17 décembre 2019 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Par Nicolas Laffont
À l'occasion de la fin d'année et peu après le Discours du Trône, 45eNord.ca a discuté de l'année écoulée et de ses futures priorités avec le ministre de la Défense nationale, Harjit Sajjan.
Processus d'acquisition
D'entrée de jeu le ministre Sajjan se dit satisfait cette année des avancées faites dans le domaine de l'approvisionnement. «Nous avons des projets comme celui des navires de combat de surface qui avance très bien, mais on a également le processus en lui-même qui est plus rapide. Le projet des véhicules de soutien devait prendre cinq ans, mais nous avons été en mesure d'annoncer l'attribution d'un contrat cet été». La livraison des premiers véhicules doit intervenir aussi tôt que fin 2020.
«Nous avons aussi le nouvel avion de recherche et sauvetage qui s'en vient [le CC-295 d'Airbus], c'est une autre étape importante pour les Forces armées canadiennes».
Reconnaissant clairement qu'il y a «encore du travail à faire», le ministre de la Défense fait savoir que dès qu'un incident se produit, «il est pris très au sérieux. Les Canadiens doivent comprendre que notre organisation est «focusé» à répondre vigoureusement à ce genre de situation».
«Le travail est en cours et pendant que nous faisons tout notre possible pour créer un environnement de travail plus inclusif, nous voulons aussi nous assurer que notre réponse soit toujours en phase avec la situation».
Le Canada sera de plus en plus fragile face aux changements climatiques. Déjà les effets s'en font sentir, avec une augmentation sensible d'évènements climatiques de grande ampleur.
En raison de ces changements climatiques, les Forces armées canadiennes se déploient de plus en plus au pays, pour combattre les feux de forêts ou les inondations, «et cela ne fait qu'empirer».
La présence de la Réserve et de ses réservistes sera donc plus forte à l'avenir, en raison évidemment du lien entre les unités et leur communauté.
«À chaque fois que j'ai visité les troupes et que l'on parle de l'intégration des réservistes avec les forces régulières, les opérations LENTUS sortent du lot. Les réservistes amènent en plus leur propre expérience acquise dans le civil. Je me souviens d'un endroit où l'officier commandant connaissait très bien les lieux parce qu'il travaillait dans le coin et il a pu faire des évaluations rapides et efficaces au point où des vies ont clairement été sauvées.»
En 2018-2019, le Canada a envoyé une force opérationnelle au Mali pour évacuer des blessés et aider le transport tactique et logistique de la mission des Nations Unies (MINUSMA). La mission s'est achevée à l'été 2019 et s'il se dit «très fier» du travail accompli par les hommes et femmes des Forces armées canadiennes dans la région, le ministre Sajjan reste prudent quand on lui parle de contributions supplémentaires (pourtant annoncées!).
«Nous sommes en Ouganda quelques jours par mois pour fournir un transport aérien tactique aux Nations Unies. Mais nous devons prendre une décision avec en tête où nous pouvons avoir le meilleur impact», explique Harjit Sajjan. «Avant d'aller au Mali, nous nous sommes posés cette question de où avoir le meilleur impact. N'oublions pas que pour être efficace, il est important que les nations apportent des capacités de haute valeur, comme nos hélicoptères d'évacuation médicale».
Le ministre révèle que des discussions sont en cours avec le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies afin de déterminer quelle pourrait être la prochaine contribution canadienne.
«Le travail est en cours, et dès que nous en saurons plus, nous informerons les Canadiens. [...] Nous regardons quelles autres capacités nous pouvons fournir, surtout en lien avec l'Initiative Elsie afin d'avoir plus de femmes dans les opérations de paix, et aussi [en lien] avec les Principes de Vancouver initiés par le général Romeo Dallaire, sur la prévention du recrutement et de l'utilisation d'enfants soldats.
L'analyse réalisée pour établir la nouvelle politique de Défense canadienne a permis d'établir les priorités et l'une d'elle était l'OTAN. Le Canada a donc annoncé de multiples opérations et déploiement sous l'égide de l'alliance transatlantique.
Dans cette perspective, la nouvelle lettre de mandat du premier ministre au ministre de la Défense cite l'opération IMPACT au Moyen-Orient, la présence avancée renforcée de l'OTAN en Lettonie, et la mission de l'OTAN en Irak.
Et, toujours dans le même esprit, le Canada a annoncé le 4 décembre qu'il augmentait son engagement dans le cadre de l'initiative de préparation de l'OTAN en fournissant 6 avions de chasse additionnels et une frégate de plus, à la demande du Secrétaire général.
Par conséquent, la contribution canadienne pourra s'élever au total, si besoin, à 12 avions de chasse CF-18, une force opérationnelle expéditionnaire aérienne, un avion de patrouille maritime, trois frégates, un sous-marin, un bataillon d'infanterie mécanisée, un hôpital mobile et un peloton spécialisé en décontamination chimique, biologique, radiologique et nucléaire.
Par ailleurs, on apprenait cette semaine que le ministre de la Défense Harjit S. Sajjan, accompagné de deux parlementaires de l'opposition, se rendra en Italie et au Koweït, du 15 au 19 décembre 2019, pour assister à la cérémonie de passation de commandement du 2e Groupe maritime permanent de l'OTAN, dont le Canada assure le commandement, et pour rendre visite aux membres des Forces armées canadiennes en déploiement.
Revenant sur le fait que le Président américain Donald Trump demande, dès que l'occasion se présente, à ses alliés d'augmenter drastiquement leurs dépenses en matière de Défense, le ministre Sajjan rappelle qu'en réalité la précédente administration demandait déjà cela. «En fait, c'est ce que la précédente administration demandait déjà lorsque j'ai effectué ma première visite en tant que ministre de la Défense lorsque le président Obama était là. C'est d'ailleurs pour cette raison que nous avons réalisé une étude approfondie pour étonner même quelque peu nos alliés avec notre plan, cette première politique de Défense qui avait enfin de l'argent attaché avec elle».
Même si le président Trump répète à outrance que le Canada est «un peu délinquant» en ne respectant pas sa promesse d'atteindre les 2% de son PIB consacré à la Défense, il est clair pour nos voisins du sud que l'argent ne fait pas tout.
«Nous n'avons même pas à leur dire, ce que nous apportons concrètement comme contributions», indique M. Sajjan. «Ils le savent déjà, parce qu'on le fait avec eux. Comme par exemple commander le groupement tactique en Lettonie ou la mission de l'OTAN en Irak. Et n'oublions pas non plus nos contributions en dehors de l'OTAN comme l'Opération NEON où nous aidons au renforcement des sanctions contre la Corée du Nord, avec l'aide des États-Unis. Ils savent aussi la contribution que nous apportons avec l'Opération CARIBBE, cette opération d'interdiction de drogues avec la Garde côtière américaine. Je sais que c'est quelque chose qui est immensément apprécié vu tout ce que est saisi et qui aurait fini aux États-Unis».
Finalement, le ministre Sajjan rappelle de nouveau que même si les chiffres ne font pas tout, ils y sont cependant. La nouvelle politique de Défense promet ainsi une augmentation de 70% d'ici 20 ans du budget de la Défense nationale, et ce, sans inclure le coût des opérations qui vient en plus. «La politique de Défense porte strictement sur les politiques et l'approvisionnement dont ont besoin les Forces armées canadiennes. Les opérations ne font pas parties de la politique de Défense et sont une dépense séparée, en plus de ce que nous avons déjà promis».
Une chose est sûre cependant, «le seul focus qui est et ne changera jamais pour moi est l'emphase à mettre sur nos hommes et nos femmes en uniforme. Les soutenir eux et leurs familles», de conclure le ministre de la Défense.
http://www.45enord.ca/2019/12/interview-fin-annee-ministre-defense-nationale-harjit-sajjan/
22 juin 2023 | Local, Aérospatial
Defence Minister Anita Anand said while there would be a pause “out of respect for this tragic incident,” the government would not be formally grounding the Chinook fleet.
17 décembre 2020 | Local, Naval
David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen Dec 14, 2020 • Last Updated 3 days ago • 6 minute read Defence industry executives have been told by a top bureaucrat to stop raising concerns about the controversial program to build a new fleet of warships that is now estimated to cost $70 billion and could go even higher. Company officials have been complaining to politicians and media outlets that the Canadian Surface Combatant project has fallen far short on its promises of creating domestic employment. Another company is in the middle of a lawsuit over the Canadian Surface Combatant or CSC, alleging the procurement was bungled. Federal lawyers are trying to limit the amount of information that can be disclosed in court about the project, with the next hearing to be held Jan. 13. Other industry executives have been warning politicians the rising price tag for CSC will jeopardize funding for other equally important military equipment projects. But Jody Thomas, deputy minister of the Department of National Defence, told executives Oct. 5 that they are hindering the project and she characterized their efforts as being those of sore losers. “I think there's still too much noise from unsuccessful bidders that makes my job and Bill's job very difficult,” she said, referring to Bill Matthews, deputy minister at Public Services and Procurement Canada. The CSC project would see the construction of 15 warships for the Royal Canadian Navy at Irving Shipbuilding on the east coast. Construction of the vessels, to replace the current Halifax-class frigate fleet, isn't expected to start until 2023. But the project has already faced delays and significant increases in cost as the price tag has climbed from an original $14 billion estimate to around $70 billion. In an email to this newspaper about Thomas's statement to defence executives, the DND noted that industry officials have the right to raise their concerns with politicians or turn to the courts if needed. “However, the Department of National Defence, including the Deputy Minister, works for Canadians,” the DND stated. “While we maintain close, positive working relationships with industry, our primary responsibility is to the Canadian taxpayer.” But Thomas's admonishment didn't surprise industry representatives; although they won't go on record with their names for fear of jeopardizing future military contracts, a number of executives point out that for years federal officials have tried to keep a lid on questions and concerns as well as information about the CSC. A review of past actions by the current Liberal and previous Conservative governments and internal documents obtained by this newspaper through the Access to Information law appear to support that view. Federal officials have on two occasions tried to stymie attempts by the Parliamentary Budget Officer to obtain details and budget outlines of the CSC project, as well as with other vessel construction programs under the government's National Shipbuilding Strategy. In 2019, officials with Public Services and Procurement Canada issued a directive that firms interested in maintenance work on the Canadian Surface Combatant program could not talk to journalists and instead must refer all inquiries to the department. That was the fifth such gag order on military equipment projects issued by government over a year-long period. In one case, Procurement Canada threatened to punish any firms who violated the gag order on the proposed purchase of a light icebreaker. That prompted one unnamed company to submit a question to the department on whether a government ban on talking to journalists was even legal, according to records. Industry executives pointed out last year the secrecy was not based on security concerns, but on worries the news media would be able to use the information to keep close tabs on the problem-plagued military procurement system. After this newspaper reported on the gag orders, Procurement Canada claimed last year it would no longer use such bans. Michael Byers, a professor at the University of British Columbia who has produced two studies on the troubled federal shipbuilding program, said government officials have repeatedly tried to limit the amount of information available on the CSC and other shipbuilding projects. “These projects are in serious trouble and when you have those problems, combined with politics, the pressure to keep things secret are very very high,” he explained. Federal officials appear to be concerned specifically about journalists who might be reporting on two particular ship projects; the CSC and the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships or AOPS. Both projects involve Irving Shipbuilding. Documents show Irving representatives and bureaucrats from Procurement Canada (then called Public Works) warned DND procurement official Ian Mack in April 2013 that CBC journalist Terry Milewski was working on a story about the high costs of the AOPS and the fact that other nations paid a fraction of what Canadian taxpayers were being charged for similar vessels. Six days after Mack sent his warning out to other bureaucrats, Milewski produced his report. In 2016, Public Works officials alerted Minister Judy Foote's office this newspaper was asking questions about the CSC. Foote's office, in turn, warned Irving representatives. In March 2019, the DND and Public Services and Procurement Canada warned Irving Shipbuilding this newspaper was asking questions about problems with welds on the AOPS. Documents show that after a series of questions were submitted by this newspaper to the DND, PSPC deputy minister Bill Matthews, DND deputy minister Thomas and Pat Finn, then DND's top procurement official, held a conference call with Irving President Kevin McCoy. McCoy briefed “Jody, Bill, Pat” about the company's plans to sue this newspaper if it “published anything that impugned our professional reputation.” There is no indication in the document that the bureaucrats raised any objections to the company's strategy. Thomas took no notes during the conference call, according to the department's Access to Information branch. Matthews responded to Irving's decision with a supportive email. “Welcome to my world,” Matthews wrote to McCoy. Matthews has declined requests to be interviewed by this newspaper. In an email, the department stated the deputy minister's comment was referring to the fact defence procurement “is a highly complex environment, in which we often face criticism about our processes and decisions.” DND confirmed to this newspaper that there had been minor issues with welding on the AOPS and the article was published. In May 2019, the Globe and Mail also reported federal officials alerted Irving the newspaper was seeking information from the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development about whether the French fry plant investment qualified as an industrial benefit for the Arctic ship project. After the Globe sent two emails to the department's media relations branch, the newspaper received a letter from a lawyer working for Irving. The letter threatened legal action if the article contained any allegations of improper conduct. Innovation, Science and Economic Development spokesman Hans Parmar stated in an email that Irving was told of the media inquiry as part of the department's policy to ‘'encourage transparency.'' At the time, Irving spokesman Sean Lewis said while the firm respects the work of journalists, in the case of the Globe and this newspaper the company threatened legal action because the news organizations “had highly inaccurate information that would cause our company, and the reputation of our hardworking employees, considerable reputational damage.” In the case of the Globe, Irving confirmed it had received the approximately $40 million industrial benefit credit for the French fry plant. The incident with the Globe and Mail also revealed bureaucrats at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada had a system to alert Irving each time a journalist asked questions about AOPS. The department claimed it was required to do so according to its contract with Irving. However, that contract contains only a general reference to coordinating public communications. It is unclear whether the department has established a similar system for the CSC project. The department did not answer questions about how many times it has shared information about journalists with Irving officials. Asked about how many times Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has alerted Irving about journalists asking questions about shipbuilding matters, company spokesman Thomas Ormsby responded: “We do not discuss customer contracts.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/too-much-noise-on-canadian-warship-program-dnd-deputy-minister-admonishes-industry-executives
6 octobre 2020 | Local, Naval
Murray Brewster The federal government is in the market for another used icebreaker that could be converted for use by the Canadian Coast Guard on the Great Lakes — much to the dismay of shipbuilders across the country. A request for proposals to acquire an existing light icebreaker was posted on the government's procurement website in mid-September. The timing is interesting. Federal decision-makers have known for five years that the coast guard needs such a vessel for the region. The request for proposals — which closes at the end of October — was posted as U.S. lawmakers began to push bipartisan legislation through Congress to strengthen the U.S. Coast Guard's capacity to break ice and keep commerce flowing on the Great Lakes. The plan for Canada to buy a used icebreaker follows a separate decision by Transport Canada to purchase a used ferry from Spain on an emergency basis. Build them here, says industry The Canadian Marine Industry and Shipbuilding Association (CMISA), which represents most of the marine suppliers and shipyards across the country, said both decisions represent a loss of domestic jobs and at least $250 million in federal spending that could have gone into a Canadian economy hard hit by the coronavirus. "We're of the strong belief that vessels such as light icebreakers can and should be built in Canada," said Colin Cooke, president and chief executive officer of the shipbuilding association. "We have the capacity. We have the skilled trades. We have the expertise, the technical expertise. We have the shipyards. And that was what the point of the National Shipbuilding Strategy was all about." That shipbuilding strategy is supposed to direct government work to Canadian shipyards. Cooke said the plan to purchase an existing icebreaker and the deal to acquire a former Spanish ferry would both be unacceptable in normal times — but they're even less acceptable now. "We are in a COVID time when we're looking for all sorts of ways to make sure that people are employed, that businesses are able to survive — I won't say thrive, I will say survive — through the lockdowns caused by this pandemic," he said. Public Services and Procurement Canada was asked for comment last Thursday but did not respond. The tender for the light icebreaker, posted online Sept. 18, describes the purchase as a necessary interim step for the coast guard to "bridge the gap while awaiting the delivery of dedicated new vessels." Significantly, the request for proposals noted that the need for such a ship was identified five years ago — around the same time a comprehensive analysis warned that the coast guard icebreaking fleet was in dire straits and in need of immediate replacement. "In 2015-16 the CCG identified a requirement for interim icebreaking capabilities to fill gaps in capacity resulting from ships being temporarily withdrawn from service" for refit and life extension, said the tender. Two years ago, the Liberal government concluded a deal worth $827 million with Chantier Davie of Levis, Que., which operates the Davie shipyard, to refit three medium-sized commercial icebreakers for the coast guard. Used icebreakers could be scarce Tim Choi, a University of Calgary shipbuilding expert, said this recent tender suggests the federal government is operating on the flawed assumption that there is an abundance of used icebreakers on the market. The deal with the Davie shipyard was an anomaly and federal officials "got lucky" last time because there happened to be three vessels available, he said. Choi said he believes the federal government isn't likely to be so fortunate this time: his research suggests there may be only one light icebreaker out there that would fit in the bill — in Finland — and it's not clear the Finns are ready to part with it. "There are very few requirements for a vessel like that outside of Canada and the United States in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence region," said Choi. "It's not like there's a used car lot where you can just go out and buy these things." The shipbuilding association said it can make a strong case for a fast-track build in Canada. Choi said he believes procurement services may be forced in that direction anyway because of market conditions. In mid-September, three U.S. senators — Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Todd Young (R-IN) and Gary Peters (D-MI) — introduced the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act. The bipartisan legislation is expected to codify the U.S. Coast Guard's icebreaking operations on the Great Lakes and, more importantly, increase the size of its fleet. "Inadequate icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes is costing us thousands of American jobs and millions in business revenue," said Baldwin in a statement. "We must boost our icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes to keep our maritime commerce moving." https://www-cbc-ca.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5751143