22 juin 2018 | Local, Aérospatial
David Ljunggren
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is discussing changes to a multibillion-dollar fighter jet procurement process that could make it harder for a U.S. company to win the order as trade relations between the neighbors sour, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions said.
Canada is considering whether to penalize companies from countries that have caused it economic damage, the sources said on Wednesday. While a final decision is not expected before next year and the threat could be posturing, the move shows how the Trump administration's trade disputes are spilling over into other areas.
A spokeswoman for federal Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough - who has overall responsibility for major purchases of military equipment - declined to comment. Sources declined to be identified as the discussions are confidential.
Boeing Co's (BA.N) F-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) F-35 fighter were among the favorites to capture the contract to supply 88 planes, worth between C$15 billion ($11.3 billion) and C$19 billion.
Defense sources have long said the Canadian air force would prefer an American-built jet, citing the importance of operating easily with U.S. armed forces.
But a change in procurement terms would give more of a chance to European suppliers: Airbus SE (AIR.PA), which makes the Eurofighter; Saab AB (SAABb.ST), which makes the Gripen; and Dassault Aviation (AVMD.PA), which makes the Rafale.
Defense sources, however, say the European jets are likely to become obsolete by around 2040, at which point they could no longer incorporate the latest technologies.
Canada has been trying unsuccessfully for almost a decade to buy replacements for its aging F-18 fighters, some of which are 40 years old. The former Conservative administration said in 2010 it would buy 65 F-35 jets but later scrapped the decision, triggering years of delays and reviews.
Ottawa has already said bids will be evaluated in part by examining whether firms competing for the order have caused any past economic damage to Canada. Officials said at the time this was aimed at Boeing, which last year launched a trade challenge against Canadian planemaker Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO).
Government officials are now discussing whether Canada should also consider economic damage caused by governments, a clear reference to worsening relations with Washington, said the sources.
“Politically it's hard to spend billions of dollars on contracts with a country that's hurting you,” said one of the sources, who asked to remain anonymous given the extreme sensitivity of the situation.
However, the sources emphasized that the discussions are at an early stage and Ottawa could eventually decide to drop the proposed language.
Canada - which is due to release the exact specifications for the jets next year - has not yet finished work on the clause referring to economic damage caused by a single firm.
U.S. President Donald Trump last month slapped tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, prompting Canada to announce its own retaliatory measures. Trump has also threatened tariffs on Canadian autos, which could badly hurt the economy.
Ottawa froze talks with Boeing about the fighter jet contest but after the company's trade challenge against Bombardier failed, Canadian officials made clear the firm would not be discriminated against if it chose to bid.
https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKBN1JH2IA-OCABS
1 juin 2023 | Local, Aérospatial
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.
5 août 2019 | Local, Naval
IQALUIT, NU, Aug. 2, 2019 /CNW/ - Canadians across the country rely on the critical services of the Canadian Coast Guard to protect mariners and the marine environment, and to ensure the safe and efficient movement of ships that are key to our vibrant economy. With continued growth in commercial shipping and with climate change already affecting our communities, demands on the Coast Guard continue to grow. The Coast Guard provides critical icebreaking services to ensure commercial ships and ferries have access to Canadian ports during the winter time, and supports summer re-supply activities in Canada's Arctic. To ensure the Coast Guard can continue to deliver these essential services, today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced that the Coast Guard will be procuring six new program icebreakers to replace its current aging fleet of icebreakers. Minister Wilkinson also announced, on behalf of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, that the Government of Canada is officially launching a competitive process, through an Invitation to Qualify, to add a third Canadian shipyard as a strategic partner under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). This new shipyard will build the new program icebreakers for the Coast Guard. Coast Guard program icebreakers are essential to Canada's economy by supporting year-round marine trade in Eastern Canada, the St. Lawrence waterway and the Great Lakes. They enable eastern Canadian ferries to operate during the winter time, and are critical to Canada's commercial fisheries. The program icebreakers are also used to provide service to Canada's northern residents by supporting the annual re-supply of goods to Canada's Arctic communities and their industries. Quotes "The Canadian Coast Guard saves lives at sea, maintains safe shipping, enables an otherwise ice-choked economy, protects the marine environment and supports Canadian sovereign presence in the Arctic. Demands on the Coast Guard will only grow as the impacts of climate change become more frequent and intense. By adding the new program icebreakers to renew the fleet, we are ensuring the women and men of the Canadian Coast Guard have the equipment they need to deliver icebreaking services in the Arctic, on the St. Lawrence waterway and on Canada's East Coast." The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard "This is an important undertaking with another significant investment to back it up, and it means even more jobs, more opportunity and more economic development right across the country, while ensuring our Canadian Coast Guard has the ships it needs to do its important work. Together with our partners, we are renewing Canada's federal fleet, advancing Canadian technological innovation and supporting jobs across Canada." The Honourable Carla Qualtrough Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility Quick facts Through the Invitation to Qualify, the Government of Canada will establish a short list of pre-qualified shipyards that will be eligible to submit a formal proposal to become the third strategic partner under the NSS, joining Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards. Interested suppliers have 15 days, starting today, to respond to the Invitation to Qualify. On May 22, 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Government of Canada is investing $15.7 billionto renew the Coast Guard fleet, with up to 16 Multi-Purpose Vessels to be built at Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards and two new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships to be built at Irving Shipbuilding Inc. To date, the Government of Canada has awarded more than $11.4 billion in NSS-related contracts across the country. The Government of Canada's NSS is a long-term, multi-billion-dollar program focused on renewing the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy fleets to ensure that Canada's marine agencies have the modern ships they need to fulfill their missions, while revitalizing Canada's marine industry, creating good middle-class jobs and maximizing economic benefits across the country. Related products Backgrounder – Canadian Coast Guard's new icebreakers Backgrounder – Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy – Process to add a third shipyard Associated links National Shipbuilding Strategy Prime Minister announces renewal of Canadian Coast Guard fleet Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada For further information: Marielle Hossack, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, 819-997-5421; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, media@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca; 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, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 613-990-7537, Media.xncr@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Related Links www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-announces-construction-of-new-icebreakers-for-canadian-coast-guard-821197891.html
17 juin 2019 | Local, Aérospatial, Sécurité, Autre défense
Agence spatiale canadienne LONGUEUIL, QC, le 14 juin 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Pour protéger l'économie numérique du Canada, il faut empêcher les pirates informatiques d'avoir accès aux données. La cybersécurité est une priorité du gouvernement du Canada. La mission satellitaire canadienne QEYSSat (pour Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite) aura recours à la technologie quantique pour protéger les télécommunications dans l'espace. L'Agence spatiale canadienne accorde un contrat de 30 millions de dollars à l'entreprise Honeywell pour la conception et toutes les étapes de la réalisation de la mission QEYSSat. Les méthodes de chiffrement actuelles devraient être dépassées d'ici une dizaine d'années à cause de la puissance de traitement exceptionnelle des ordinateurs quantiques. QEYSSat, dont le lancement est prévu pour 2022, fera la démonstration de la technologie de distribution quantique de clés (DQC) par satellite. Cette technologie de chiffrement en émergence offrira au Canadaune méthode encore plus efficace de sécuriser la transmission d'informations. Dans le cadre du contrat, l'entreprise Honeywell sera chargée des activités suivantes liées à QEYSSat : construction, tests, livraison, formation des opérateurs et mise en service. Le satellite servira de lien dans l'espace pour transmettre des clés de chiffrement entre les stations terrestres. Le travail de l'entreprise devrait se poursuivre jusqu'à la fin de 2022. La mission QEYSSat est le point culminant d'une série d'activités de recherche et de développement technologique réalisées par l'Institut d'informatique quantique avec le soutien du gouvernement du Canada. Gr'ce à QEYSSat, le Canada sera de plus en plus près de disposer d'un service de télécommunications quantique opérationnel dans l'espace et d'une technologie de pointe pour l'aider à respecter ses priorités en matière de cybersécurité. Les leçons tirées de la mission QEYSSat serviront au développement de futurs systèmes opérationnels pour le gouvernement qui assureront aux Canadiens un accès très sûr aux services. La sécurité renforcée autour des activités en ligne et des transactions financières de tous les jours, comme au guichet automatique bancaire, figure parmi les applications commerciales visées. En plus de respecter le principe de la sécurité de la Charte canadienne du numérique, cette mission s'inscrit dans le Plan pour l'innovation et les compétences et la nouvelle Stratégie spatiale pour le Canada du gouvernement du Canada puisqu'elle permettra de sécuriser les futures télécommunications et de renforcer la sécurité et la souveraineté nationales. Citation « La mission QEYSSat constitue une autre étape du plan de notre gouvernement de veiller à ce qu'au Canada, les citoyens soient sûrs que leurs données et leurs renseignements personnels sont protégés. Le développement de ces nouvelles technologies offrira aussi un grand potentiel de transformation des marchés et permettra d'établir une économie solide qui profitera à tous. » L'honorable Navdeep Bains, ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique En bref Les ordinateurs quantiques seront plusieurs millions de fois plus rapides que les ordinateurs actuels. Ils pourront donc déchiffrer rapidement les mots de passe, les numéros d'identification personnels et les autres mesures de protection actuelles, ce qui accroit la vulnérabilité des renseignements confidentiels et personnels. La technologie actuelle de distribution quantique de clés (DQC) nécessite des c'bles à fibres optiques au sol, où une clé ne peut être distribuée plus loin que 200 kilomètres. QEYSSat vise à démontrer la DQC entre un satellite et un réseau de stations terrestres, ce qui permettrait de surmonter cette limite de distance. En testant et en faisant la démonstration de la DQC dans l'espace, l'Agence spatiale canadienne veut fournir une plateforme spatiale gouvernementale aux intervenants fédéraux et au milieu scientifique canadien. Le budget de 2017 prévoit 80,9 millions de dollars pour l'Agence spatiale canadienne afin de soutenir la réalisation de nouveaux projets et l'utilisation d'innovations canadiennes dans l'espace, comme la mission QEYSSat de chiffrement et de science quantiques. La mission appuiera les capacités émergentes du Canada dans le domaine de la distribution quantique de clés, qui pourrait assurer la sécurité des télécommunications à l'aide de codes de chiffrement impossibles à pirater. La valeur du contrat (30 millions de dollars) ne comprend pas les taxes. https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-releases/cybersecurite-dans-l-espace-investissement-du-gouvernement-du-canada-dans-la-technologie-quantique-884578930.html