Nouvelles

Hugo Joncas | Le Journal de Montréal Ottawa fait preuve d'«hypocrisie» en autorisant la vente d'équipements aéronautiques québécois aux forces de l'Arabie saoudite et des Émirats arabes unis, dit le professeur de droit constitutionnel Daniel Turp, qui veut les faire interdire dès que possible. «Il y a une hypocrisie collective qui fait qu'on tolère ça de nos gouvernements parce que ça créerait des emplois», a dit l'ancien député au micro de Robert Dutrizac sur QUB radio lundi matin. Daniel Turp réagissait au reportage de notre Bureau d'enquête, qui révèle que l'aéronautique québécoise a vendu pour près d'un milliard de dollars en équipements aux militaires saoudiens, émiratis et à leurs alliés dans la sanglante guerre au Yémen, qui a tué 4500 civils jusqu'ici. Il souligne l'«incohérence» de ces ventes avec l'arrivée de la jeune réfugiée saoudienne en sol canadien la fin de semaine dernière. Recours judiciaires Daniel Turp est déjà en quête d'un moyen de pour empêcher de futures exportations. «Je vais mettre mes étudiants au travail», dit le professeur à l'Université de Montréal, en entrevue avec notre Bureau d'enquête. La partie est cependant loin d'être gagnée. Daniel Turp tente déjà d'en appeler jusqu'en Cour suprême pour faire annuler les licences d'exportation des blindés ontariens de General Dynamics. Dans le cas des moteurs de Pratt & Whitney et des appareils de Bell Hélicoptères Textron destinés aux flottes de guerre cependant, aucune licence n'est même nécessaire de la part d'Ottawa, puisqu'ils sont conçus comme des équipements civils. Ils sont ensuite utilisés pour assembler des appareils d'attaque aux États-Unis, lié au Canada par l'Accord sur le partage de la production de défense, un véritable libre-échange de l'armement. «Il faut que je trouve le moyen de poursuivre les compagnies», dit-il. Daniel Turp observera de près comment évolue une poursuite intentée en Italie contre le fabricant d'une bombe saoudienne ayant tué les six membres d'une famille au Yémen, en octobre 2016. Il doit aussi intervenir dans les consultations des prochaines semaines sur le projet de loi C-47, qui doit permettre au Canada d'adhérer au Traité des Nations unies sur le commerce des armes. Daniel Turp compte exiger que les pièces et composantes soient incluses dans la liste du matériel à exportation contrôlée, même lorsqu'elles sont vendues aux États-Unis. Le professeur évoque enfin les «principes directeurs de l'Organisation de développement et de coopération économique» (OCDE), auquel le Canada adhère. Ils mentionnent notamment qu'une entreprise doit «éviter d'être la cause d'incidences négatives sur les droits de l'homme ou d'y contribuer, et parer à ces incidences lorsqu'elles surviennent». https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2019/01/15/daniel-turp-veut-empecher-des-ventes-darmes-hypocrites

JEAN-FRANÇOIS CODÈRE La Presse Le géant Airbus pourrait, s'il décroche deux importants contrats canadiens dont l'octroi doit se faire au cours des prochaines années, b'tir deux nouvelles usines d'assemblage au Québec, probablement à Mirabel, a laissé entendre ce matin Simon Jacques, chef d'Airbus Défense au Canada. Le premier de ces contrats doit être octroyé cette année par Télésat, un opérateur canadien de satellites de télécommunication. Celui-ci souhaite lancer quelques centaines de nouveaux satellites à orbite basse pour un réseau d'accès à l'Internet. Selon M. Jacques, l'usine qui fabriquerait ces satellites pourrait employer environ 200 personnes. L'entreprise affirme mener des discussions avec les gouvernements provincial et fédéral en vue de l'installer au Québec, si elle obtient le contrat. « Ce serait un game changer pour l'aérospatiale au Canada », estime M. Jacques. Avions de chasse L'autre contrat, plus important, est celui du remplacement des avions de chasse canadiens. Airbus est l'une des quatre entreprises, avec Boeing, Lockheed et SAAB, qui manifeste toujours son intérêt pour l'obtention de cet important contrat concernant 88 chasseurs, qui devront remplacer la flotte de F18 actuels. L'une des conditions de cet appel d'offres, qui doit normalement être lancé avant la prochaine campagne électorale fédérale, imposera du contenu canadien. Dans ce contexte, Airbus étudie l'option de construire une usine d'assemblage final au Canada, probablement au Québec, a aussi indiqué M. Jacques. Airbus a par ailleurs confirmé que la Société en commandite C Series, où elle est associée à Bombardier et au gouvernement du Québec, investit présentement 30 millions de dollars américains (40 millions de dollars) pour améliorer ses installations de Mirabel. Des dômes permettant d'héberger des avions en construction seront ajoutés au printemps. Ils sont déjà en construction. Un nouveau centre de livraison sera aussi ajouté au quatrième trimestre. https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/economie/transports/201901/14/01-5210974-airbus-songe-a-batir-deux-nouvelles-usines-au-quebec.php

Le 14 janvier 2019, Valcartier (Québec) Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes Aujourd'hui, le ministre de la Famille, des Enfants et du Développement social, Jean-Yves Duclos, au nom du ministre de la Défense nationale, Harjit S. Sajjan, a rendu visite aux membres des Forces armées canadiennes (FAC) à la Base de soutien de la 2e Division du Canada Valcartier pour voir les nouveaux camions logistiques canadiens qui y ont été livrés. Ces camions appuient la politique de défense du Canada, Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, en fournissant l'équipement moderne dont dépendent les femmes et les hommes des FAC pour réaliser leur travail. Les véhicules de soutien, comme ces camions, constituent l'épine dorsale du transport terrestre pour notre Force régulière et notre Réserve. Ces véhicules sont au cœur de presque toutes les opérations nationales et internationales des FAC, et transportent du matériel, du personnel et des fournitures essentiels là où ils doivent se rendre. Qu'il s'agisse d'aider les collectivités canadiennes à faire face à de graves inondations ou à d'autres catastrophes nationales, ou d'appuyer les opérations de l'OTAN en Lettonie et dans l'ensemble de l'Europe de l'Est, ces nouveaux camions serviront nos femmes et nos hommes pendant des décennies à venir. Des plus de 1 500 camions achetés, près de 450 seront basés au Québec et seront utilisés par les unités des FAC, y compris la Réserve. Il y aura cinq variantes de ces camions, allant des camions de transport régulier aux camions de transport avec grue de manutention de matériaux. Les cabines peuvent également être remplacées par une cabine blindée pour être utilisée dans des environnements très dangereux. L'achat de ces camions est assujetti à la politique sur les retombées industrielles et technologiques (RIT) du Canada, ce qui signifie que pour chaque dollar que le gouvernement consacre à des achats importants de matériel de défense, l'entrepreneur retenu doit remettre un dollar dans l'économie canadienne. Gr'ce à cette politique, le pouvoir d'achat du gouvernement est utilisé pour soutenir l'innovation et créer des emplois bien rémunérés dans la classe moyenne. Citations « Gr'ce à notre politique de défense, Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, nous fournissons aux femmes et aux hommes des Forces armées canadiennes le matériel dont ils ont besoin pour réaliser leur travail. Les camions logistiques sont un élément essentiel de la façon dont les militaires des Forces armées canadiennes effectuent leur important travail. C'est pourquoi je suis heureux de voir ces nouveaux véhicules modernes livrés à Valcartier et à d'autres endroits au Canada pour remplacer et moderniser la flotte actuelle de camions logistiques de poids moyen qui ont atteint la fin de leur vie utile. » – Ministre de la Défense Harjit S. Sajjan « Je suis très heureux de voir que ces nouveaux camions sont livrés à Valcartier pour être utilisés par un nombre d'unités basées au Québec. Que ce soit pour des opérations à l'étranger ou pour fournir un soutien aux collectivités locales pendant les inondations printanières, ces camions aideront les militaires des Forces armées canadiennes à accomplir leur travail. » – Ministre de la Famille, des Enfants et du Développement social Jean-Yves Duclos Faits en bref En juillet 2015, le gouvernement du Canada a octroyé deux contrats à Mack Defense, d'une valeur totale de 834 millions de dollars, pour la livraison de nouveaux camions, remorques, systèmes de protection blindée et pour du soutien en service. Au Canada, plus de 1 500 camions, 300 remorques et 150 systèmes de protection blindés devraient être livrés au cours des deux prochaines années. Les nouveaux camions peuvent transporter jusqu'à 9,5 tonnes. https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2019/01/nouveaux-camions-logistiques-livres-a-valcartier.html

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen he Canadian Army's new armoured vehicles have been plagued by rollovers and fires, the latest in a series of problems to affect the $600-million fleet. Since April 2014, there have been 10 incidents when Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles have tipped on to their sides, six where they have rolled over completely, and four where they have caught fire. Pat Finn, the assistant deputy minister in charge of procurement at the Department of National Defence, told Postmedia there have been no serious injuries as a result of the incidents. But the problems are not the first to hit the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles or TAPVs. The TAPV program has “experienced a number of significant technical issues, particularly affecting vehicle mobility,” then-defence minister Rob Nicholson was told in August 2014. There have been problems with the suspension, steering and other items on the vehicle, according to a briefing document released under the Access to Information law. The technical issues significantly delayed the test program for the vehicles, the document added. “These accumulating incidents, which relate to the vehicle's ability to travel distances on medium cross country terrain, led the project office to conclude the existing testing could no longer continue.” The Conservative government announced the TAPV contract in 2012 as part of its re-equipping of the Canadian Army. Canada bought 500 TAPVs from Textron, a U.S.-based defence firm, at a cost of $603 million. The TAPV is a wheeled combat vehicle that will conduct reconnaissance and surveillance, security, command and control, and armoured transport of personnel and equipment. Finn said as a result of the various incidents further quality assurance tests are being done. “It's kind of high off the ground so it can be more agile,” he explained about the vehicle. “(But) it brings with it a high centre of gravity.” “It may be it's about training and understanding the vehicle,” Finn added. None of the vehicles have been written off because of the incidents, according to the Canadian Army. “Upon review of the major TAPV incidents, it has been identified that the most common contributing factors of these incidents tends to be human error due to limited familiarity time operating the vehicles,” the army noted in an emailed statement to Postmedia. The army pointed out that investigations into the incidents did not reveal any design or mechanical faults. “Primary reports on the majority of these incidents (rollover and tip-overs) were attributed to a combination of factors, such as operator experience, the vehicle's high centre of gravity, weather conditions, and/or vehicle speed,” the email noted. The army did not provide any explanation for the four fires on the TAPVs. The army noted that it is considering limits on the speeds the vehicles can operate at as well as “rollover hazard mitigations” and “recommendations such as the use of new technology to enhance experience for new drivers and crew.” The army did not provide further details on those new technologies or initiatives. The TAPV project will cost taxpayers a total of $1.2 billion, which not only includes the vehicles but also includes the building of infrastructure to house them, as well as the purchase of ammunition and service support for the equipment. The initial problems with steering and other issues delayed the delivery of the vehicles. After those were dealt with, the army had to contend last year with concerns about brakes and the distance the vehicles needed to stop. The TAPV is a heavy vehicle and requires longer stopping distances at higher speeds than most new drivers are familiar with, noted DND spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier in July 2018. The fleet of TAPVs have been distributed across seven bases and 24 units throughout Canada. The Canadian army has said it expects to declare full operational capability by mid-2020, following training of all operators. TAPVs were first deployed in spring 2017 to assist communities affected by the flooding in Quebec. dpugliese@postmedia.com Twitter.com/davidpugliese https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/fires-and-rollovers-plague-canadian-armys-600-million-fleet-of-new-armoured-vehicles

by Chris Thatcher The Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment (AETE) is unlikely to move from 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alta., until at least 2021, but already its location is attracting interest from potential future tenants. “The AETE building is the second-largest we have on the base, [so] there are a lot of eyes on my hangar,” Col Eric Grandmont, AETE's commanding officer, told Skies in a recent interview. While no one has shown up with paint swatches and asked to measure for new drapes, “a few people at different levels did walkthroughs,” he said. “There is a lot of interest, and rightly so. It could help a lot in the transition as new fighter capabilities come in and allow the base to grow.” The AETE hangar had been considered a likely destination for a new squadron of Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets, had the government proceeded with a plan to acquire 18 aircraft as an interim measure to augment the Royal Canadian Air Force's current fleet of 76 CF-188 Hornets. Though the Liberals have since opted to acquire 25 Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornets–18 operational and seven for spare parts–following a commercial dispute with Boeing, the AETE building is still part of the RCAF's future expansion plans for the fighter fleet. AETE's pending move made headlines in early December when Patrick Finn, the assistant deputy minister for materiel (ADM Mat) at the Department of National Defence (DND), told the Standing Committee on Public Accounts that the $470 million allotted for acquisition of interim fighter jets and an upgrade program to the entire Hornet fleet also included funding to cover AETE's relocation. The comment touched off an exchange with the committee chair, Conservative MP Kevin Sorenson of Battle River-Crowfoot, Alta., over when the decision was made and whether it might impact jobs in Cold Lake. In fact, the possible relocation of AETE dates back to the Defence Renewal Plan, an effort begun in 2012 to streamline business processes, find efficiencies, and maximize operational results across the Canadian Armed Forces and DND. As part of a change introduced in 2016 to how the RCAF and ADM Mat contract maintenance and support service, known as the Sustainment Initiative, DND conducted a review called the Engineering Flight Test Rationalization to assess ways to make AETE more sustainable, effective and efficient. The Flight Test Establishment had originally moved to Cold Lake from Ottawa in 1971 to take advantage of the large test range and more favourable flying climate. At the time, AETE owned a substantial fleet of instrumented test aircraft. Today, of the RCAF's 19 fleets of aircraft, AETE operates just two: two CF-188 Hornets and two CH-146 Griffons. It also has five CT-114 Tutors that are used mostly for proficiency flying. “For the remaining 17 fleets, we go on the road and deploy to do testing,” explained Grandmont, a flight test engineer. “Which means we are on the road a lot.” As fleets have become more digital, AETE has changed how it conducts tests. Where in the past an aircraft might have been instrumented from nose to tail–a process that could take months–AETE now has instrumentation packages that leverage the digital architecture of aircraft and can be quickly installed on location. “The technology is there to be able to get pretty much all the data we need,” he said of the newer and upgraded fleets. “Every project will have specific requirements, so it doesn't mean we don't have to put string gauges and stuff like that on an aircraft, but we are trying to maximize the existing systems onboard the aircraft.” However, that expanded travel, which can range from three to seven months a year, has made it difficult to attract test pilots and flight test engineers to Cold Lake. Aside from fighter pilots, who are already based at 4 Wing, few from the transport, tactical aviation, maritime patrol, maritime helicopter and search and rescue fleets are willing to volunteer. “We are asking people to move their family to Cold Lake and then deploy all the time to do testing,” said Grandmont. “And it's not that easy to travel to and from Cold Lake. It can become a 14- to 15-hour day or a two-day (trip) each way.” In addition to attracting and retaining talent–“I am starting to have a line up just based on the news from a couple of weeks ago; there are already people calling and asking, when are you guys moving?” said Grandmont–the return to Ottawa would also allow AETE to capitalize on testing resources already at the Ottawa International Airport operated by Transport Canada, which also employs test pilots and flight test engineers, and the National Research Council Canada's flight research laboratory. Transport Canada and the NRC focus primarily on commercial flight, but all three organizations use similar support systems to develop aircraft instrumentation packages, to test basic systems, and to analyze data. Transport Canada also has a new flight simulator building to accommodate the CAE 3000 Series helicopter cockpit simulators for the Canadian Coast Guard Bell 412EPI and Bell 429 helicopters, as well as fixed-wing simulators for a Cessna Citation C550 and a Beechcraft King Air. “We gain a lot of efficiency because those simulators are way cheaper to operate than what we do right now,” said Grandmont. The aim would be to create a Canadian centre of excellence for flight test science, engineering instrumentation and evaluation, he added. Among AETE's 50 to 60 recent and current projects were systems testing on the CH-147F Chinooks prior to their first operational deployment to Mali under hot and dusty conditions; preparation of the CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter for its first deployment aboard HMCS Ville de Quebec in summer 2018; test and evaluation of CF-188 Hornet systems and gear as the RCAF finalizes an upgrade package; and testing of systems and the airframe as the CP-140 Aurora completes a four-phased incremental modernization project and structural life extension. “Any question that cannot be answered using computer models or wind tunnels, then flight test is the last test to be able to answer those questions before a system on an aircraft can get an airworthiness certification,” explained Grandmont. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/aete-to-join-testing-centre-of-excellence-in-ottawa

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Canadian Forces is preparing to take possession by the spring of the first of 25 used Australian F-18 fighter jets. Eighteen of the Australian aircraft will be flying while another seven will be used for testing and spare parts. The Department of National Defence has provided more details on the types of aircraft Canada is acquiring. “The requested mix is 12 A-model (single seat) and 6 B-model (dual seat) aircraft; however, this is subject to adjustment,” said Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier. The final mix will be dependent on a number of considerations, including the condition and availability of aircraft, he added. The dual seat aircraft will be used for training, Le Bouthillier noted. The additional fighter jets will be used to augment operations and training. One of the first things that will be done to the used Australian F-18s that Canada is purchasing is that the aircraft will be outfitted with different ejection seats and software. The first two F-18s that Canada is buying from Australia will arrive sometime in the spring and will be sent to Cold Lake, Alta, Pat Finn, assistant deputy minister for materiel at the Department of National Defence said. “They land, they (the Australians) will remove their software and we'll install our software,” Finn explained in an interview. Also to be installed are ejection seats and a lighting system that is used on the CF-18s. “Ultimately the intent is the 18 aircraft are indistinguishable from our 76 aircraft,” Finn said. Canada has finalized its deal to buy the 25 used fighter jets from Australia, https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/used-australian-f-18s-heading-to-canada-will-be-a-mix-of-single-and-dual-seat-aircraft

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Canadian International Trade Tribunal is recommending a review of key performance requirements used in the procurement of two emergency towing vessels for the west coast. Heiltsuk Horizon, a partnership of majority partner Heiltsuk Nation of Bella Bella, British Columbia and Horizon Maritime Services Limited, a Canadian marine services company, complained to the CITT in August that the winning supplier did not meet important safety requirements of the tender process. The CITT has recommended Public Services and Procurement Canada re-evaluate some of its mandatory requirements and that no further expenditure under the contact be undertaken. However, the tribunal also recommended that the contract remain with the winning bidder, Atlantic Services Limited/Atlantic Towing, until the evaluation can be completed. In August, the federal government announced the firm had been awarded a three-year contract worth $67 million for the lease of two emergency offshore towing vessels that would operate in the waters off the coast of British Columbia. The vessels were to be capable of towing large commercial ships in distress, such as tankers and container ships, before they get too close to shore, according to the federal government. As part of the contract, the firm, which is an Irving company, would also provide training in offshore emergency towing to Canadian Coast Guard personnel and partners, including Indigenous communities, involved in marine safety. But Heiltsuk Horizon challenged that award, pointing out that the contract was awarded without the required proof the vessels met the mandated towing power. The firm welcomed the CITT ruling. “From day one, we stated the procurement process was flawed,” Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett, Heiltsuk Nation, Bella Bella, BC, said in a statement Tuesday. In a letter to Heiltsuk Horizon, the CITT recommends Public Services and Procurement Canada reevaluate the “bollard pull” (towing power) of the vessels in all bids received. The CITT also awarded Heiltsuk Horizon costs incurred in submitting the complaint. In a statement late Tuesday, Public Services and Procurement Canada noted it is currently reviewing the CITT's reasons and recommendations in order to determine its next steps. “The contract with Atlantic Towing remains in place,” it added. “Given the importance of the services provided by the Emergency Offshore Towing Vessels in the context of Canada's Oceans Protection Plan, these services will continue. It is important to note that one of the two vessels has already been used in an emergency situation.” Mary Keith, vice president of communications for Irving, issued a statement from Atlantic Towing, pointing out that the tribunal did not declare the firm's bid non-compliant. “This is good news and reaffirms the integrity of the rigorous and transparent award process by PWGSC that also involved a third party fairness monitor,” the statement added. “The Tribunal has requested verification of one item and we are confident in our full compliance. The Bollard Pull on our vessels are verified and certified by one of the world's leading marine certification companies.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/trade-tribunal-calls-for-review-of-west-coast-vessel-contract

Les pilotes de drone doivent immatriculer leurs drones et obtenir un certificat de pilote d'ici le 1er juin 2019 Le 9 janvier 2019 Ottawa (Ontario) Transports Canada Transports Canada est résolu à améliorer la sécurité de l'aviation et du public tout en encourageant l'innovation et la croissance économique dans le secteur des drones. Aujourd'hui, l'honorable Marc Garneau, ministre des Transports, a annoncé le nouveau règlement du Canada pour les systèmes d'aéronefs télépilotés, plus communément appelés drones. Le nouveau règlement qui entrera en vigueur le 1er juin 2019 s'applique à tous les pilotes de drone faisant voler des appareils pesant entre 250 grammes et 25 kilogrammes dans leur champ de vision direct, que ce soit pour le plaisir, le travail ou la recherche. Le nouveau règlement simplifié est le fruit de consultations substantielles menées auprès des Canadiens et de l'industrie. Le règlement définitif instaure deux catégories principales d'opérations de drones : les opérations de base et les opérations avancées. Les catégories reposent sur la distance entre l'appareil et les personnes au sol et sur les règles relatives à l'espace aérien. Chaque catégorie a son propre ensemble de règles faciles à suivre, qui obligent le pilote de drone : à immatriculer son drone et y marquer son numéro d'immatriculation; à passer un examen en ligne et obtenir un certificat de pilote pour les opérations de base ou les opérations avancées; à avoir au moins 14 ans pour les opérations de base et 16 ans pour les opérations avancées, à moins d'être supervisé par une personne titulaire des certificats appropriés; à rester à une altitude inférieure à 122 m (400 pieds) au-dessus du sol; à rester loin du trafic aérien. Seuls les pilotes de drone qui doivent faire voler un drone sans respecter les règles des opérations de base ou des opérations avancées devront demander un certificat d'opérations aériennes spécialisées (COAS) avant de pouvoir voler. Transports Canada encourage les pilotes de drones à prendre le temps nécessaire pour examiner et comprendre parfaitement les nouvelles règles visant les drones au Canada et à suivre un cours offert par une école de pilotage de drone avant de tenter de passer un examen en ligne ou une révision en vol. Les pilotes de drone devront être en mesure de présenter leur certificat de pilote et leur preuve d'immatriculation lorsqu'ils font voler leur drone dès le 1er juin 2019. Cela veut dire qu'ils peuvent en avoir des copies électroniques sur leur appareil mobile ou des copies imprimées. Transports Canada a également créé un site Web amélioré et convivial pour fournir des renseignements sur le nouveau règlement ainsi que des outils utiles pour tous les pilotes de drone, à l'adresse : Canada.ca/securite-drones. Les nouveaux services de drone de Transports Canada sont maintenant disponibles sur notre site Web. Nous invitons les pilotes de drones à créer leur compte en ligne dans le Portail de gestion des drones pour y accéder facilement et en tout temps. Jusqu'à ce que le nouveau règlement entre en vigueur, le 1er juin 2019, les pilotes de drone à des fins récréatives doivent continuer de respecter les règles énoncées dans l'arrêté d'urgence visant l'utilisation des modèles réduits d'aéronefs et les pilotes qui utilisent leur drone pour le travail ou la recherche doivent continuer de respecter les conditions de leur certificat d'opérations aériennes spécialisées. Tous les pilotes de drones doivent également respecter le Code criminel ainsi que la réglementation municipale, provinciale et territoriale. Compromettre la sécurité d'un aéronef est une infraction grave. Toute personne qui enfreint la réglementation risque des amendes additionnelles pouvant atteindre 25 000 $ ou une peine d'emprisonnement, ou les deux. Ces sanctions s'appliquent aux drones de toutes tailles et à tous les types d'utilisation. Citations « Nous avons été attentifs aux commentaires des Canadiens et avons mis à jour notre règlement afin de trouver le juste milieu entre l'aspect pratique et l'utilisation sécuritaire des drones. Les drones appartiennent à un secteur économique important et prometteur qui est susceptible d'améliorer nos vies et de relier les collectivités de tout le pays. Notre nouveau règlement créera de nouvelles possibilités pour les Canadiens en établissant un cadre réglementaire sécuritaire et prévisible qui permettra à l'industrie d'innover et aux pilotes de drone à des fins récréatives, et autres, d'accéder en toute sécurité à l'espace aérien canadien. » L'honorable Marc Garneau Ministre des Transports https://www.canada.ca/fr/transports-canada/nouvelles/2019/01/le-ministre-garneau-devoile-le-nouveau-reglement-du-canada-sur-la-securite-des-drones.html

Murray Brewster · CBC News U of Calgary paper says Ottawa may have to abandon the idea of a multi-purpose military The Trudeau government can't afford to buy ultra-modern warships and advanced warplanes at the same time, given the limits of federal finances, a new research paper argues. The study, written for the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy, says that — contrary to the assurances offered in the government's defence policy — Ottawa will soon be forced into a series of tough, far-reaching choices about the structure and capabilities of the Canadian military. Using the government's own figures, researcher Alex McColl concluded that the Liberals either will have to pour more money into their defence budget in the mid-2020s or scale back their ambitions by buying a less expensive fighter jet. The reason, according to McColl, is that the bills for both new frigates and new fighters will come due at the same time. Absent the political will (to spend more), the Canadian Forces can no longer afford to be a modern, multipurpose force ...- University of Calgary researcher Alex McColl "Not only will the CF-18 replacement program have to fight for funding against the general austerity and easy riding nature of Canadians, but it will also be running concurrently with the largest military procurement in Canadian history: the National Shipbuilding Strategy," he wrote. During the 2015 election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Canada would not buy the F-35 stealth jet — that it would go with something cheaper and pour the savings into rebuilding the navy. The way the defence policy figures roll out, McColl wrote, suggests the government is on track to do just that. "Absent the political will to provide considerably more than 1.15 per cent of GDP in defence spending," he wrote, "the Canadian Forces can no longer afford to be a modern multipurpose force and should instead move to a Navy centric force structure." The Liberal defence policy, released just over 18 months ago, forecasts that by 2025, annual defence spending will rise to $32.7 billion, or about 1.4 per cent of GDP. However, the projections in the defence policy do not go past the fiscal year 2024-25 — something the Parliamentary Budget Office flagged in a report in November 2017. That PBO report also raised concerns about whether the Liberals would even meet their procurement targets and predicted the numbers would fall off a cliff before the 20-year defence spending policy reaches its halfway mark. "Measured as a share of the economy, the new spending plan will raise the defence budget by over 17 per cent to about 1.1 percentage points of GDP by 2024," the PBO analysis said. "Following this, spending will decline by 38 per cent to 0.69 percentage points of GDP by 2035." McColl said Canada may be left with no choice but to buy a cheaper fighter. "The best value solution to the CF-18 replacement is the least expensive jet in the competition: the Saab Gripen," he wrote in his report. In an interview CBC News, McColl said he chose the Gripen because it is "the dramatically least expensive option," although the Super Hornet is also a cheaper alternative. "I wouldn't say we would be forced (to buy them)," he said. "What I would say is that buying an inexpensive fighter that meets the minimum requirements of what we use the CF-18 for today would be the optimal policy." National Defence announced last week it had concluded a deal with Australia to buy 18 used F-18 fighters to bolster the current CF-18 fleet until a brand-new replacement is selected. That competition to replace the CF-18s with new aircraft is slated to kick off this spring, when the federal government puts a tender on the street. A contract award is not expected until 2022. The first new fighters won't arrive until 2025 — and it will be another year after that before they are operational. Dave Perry, a procurement expert at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, said that new accounting rules — which allow National Defence to spread the cost of weapons system over their lifetime, instead of accounting for them all at once — give the Liberal government a bit of flexibility. But he also pointed out that, by trying to rebuild the navy and the air force at the same time, the Liberals are trying to do something rarely accomplished outside of a wartime setting. "Between new fighters and surface combatants [frigates], those are by far the two biggest projects that have gotten underway in this country in a long time, and doing them at the same time is not something we've done in peacetime before," said Perry. "Previously, we've done these things in sequential order." The question of whether the federal government is organizationally and fiscally prepared to start paying big defence bills is open to debate, he added. Almost four years ago, Perry co-wrote a seminal report that noted the number of staff dedicated to defence procurement at National Defence had never recovered from the budget cuts of the mid-1990s — dropping to 4,300 positions from 9,000. In the time since his report was released, Perry said, there's been progress at the Department of National Defence in hiring procurement specialists and getting systems in place, but he's not certain the rest of the federal government is prepared. "I think the biggest shortcoming is whether the Government of Canada writ large has the capacity, across government, not just in defence, to manage files this size with that level of complexity," he said. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-can-afford-new-fighters-or-new-frigates-but-not-both-at-once-report-1.4969031