17 septembre 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
By Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press — Sep 15 2020
OTTAWA — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says hundreds of billions of dollars in planned spending for the military over the next two decades is "secure" despite the ballooning federal deficit to deal with COVID-19.
Fears have been rising in defence circles that the Liberals will look to the military's budget to rein in what is now projected to be a $343-billion deficit this year alone as the government keeps spending to help Canadians with the pandemic.
Those fears are based on past experience as the Canadian Armed Forces was hit by deep cuts when Ottawa struggled to balance the books during the 1990s and again in the early 2010s after the last economic downturn.
But Sajjan says the government has no intention of abandoning its defence strategy, unveiled in 2017 and known as Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE), which included a plan to spend $553 billion on the military over 20 years. Much of that is to buy new equipment such as jets and warships.
"As we look into the future, we're not just going make a knee-jerk decision on where we're going," he said in an interview with The Canadian Press on the sidelines of this week's federal cabinet retreat.
"We're going do a very thorough analysis, just like we did in the past, make a good case about it and then make a decision of where we want to go. But absolutely, the SSE funding is secure. ... We're continuing on with SSE investments."
Sajjan argued that the pandemic, along with the growing number of natural disasters in Canada in recent years and mounting instability abroad, underscore the need for a strong Canadian Armed Forces more now than ever.
At the same time, he suggested money spent on the Canadian Armed Forces should be considered an investment in both the military and the economy, given the industrial benefits associated with building new ships, armoured vehicles and aircraft.
"If you just look at our national shipbuilding strategy, we know dollar for dollar, that money goes into our economy," he said, adding that it would involve creating jobs across the country.
Sajjan did indicate there may be "adjustments" to the Liberals' defence plan. While he didn't offer much detail, the minister suggested the Liberals have been looking at ways to speed up spending on the military during the pandemic because of the economic benefits.
At the same time, there are some unknowns on the horizon, including whether a study being conducted by the parliamentary budget officer will find that the $60 billion set aside for 15 new warships for the navy isn't enough.
The Liberals also have yet to decide on a plan for replacing the string of radars in the Arctic used to detect airborne threats approaching North America. Military commanders have said they are obsolete and will likely cost billions.
Much of the speculation about potential cuts has been linked the government's search for a military commander after longtime chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance last month announced his plan to retire. The government interviewed potential replacements last week.
Some defence insiders and observers have suggested the choice will signal the Liberals' priorities for the military over the next few years. Asked about those priorities, Sajjan listed the continued implementation of the defence policy alongside fighting sexual misconduct and racism in the military.
"At the end of the day you look at the reality of what's in front of you and then you look at who is the best person to be able to lead during this time," Sajjan said when asked about the search.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2020.
6 avril 2022 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Canada's military readiness is suffering from a lack of investment and the federal government must ensure that desperately needed new money actually gets spent, experts in defence and procurement say.
22 juin 2018 | Local, Terrestre
Safety and situational awareness cited among reasons to not use hearing protection The cost of health claims related to hearing loss among members of Canada's military is rising, due in part to the reluctance of members to wear protective equipment and because the most suitable devices aren't always provided. Explosions, gunfire, engine noise and alarms all contribute to hearing loss among military members. Almost a third of them have chronic hearing problems by the time they retire, according to surveys by Veterans Affairs. A 2016 study obtained by Radio-Canada looked at how to better protect the hearing of members with pre-existing hearing loss, and found that military personnel were reluctant to wear hearing protection. Some of the reasons were: Discomfort. Incompatibility with other head gear. The feeling of isolation that comes with sound dampening. But the biggest reason was that earplugs or whatever other protection device used would impair situational awareness, safety and "interfere with successful completion of the mission," wrote Dr. Sharon Abel, a senior scientist at Defence Research and Development Canada. That has led to increased health costs for the military. The Canadian Forces Health Services Group spent about $890,000 in 2013-14 on health costs related to hearing loss, followed by $937,000 in 2014-2015. In 2015-16, the last year for which data is available, it was close to $1.1 million. Different soldiers, different needs Richard Blanchette, a retired major-general who suffered hearing loss during his years of service, said the Department of National Defence does everything in its power to protect members and it's the responsibility of the members to do their part. Nobody else can do it for them, he told Radio-Canada. Different military members, however, have different issues. Abel's study found while earplugs may reduce the risk of hearing loss for people with normal hearing, they would increase impairment for people with pre-existing hearing loss. Those people would be better served by more specialized protection, she wrote. "Insufficient consideration is given to the selection of devices that will support the auditory tasks being carried out or suit the hearing status of the user." The military has set up an awareness program for its members about hearing loss, said Pierre Lamontagne with Canadian Forces Health Services. But soldiers remain reluctant to use some of the equipment they may need because it adds to the considerable weight they may already be carrying in the field, he said. Health consequences Lamontagne said he makes recommendations to commanders of the units, but it's the commanders who make the purchases. While about one in five soldiers needs specialized protection for hearing loss, the devices may be purchased based on general rather than individual needs, he said. The consequences of hearing problems are not always recognized because they are invisible, according to Chantal Laroche, a professor of audiology at the University of Ottawa. However, the side-effects — persistent ringing in the ear, for example, or an inability to communicate with others — can cause other serious health problems, including mental health issues, she said. Laroche said that in general, specialized hearing protections can be expensive, but the military should weigh those costs against the amount they are spending on health costs and disability claims. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/military-hearing-loss-members-reluctant-to-wear-protection-1.4711517
7 février 2019 | Local, C4ISR, Sécurité
Rachel Aiello, Ottawa News Bureau Online Producer OTTAWA -- Over the next year, the top-secret National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians plans to probe the threat foreign interference poses to Canada, and examine how the military collects and uses information about Canadians. The committee gave notice this week of its planned studies for the year, all of which will happen behind closed doors. The high-level oversight body was created in 2017, and mirrors similar committees set up in the other "Five Eyes" alliance countries. Members include MPs and Senators, who must have the highest level, or “top secret” security clearance. The committee garnered a higher profile in Canada and abroad after then-member Tony Clement stepped down from all parliamentary roles after revealing he sent sexually explicit images and a video of himself to someone he thought was a consenting female, but who was actually a "foreign actor" seeking to financially extort the long-time MP. Months later, two men in West Africa were arrested and accused of being behind the blackmail attempt. This situation prompted questions over potential security ramifications and the vetting of members of the committee. As the committee looks to the year ahead the first study on its agenda will be a look at the threat of foreign interference to Canada's national security and the measures currently in place to counter it. Then the plan is to move on to a probe of the Canada Border Services Agency's national security and intelligence activities related to enforcing immigration and customs laws. Next up will be a review of "issues of diversity and inclusion in Canada's security and intelligence community." Specifically the committee will look at federal security agencies' progress and consult leaders in these offices to recommend ways to improve the culture and representation within the highest levels of the intelligence community. Lastly, the committee is looking to examine the way the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces collect, use, and disseminate information about Canadian citizens as it conducts defence intelligence activities. The committee's findings and recommendations on the military's treatment of citizens' data will be submitted to the prime minister and the minister of national defence before the end of 2019. Of course, all this work could be usurped by other issues that may arise. The committee can undertake special studies at any time, as it did with the prime minister's troubled India trip in 2018. "Our planned reviews for 2019 will continue to build a picture of the various parts of the security and intelligence community and how it works together to protect our security, our freedoms and our institutions," said chair of the committee Liberal MP David McGuinty in a statement. The 11-member committee has continued to meet despite being having vacancies in both of the spots reserved for Conservative MPs. In addition to Clement's vacancy, the spot held by late-Conservative MP Gord Brown has been vacant since May 2018. There has already been a byelection in the riding he held, where a new Conservative MP has been named. The appointments and necessary clearances rest with the Privy Council Office and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "The Committee is continuing to meet, but is looking forward to welcoming two new members from the Official Opposition as soon as possible," executive director of the committee told CTVNews.ca in a statement. Asked about when the new Conservative members will be named, PMO spokesperson Eleanore Catenaro told CTV News.ca that the processing is "almost complete" and they expect the new additions will be named "in short order." Just before Christmas, the committee issued its first annual report to the prime minister, and a declassified version will be tabled in Parliament within 30 sitting days, meaning it could be April before that happens. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/top-secret-committee-to-study-foreign-meddling-military-use-of-canadians-info-1.4285158