft since it is expected Conservative MPs will try to score political points about planes being purchased for VIPs such as the prime minister before new fighter jets are bought for the RCAF. When the Liberals were in opposition, they criticized the Conservative government's use of VIP aircraft. Some within the RCAF support either replacing the two older Challenger jets or purchasing a new fleet of four aircraft, noting the planes are also used for military missions such as medical transportation of injured personnel. The older Challenger planes are not the only aircraft in the VIP fleet that have faced problems. The RCAF's specialized VIP aircraft used by the prime minister won't be flying until August 2020 because of an accident this fall. On Oct. 19, while being towed into a hangar at 8 Wing Trenton by contracted maintenance personnel, the Polaris aircraft was significantly damaged when it rolled into the back wall of a hangar. Engineering teams from Airbus, the original manufacturer of the aircraft, and General Electric, which made the engines, assessed the damages and have provided an initial repair plan. “We do not have sufficient detail about potential costs, or the attribution of those costs, to provide any detail at this time,” RCAF spokesman Lt.-Col. Steve Neta stated in an earlier email. Neta said the RCAF was confident it could meet travel needs of the prime minister and other VIPs. The RCAF has other aircraft that can be used for VIP transport, including other Polaris planes and as the CC-144 Challenger fleet, depending on the requirements, Neta added. In early December, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used another Polaris aircraft to fly to a NATO summit in the United Kingdom. After that plane arrived, though, problems were discovered in one engine and the aircraft was deemed temporarily “unserviceable” while it was repaired. Another RCAF Polaris, which had taken Governor General Julie Payette to Europe for a tour, was instead used to transpot Trudeau and government officials back to Canada. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/deal-allows-canada-to-continue-operating-aging-rcaf-vip-aircraft-in-u-s-airspace
4 avril 2023 | Local, Aérospatial, C4ISR
VOUS DÉSIREZ RENFORCER VOTRE CYBER-RÉSILIENCE ET EN APPRENDRE PLUS SUR LES BONNES PRATIQUES DE VOS COLLÈGUES DE L’INDUSTRIE AÉROSPATIALE, VENEZ PARTICIPER À NOS CERCLES DE PARTAGE DE BONNES PRATIQUES. OBJECTIFS Le secteur de l’aérospatiale accorde une importance primordiale à la cyber résilience du secteur. Les enjeux de sécurité et de continuité sont au cœur des préoccupations. Accompagner les entreprises à obtenir de l’information sur les bonnes pratiques en cybersécurité Favoriser le partage de bonnes pratiques entre les participants Échanger sur les enjeux du secteur. Pour plus de détail et pour s'inscrire, télécharger le document ci-joint