17 septembre 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Hundreds of billions in planned military spending ‘secure’ despite COVID-19: Sajjan

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.

https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2020/09/15/liberals-dont-plan-to-cut-military-spending-to-rein-in-deficit-sajjan/#.X2OP0WhKiUk

Sur le même sujet

23 novembre 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Invitation de Raytheon
Raytheon Canada will be hosting a Canadian Industry Day for companies interested in opportunities to become a supplier/subcontractor to Raytheon Technologies. In consideration of current and upcoming Industrial and Technological Benefit (ITB) obligations in Canada, Raytheon Technologies is looking for potential second-source suppliers for current and upcoming US and International programs. This virtual Industry Day will be hosted via Zoom, on Wednesday November 25, 2020 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm EST (9 am MST). If you are not familiar with Canada's ITB program, here is a link to the Government of Canada website: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/086.nsf/eng/home Companies with capabilities within the following general categories are invited to register for and attend this Webinar: Metal parts – manufacturing and machining of steel and aluminum Mechanical Assemblies – similar to oilfield equipment in level of complexity Electronic components, wires, harnesses Power supply and electronic cabinets Missile components Motor assemblies (rockets/missiles) Electronic assemblies Circuit Card Assemblies Injection Molding Hydraulic parts and components Thin Film Alumina Portable/Small Battery technology (including alternative power/solar) Mechanical Engineering/Support/Testing Environmental Testing (Ruggedization of design for extreme temperatures) Shelters – including heating and cooling, power supply Generators Hydraulic truck mounted cranes Simulation and Training The Industry Day will include presentations from Raytheon Canada and Raytheon Technologies. An overview of Raytheon Technologies, details on potential opportunities, and the process by which interested companies will be reviewed and selected to bid on any future opportunities will be provided. If your company has any of the capabilities listed above and you wish to participate in the Industry Day, please register at the following link: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_ewlCKRpATjCF5TNe8WVbGQ Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defence company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises four industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts
26 février 2024 | Local, Terrestre

Forces ombudsman calls on MPs to make his office independent of National Defence | CBC News
Canada’s military watchdog used what could be one of his last appearances before a House of Commons committee on Monday to renew a push to make his office fully independent from the Department of National Defence (DND).
4 mai 2020 | Local, Terrestre

The List: Here are the weapons identified as prohibited in Canada
SaltWire Network Published: May 01 at 2:43 p.m. Updated: May 01 at 3:18 p.m Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday the addition of "assault-style" weapons to the list of prohibited Firearms in Canada. Here are the updated sections of federal firearms regulations. 83 The firearms of the designs commonly known as the SG-550 rifle and SG-551 carbine, and any variants or modified versions of them, including the SAN Swiss Arms (a) Aestas; (b) Autumnus; (c) Black Special; (d) Black Special Carbine; (e) Black Special CQB; (f) Black Special Target; (g) Blue Star; (h) Classic Green; (i) Classic Green Carbine; (j) Classic Green CQB; (k) Classic Green Sniper; (l) Heavy Metal; (m) Hiemis; (n) Red Devil; (o) Swiss Arms Edition; and (p) Ver. The entire list : https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/canada/the-list-here-are-the-weapons-identified-as-prohibited-in-canada-444750/

Toutes les nouvelles